The beginning of a new school year brings excitement, anticipation, and the perfect opportunity to set the tone for your classroom. Whether you’re looking to build community, review skills, or simply have some educational fun, I’ve got you covered with these six engaging back-to-school activities!
For the 2025-2026 school year, I have three brand new activities and three oldies-but-goodies.
1. Back to School Syllacrostic Puzzle
I’m excited to share a Back to School syllacrostic puzzle! This engaging word puzzle challenges students to think critically while reinforcing vocabulary.
Just in case you are unfamiliar with this type of puzzle, here are the basics. My syllacrostic puzzle has 18 words to solve. (I have no idea why I settled on this number.) You use the given pool of syllables at the top of the page to help you identify the answers. The activity also has the following information as clues for each word:
- A related word or phrase
- The number of syllables in the word
- The number of letters for each word
This Back to School version follows the same format as my popular Thanksgiving and Halloween syllacrostics, but with school-themed vocabulary that’s perfect for starting the year!
2. Back to School Trivia Game
Are you looking for a fun way to break the ice at the beginning of the school year? Give this Back to School Trivia Game a try! Created in Canva, this engaging activity features 13 trivia questions that will get your students thinking and talking.
It’s perfect for students and teachers when it comes to:
- Morning meeting activities
- Brain break
- Quick day filler (sponge activity)
3. Which One Doesn’t Belong? Back to School Edition
The Back to School “Which Does Not Belong?” presentation is a perfect first-week activity to get your students thinking critically and sharing their perspectives. Each slide features four school-related items, and students must decide which one doesn’t belong with the others.
■ There’s no single “right” answer for most slides – the magic happens when students explain their reasoning!
■ This activity encourages creative thinking, communication skills, and helps students feel comfortable speaking up in your new classroom.
■ Use it as a whole-class icebreaker, in small groups, or as a brain warm-up during the first days of school.
You can easily customize the template to match your grade level, subject area, or classroom theme. Try projecting a slide and having students write their answers on sticky notes or mini-whiteboards before sharing with the class. You’ll be amazed at the different perspectives and thoughtful explanations your students provide!
4. Back to School Digital Breakout
Looking for an engaging way to kick off the school year? Try this digital breakout that gets students working together while thinking critically!
This digital escape room challenges students to solve puzzles and unlock various locks:
- 7-Direction Lock
- 4-Color Lock
- 4-Letter Lock
- 3-Number Lock
What makes this breakout special is the hidden links for lock answers and a school supply quiz built in Google Forms. Students will need to pay attention to details and work collaboratively to succeed.
Make sure you have your teaching credentials in your email in case you want to request the answers from Peggy at preimers@tcea.org.
5. Fall Digital Breakout
Need an easier breakout? This fall-themed digital breakout is perfect for introducing students to the concept of escape rooms with a straightforward approach.
Students will encounter these locks:
- Word Lock (example: FALL)
- 3 Color Lock (first initial of each color in capital letters)
- 5 Number Lock
- 5 Direction Lock
- 4 Number Lock
This breakout features one main image and one block of text, making it more accessible while still providing an engaging challenge. It’s a great option for teachers who want to start with something easier before moving to more complex breakouts.
If you are new to breakouts, check Peggy’s Breakouts 101 blog that will answer all your questions.
6. Vanishing Vowels – School Supply Version
Vanishing Vowels is a fun supply-themed activity that focuses on words related to school supplies. In this activity, the vowels are removed from the words, leaving only the consonants.
Two ways to use this activity:
■ Use it as an individual or group exercise where students work together to decipher the words based on their consonants. This encourages teamwork, builds class community, and also incorporates word recognition into the mix.
■ Use it as a creative spelling activity where students add the appropriate vowels back in to spell the fall words. This activity not only enhances students’ word recognition skills but also offers an opportunity to reinforce spelling proficiency in a fun and interactive manner.!
Ready to Get Started?
Which of these back-to-school activities will you try first? Remember that for the digital breakouts, and syllacrostic puzzle you can email me at preimers@tcea.org with your teaching credentials to request answer keys.
Have you created your own back-to-school activities that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
Happy NEW SCHOOL YEAR!
