7 Back to School Activities to Do with Your Students After the Break

The summer school holidays have wrapped up, and now it’s time to ease back into classroom life. But, let’s be honest, getting back into the swing of things isn’t usually as easy as it sounds. Getting students re-focused can feel like hitting the reset button. 

So, how can we make the return to routine feel a little smoother and more fun? These engaging ‘Back from Break’ activities will help your students settle in, reconnect with each other and share the highlights of their holiday adventures — all while getting back on track.

Icebreaker Conversations

When returning to the classroom after a break, it can be helpful to have some conversation prompts handy to help get students talking. I created a set of icebreaker conversation prompt cards to use with my students, and if you’d like a set that is ready to print and use in your classroom you can click here for the conversation prompt cards pictured below. 

Conversation prompts can help get whole class discussions started or can be used in small groups to help students reconnect. Plus, sometimes students come up with really interesting responses that help you get to know more about them.

Summer Reflection

If you’re getting students back into routine after the summer holidays, try giving them a fun summer-themed holiday reflection activity to try like the What I Did This Summer activity pictured below. 

These simple, open-ended prompts allow your students to share their favourite parts of the holiday break, and help you get a glimpse at some of their interests as the new school year begins. It also gives students a starting point if you want to spend some time discussing their holiday break with them. Plus, you can display them on your bulletin board while you wait for more student work to be available later in the term. 

You can find a copy of the template below in my What I Did This Summer Reflection Activity Pack.

Holiday Story Sharing

Students usually return from the holiday break eager to share their stories with you and their friends. Giving them time to chat in small groups or join a class discussion is a simple but powerful way to let them share the highlights they’re excited about. 

You can do this in small groups or as a whole class discussion time. You might give students a few prompts to guide their sharing, such as “What was your favourite part of the break?” or “Did you try anything new?” This structured yet open-ended time helps students reconnect with their classmates and with you as their teacher. Most importantly, it communicates that their experiences matter. 

Just be sure to set a time limit so that the day doesn’t slip away in conversation — keeping it focused and intentional will help maintain classroom momentum while still honouring their need to share.

Wellbeing Check-in

Once you’ve given students a chance to share something about their holidays, it’s a good idea to check in with how they’re going emotionally. Transitioning back to school after a long break can give students many different feelings. That’s why using a simple wellbeing check-in can be a helpful part of your weekly or even daily classroom routine. 

Simply ask students some questions that encourage them to reflect on how they’re feeling. Then, take the time to go through each of their responses carefully, taking note of those students who may need some extra support from you. 

The ready-to-use template below can be accessed here: Student Wellbeing Check-in Templates.

Letters to Future Self

Another fun way to get students thinking about the school year ahead can be to have them write a letter to their future self. You might choose to give them some prompts as a guide, or you might prefer to leave it open-ended. 

By giving them time to think about what they’d like to share with their future self, you’re allowing them to reflect on what they’ve learnt, where they’re at and where they’re aiming to be by the end of the year. This can be an insightful activity for both the students and you as their teacher. 

At the end of the year, have some fun by handing out the letters they wrote for this activity and use that to spark discussion about all the learning that took place throughout the year.

Bulletin Board Display

If you’re going to be reviewing content with your students anyway, why not turn that review into a bulletin board display? There are lots of creative bulletin board ideas out there, and having your students help create one is a great activity for the first week. 

The one pictured below is an example. Here, students practice skip counting while putting together fun ice cream stacks! It makes a fun, summery display while also helping kids revise skip counting at the beginning of the new school year. 

If there’s another skill you plan to review with your students, get creative and think about how you might be able to turn it into a display.

You can click here for your copy of the skip counting ice cream bulletin board.

Goal Setting

Finally, returning to the classroom after a holiday break provides a great opportunity to set and revisit learning goals. Typically, the new year is when many students set new learning goals, and using a set of New Year’s Resolution Worksheets like the ones pictured below can make this extra engaging. You can click here to find your copy of New Year’s Resolution Worksheets for Students.

Of course, goals can and should be set at any time throughout the year though, so having some more general goal setting pages like the one below can help guide students through the goal setting and goal-tracking process. Click here for a set of Back To School Goal Setting Templates for Your Students.

Talk students through the goal-setting process and have a simple way for them to check in with their goals throughout the year. 

I also recommend finding time to talk about each student’s goals with them individually. I’ve found this to be an effective way to connect with them and show your support while also getting a clear picture of how confident they’re feeling with different learning areas. 

Back-to-school season is such a wonderfully exciting — and often hectic — time of year. With new faces, fresh routines and endless to-dos, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed. But it’s also a unique opportunity to set a positive tone for the term ahead and build strong, meaningful connections with your students right from the start. 

As you ease back into routine after the holiday break, I hope these ideas give you a few simple but effective ways to create a warm and welcoming classroom environment. All the best as you settle back into routine with your students after the holiday break! 

You can use the links to buy your own copies of the printable resources I’ve referenced in this blog post. 

Do you want some tips for helping students reflect on their learning while you’re here? Then have a read through my post of Ideas for Helping Students Reflect on Learning.

P.S. I love to hear how my tips and resources are helping you in your teaching, so leave a comment to let me know!

Have a question or a request? You can contact me at blueskydesignsbymrst@gmail.com.