As summer slowly draws to a close, the start of the school year is upon us once again. As students and parents prepare for the first day of school, teachers have lots to do to get ready too. One important task is to plan activities to welcome students back to school and introduce them to their new teacher. Here are 22 ideas for Meet the Teacher activities that will help start the school year on a positive note:

1. Create a bulletin board with pictures of each student and a short bio.

2. Have students make a name tag for their desks using their own unique design.

3. Start the first day by playing games that are designed to get to know each other.

4. Have students draw or write something that they did during the summer and share it with the class.

5. Make welcome banners for the classroom and hang them in the classroom.

6. Ask students to bring in a photo of themselves from when they were a baby and have everyone guess who they are.

7. Create a scavenger hunt in the school to get familiar with the school and schoolmates.

8. Ask students to make a list of things they are excited to learn about in a new school year.

9. Have each student share one thing about themselves that is not known by others.

10. Create a ‘get to know you’ questionnaire for the students to fill out.

11. Have a “meet the teacher” parent night where parents can drop by and learn about the year ahead.

12. Create a welcome packet with a class syllabus, booklist, and supply list.

13. Make your classroom interactive with educational games and activities.

14. Create a welcome video that you can send out to families who are unable to attend the meet-the-teacher night.

15. Let the students know that you are excited to have them in class.

16. Put up a “Welcome Back” door decoration.

17. Have each student write down what they are hoping to learn in the next grade/school year.

18. Create a classroom library of books that are important or relevant to the upcoming year.

19. Create a scavenger hunt for school supplies in the classroom.

20. Create a bulletin board that displays class or school trips, events, and celebrations.

21. Create a survey for parents to fill out about their child’s interests and goals.

22. Use social media platforms such as Google Classroom or Edmodo to communicate with parents and have them fill out an introduction sheet with the class.

The start of the school year can be nerve-wracking for both students and teachers alike, and these meet-the-teacher activities are designed to help make the transition to the school year as smooth and enjoyable as possible. By putting effort into your welcome activities, you can help create a positive classroom environment that sets the tone for learning and growth throughout the school year.