Start your school year strong with this Back to School Packet packed with team-building activities, goal-setting sheets, crafts, games, and engaging first day of school activities. Perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade, this resource helps students build connections, foster a growth mindset, and practice key skills through fun, hands-on learning.

Whether you're setting up a welcome back bulletin board, kicking off get to know you activities, or looking for a mix of STEAM activities and character-building lessons, this set has it all.

What’s Included: 10 Engaging Back to School Activities

1. Get to Know You SNAP! Game

A card game (played like Uno) designed to help students share fun facts and build relationships from day one.

2. Play-Dough Puzzlers

Ten hands-on STEAM challenges that promote creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork using play-dough.

3. Hit the Target – Goal Setting Activity

A unique STEM-based activity that helps students set and track goals. Includes a goal setting sheet, target craft, and student reflection writing.

4. Yolo for Yoko (Book-Based Activity)

Paired with Yoko by Rosemary Wells, this lesson promotes growth mindset and cultural appreciation. Includes a themed menu and sushi craft.

5. Friendship Sushi – Craft & Writing

A hands-on, candy-based friendship craft with poems, recipe writing, and a how-to booklet for building classroom community.

6. Get to Know You Cootie Catchers

Three printable cootie catchers filled with fun get to know me questions that promote interaction and conversation.

7. Riding Into a New Year

A fun directed drawing bus project paired with writing prompts for student reflections on the year ahead.

8. Classroom Riddles

Five team-building riddles where students unscramble letters collaboratively to solve fun puzzles.

9. This Year Will Rock – Bulletin Board & Photo Props

Includes bulletin board letters for a "___ Grade Will Rock" display, photo booth props, and a Rockstar craft with writing pages.

10. Don’t Sink My Ship

Played like Battleship, this engaging get to know you activity helps students build connections while using Q&A cards.

Bonus: All About Me Bags & Character Education

All About Me Worksheet & Bag Activity

Students design a personalized bag using the included templates to showcase fun facts about themselves. Share one bag each day to build community and help classmates connect during the first weeks of school.

Quality Character Education: 10 Days of Social-Emotional Learning

This unit also includes a complete 10-day character education mini-unit, ideal for establishing classroom culture and promoting respectful, empathetic behavior from the start. Each day focuses on a key trait with supporting activities, pennant banners, graphic organizers, student booklets, and character bracelets.

Featured Read-Alouds:

• The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon – Think Positive Thoughts
• Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun by Maria Dismondy – Choose Kind
• Stand in My Shoes by Bob Sornson – Show Empathy
• Bubble Gum Brain by Julia Cook – Make Mistakes & Learn from Them
• Teamwork Isn’t My Thing, and I Don’t Like to Share by Julia Cook – Work as a Team
• My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook – Use Positive Words
• Yoko by Rosemary Wells – Accept Differences
• Additional Focus Topics: Respect Others, No Bullies Zone, Enjoy the Ride, Have Courage
  

Each book is paired with a specific theme and hands-on materials that reinforce the lesson through writing, discussion, and reflection.

Resource Features:

• Covers first week of school activities or through the first month
• Great for setting classroom routines and building student relationships
• Includes back to school puzzles and writing templates
• Designed to support social-emotional learning, goal setting, and classroom management
  

Whether you're creating a back to school bulletin board, leading your first class meeting, or setting up engaging centers, this resource is your go-to toolkit for making the first weeks of school memorable and meaningful.