First Day of School Ice Breakers
Elementary Activities to Help Introduce Students to Their Classmates
Jun 29, 2009
Ice breaker activities are used to help kids learn about the students in their class and to feel comfortable them. Ice breakers can also be used to develop a sense of camaraderie between classmates and facilitate peer to peer learning.
The Find Someone Who Ice Breaker Game
The elementary teacher prepares for the Find Someone Who ice breaker game by creating a worksheet for the students to complete. The worksheet contains phrases that complete the sentence starter, “Find someone who…”
Possible phrases could include “has a sister” or “plays soccer.” For kindergarten students or non-readers pictures can be used instead of the phrases. On the first day of school the elementary students walk around the classroom talking to the other kids to complete the worksheet.
Two Truths and a Lie Ice Breaker Game
During the Two Truths and a Lie ice breaker game each elementary student comes up with two facts about themselves and one falsehood. The kids take turns sharing their two truths and a lie with the class and the students guess which statement is false. The Two Truths and a Lie ice breaker is a fun way for students to get to know their classmates.
Balloon Ice Breaker Games for Elementary Kids
Balloons are a great way to get elementary kids to interact with each other. To encourage cooperation and teamwork among class members teachers can have the kids play Pass the Balloon.
Everyone stands in a circle, two circles if the class is large, and the teacher hands the first student the balloon. The student places the balloon under his chin and then passes it to the next person’s chin without using his hands. This continues until the balloon has gone all the way around the circle.
Another balloon ice breaker game is Keep the Balloon Up. The elementary kids are divided into small groups and each group is given an inflated balloon. The teacher tells the kids that they must keep the balloon moving and not let it touch the floor.
Yes or No Elementary Ice Breaker Activity
Elementary students have the opportunity to get up and move around during the Yes or No ice breaker game. The teacher has the kids stand in the front of the classroom and calls out a question that has either a yes or no answer.
In one corner of the room there is a yes sign and in another there is a no sign. The students decide which answer they agree with and go to the corresponding corner. The Yes or No ice breaker game allows students to share information about themselves and learn about their peers in a non-threatening way.
Elementary teachers can use ice breakers on the first day of school to help students get acquainted with one another. Students bond with each other during activities like the Find Someone Who, Two Truths and a Lie, Pass the Balloon, Keep the Balloon Up, and the Yes or No game.
For first day of school ideas for elementary kids teachers can read 1st Day of School Kindergarten Lesson Plan and Beginning of Primary School Primary Reading Lesson Plan.
Teachers can also use How to Create a Primary Classroom Blog for ideas on using the internet to communicate with parents.
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