Ah, back-to-school season! It can be a little nerve-wracking, can’t it? For teachers, children, and even parents, those first days are filled with anticipation, excitement, and maybe a tiny pinch of nerves. The good news is—you don’t have to stress about filling the classroom with “perfect” activities. What matters most is creating space for curiosity, connection, and joy.
Here are five playful, hands-on activities to ease your students into the new school year. They’re simple, engaging, and—best of all—they’ll make your learners feel confident, comfortable, and ready to explore English in a fun, meaningful way.
1. Classroom Commands
Sometimes the simplest activities have the biggest impact. Understanding instructions is one of the first steps in building confidence in a new language. Imagine your classroom as a stage for exploration, where every command is an invitation to move, notice, and respond.
Try our Classroom Commands PowerPoint: show a command, and watch children follow along—individually, in pairs, or as a full group. For extra giggles, turn it into a game of Simon Says, where only commands that start with “Simon says…” are followed. Suddenly, language learning is movement, play, and laughter all rolled into one.
2. Roll and Cover Game
Games have a magic all their own. They take away pressure, invite children to focus, and turn vocabulary into a living, breathing experience. Our FREE Roll and Cover game is perfect for pairs or small groups.
Students roll a die and name the corresponding school-related item. For older or more confident learners, invite them to weave the word into a sentence: “I put my pencil in my bag” or “I like the red notebook.” Each turn becomes a moment of confidence, connection, and creativity—learning that sticks because it’s joyful.
Let’s Chat!
Language lives in conversation. Asking and answering questions is the heartbeat of communication, whether at school, on holiday, or simply sharing ideas with a friend.
The Let’s Chat PowerPoint is a gentle way to start the year with questions and answers. Students learn about you, about each other, and about how to express curiosity in English. Once the slides are done, pair them up for mini-conversations. Little by little, questions flow, answers grow more confident, and shy learners start to find their voice.
Memory Game
Memory isn’t just a brain exercise—it’s a playful way to revisit vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and build attention in a relaxed, fun setting.
Print our Back to School Memory Game (laminated if possible), lay the cards face down, and let children take turns flipping two at a time. When a match is found, they can say the word aloud: “I found a pencil!” For older learners, challenge them to create a sentence: “I need to find another ruler.” Play becomes learning, and learning becomes play.
4S School Dobble Game
Pattern recognition meets language practice in this fast-paced, playful activity. Our School Dobble game turns your classroom into a friendly competition, where children race to spot matching school-related images.
The twist? They can’t just point—they must name what they see: “I found two buses!” Not only do students practise vocabulary recall, but they also get a gentle introduction to plurals, all while moving, laughing, and cheering each other on.
Back to School, Done Your Way
The first weeks of school are about more than schedules and lessons—they’re about connection, curiosity, and confidence. By weaving play, conversation, and hands-on learning into your classroom, you give your students a gentle, joyful start to the year.
No stress, no pressure—just five activities that invite movement, imagination, and playful language learning. Your students will love them, and so will you.
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