44 Welcome Back to School Ideas to Kick Off the Year with Kids

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The start of a new school year calls for activities that get kids smiling and ready to learn. These welcome back to school ideas are simple, cheerful, and perfect for easing little ones into classroom routines.

From lacing cards to name games and everything in between, these ideas are full of hands-on ways to mark the first days. Want more inspiration? Check out our back-to-school crafts for even more ideas to try.

Collage of colorful back-to-school crafts for kids, including paper pencils, school buses, apples, backpacks, and name tags. Center text reads "44 Fun to Make Back to School Ideas Kids Will Love" in bold, multicolored letters.

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Welcome Back To School Ideas

two examples of finished first day of school book

First Day of School Printable Book

Cherish those first-day memories with a pencil-shaped mini book that kids can fill out themselves. They get to write or draw about their new teacher, friends, and feelings, turning this activity into a special keepsake of the big day.

Download the free template from the blog to print and assemble your mini book and capture your child's back-to-school excitement.

abcsofliteracy.com

Back to School Lacing Cards

As a fun first-day activity, little hands will enjoy threading yarn through these school-themed lacing cards. You can print out the cute designs (think apples, buses, and pencils) and let kids “sew” along the punched holes, building fine motor skills as they play.

The blog has the free lacing card set and simple instructions—perfect for keeping kids quietly engaged and learning.

Related: Photo Bus Craft

pocketofpreschool.com

School Slime

Mix a batch of gooey, back-to-school slime for a sensational welcome to the school year. This recipe uses the usual slime ingredients (glue, water, and liquid starch) but adds a school-themed twist with fun colors or tiny school supply trinkets mixed in.

It's a squishy, hands-on project that kids will love to make and play with—check out the blog for the slime recipe and clever add-in ideas to make it classroom-ready.

www.artycraftykids.com

3D School Backpack

A few pieces of cardstock, scissors, and glue are all you need for this 3D mini backpack art. Kids assemble and decorate their little paper backpack, choosing the colors and adding drawings or stickers to design their dream school bag.

The blog post has a printable template and simple instructions for this creative back-to-school project that kids can wear or display.

Also try: Popsicle Stick Crayon Craft

www.messylittlemonster.com

School Bus Activity

Budding artists can assemble a little yellow school bus using a printable template and some colored paper. To make it extra special, they can add a small photo of themselves in the bus window—imagine all your students “driving” their buses on a bulletin board!

The blog has a free bus template and step-by-step instructions to help you create this cute, personal back-to-school art.

crystalandcomp.com

Back to School Bingo Printables

Turn learning into a game with these back-to-school bingo cards that feature letters, numbers, shapes, and more for kids to identify. Children will have a blast marking off items as they play—without realizing they're practicing letter recognition, counting, and other early skills.

Grab the free printable bingo set from the blog and prepare for a fun family or classroom game to kick off the school year.

Related: Crayon Paper Bag Puppet Craft

barleyandbirch.com

Paper School Bus Photo Book

Create a mini photo album cleverly shaped like a school bus—an ideal way for kids to save first-day memories. Children can decorate their paper bus and fill it with small photos or drawings (like pictures of friends or a tiny class schedule), so this activity is fun and meaningful.

The blog provides the template and instructions for this adorable school bus photo keepsake.

Paper Bag Pencil Puppet

Transform a plain paper bag into a silly pencil puppet with which kids can play. Using the template pieces, they'll glue on the pencil's point, pink eraser, and even a funny face, then have a blast making their new pencil friend “talk.”

It's a great back-to-school art for imaginative play—check out the blog for the free template and puppet-making instructions.

homeschoolpreschool.net

Back-to-School Shape Matching Worksheets

Preschoolers can practice identifying shapes with a set of back-to-school-themed matching worksheets. On each page, kids match basic shapes with a school-related object that shares that shape (for example, finding which item is a circle or square), which playfully boosts their recognition skills.

Visit the blog to download these shape-matching pages and add quick, fun learning to your school prep.

Also try: DIY Crayon Headband Craft

www.firefliesandmudpies.com

Popsicle Stick Pencil

Kids will have fun gluing a few popsicle sticks and adding colorful paper pieces to create a jumbo pencil decoration. This simple back-to-school project can be personalized with your child's name or grade, making it a special keepsake of the new school year.

Check out the blog for the free template and a step-by-step tutorial to make this fun pencil art.

Back to School Cutting Practice Pages

Little ones can practice their scissors skills with these back-to-school-themed cutting worksheets. Each page features simple lines or shapes (like zig-zags on a school bus or a wavy path to a pencil) for kids to cut along, making it a fun, hands-on way to build fine motor confidence.

Print the free cutting pages from the blog and watch your child happily start snipping and getting ready for classroom arts.

thecraftathomefamily.com

Milk Carton School Bus

Instead of tossing out that empty milk carton, help your child turn it into a bright yellow school bus with some paint and creativity. Using the blog's free printable template for details like wheels and windows, this recycled art comes together easily, resulting in a fun toy bus for pretend play.

Head over to the blog for the template and instructions to give new life to your recyclables with this clever project.

Related: Pencil Name Craft

nontoygifts.com

Paper Plate Yarn Weaving Apple

Kids will love weaving yarn through a paper plate to create a cute apple design. This project is a hands-on way to celebrate the start of fall (and the new school year) while sneaking in some fine motor practice as kids thread the yarn in and out.

Check out the blog for easy instructions on setting up this fun weaving art, perfect for preschoolers.

Back-to-School Worksheets

This printable set of back-to-school worksheets packs a variety of fun learning activities into one bundle. Kids will practice everything from letter recognition and counting to coloring and tracing, all with a school-themed twist that keeps them engaged.

Download the free worksheet pack from the blog to keep little learners busy and learning as they prepare for the school year.

meaningfulmama.com

Popsicle Sticks School Bus

This project lets kids excited (or a little nervous) about riding the big yellow bus make one of their own. Children build a mini school bus they can play with or proudly display using popsicle sticks painted bright yellow, plus some cut-out paper wheels and windows.

The blog has all the instructions for this fun back-to-school project that also doubles as a great way to talk about first-day jitters.

Also try: Back To School Bus Craft

nontoygifts.com

Paper Backpack

Kids can create their mini paper backpacks using a simple template and a bit of coloring and cutting. It's a quick and easy back-to-school project that lets them personalize a pretend backpack—great for building excitement about the real one they'll soon carry.

The blog provides a free printable and tips, so you can even make a whole classroom set of these cute paper backpacks if you'd like.

two side by side examples of finished crayon box craft

Crayon Box Activity

Something is exciting about a brand-new box of crayons; this activity captures that feeling by letting kids make their mini paper crayon box. Using the free template, they'll assemble a little box with bright paper crayons poking out of the top, creating a colorful decoration or pretend toy.

Find the printable pattern on the blog, and prepare to make a mini crayon box that brings all the fun of new school supplies.

www.adabofgluewilldo.com

Simple Shape Pencil

Young kids create a pencil picture by gluing together basic shapes like rectangles, triangles, and circles. This project celebrates back-to-school time and sneaks in a lesson on shapes as children recognize and arrange each piece to form the pencil.

Check out the blog for the printable shape templates and see how to put this cute project together with your little one.

Related: Back To School Gnome Craft

www.schooltimesnippets.com

Paper Weaving Apple

Kids weave strips of colored paper through an apple-shaped cutout to make a vibrant, textured apple art. This activity is a playful way to work on fine motor skills and explore patterns, and the result is a bright woven apple decoration to celebrate the season.

Head to the blog for the Apple template and step-by-step guide to set up this simple yet eye-catching art.

www.thebestideasforkids.com

Toilet Paper Roll Pencil

Recycle an empty toilet paper tube by transforming it into a jumbo pretend pencil with a pointed paper tip and a pink paper eraser. Kids will enjoy painting the tube bright yellow and assembling the pencil ends, creating a cute decoration or play prop to celebrate the new school year.

Visit the blog for the step-by-step guide on this clever back-to-school upcycle art.

www.redtedart.com

3D Back-to-School Coloring Pages

These aren't your ordinary coloring pages—once your child colors them in, they fold into cool 3D paper arts. With eight different back-to-school designs (like pencils, school buses, and more), this activity offers a creative way to keep kids busy and ease them back into “school mode” after summer break.

Print them from the blog, let the kids color and assemble, and enjoy the fun pop-up creations.

www.adventure-in-a-box.com

Back to School Printable Paper Dolls

With this printable kit for school, kids can make and dress up their paper dolls. They'll enjoy coloring and cutting out the dolls, plus a whole wardrobe of school outfits and accessories—from backpacks and lunchboxes to books—and mixing and matching them for imaginative play.

Download the templates from the blog so your child can role-play school scenarios with these adorable paper dolls and get excited for the first day.

www.craftplaylearn.com

Painted Pencil

Add personality to ordinary pencils by letting kids paint them in fun colors and patterns. This project turns a basic school supply into a creative project—kids can decorate real pencils with stripes, polka dots, or even little faces, making them excited to use their one-of-a-kind supplies in class.

The blog shares easy tips for safely painting pencils, making this a great small-group or at-home activity.

thekindergartenconnection.com

Pencil Alphabet Match

Turn alphabet practice into a matching game with this pencil-and-eraser letter set. In this printable activity, kids match 26 uppercase-letter pencil cards to their corresponding lowercase-letter eraser cards, reinforcing letter recognition in a hands-on way.

It's a quick-prep activity perfect for back-to-school literacy centers, and you can grab the free set from the blog to start matching letters right away.

homeschoolpreschool.net

Back-to-School Alphabet Worksheets

Get your preschooler excited about letters with this set of back-to-school alphabet worksheets. The pack includes a page for each alphabet letter, with engaging exercises like tracing, coloring, and matching that make learning ABCs fun.

Download these free alphabet sheets from the blog to add playful letter practice to your first week of school routine.

crystalandcomp.com

Back-to-School Cut and Paste Printables

Kids practice cutting and gluing with these fun back-to-school printables that let them create simple pictures or solve little puzzles. They'll cut out school-themed pieces (like crayons, numbers, or shapes) and paste them in the right spots, which keeps them entertained while building fine motor and visual thinking skills.

Grab the free cut-and-paste sheets from the blog to enjoy hands-on learning time with your child.

www.darcyandbrian.com

Back to School Stick Pencil

Kids will love creating a large stick pencil, and you'll love that it requires only a few basic supplies. With a printable pattern for the pencil parts, little ones can work on shapes and colors as they cut out a triangle tip, rectangular body, and pink eraser and glue them onto the popsicle sticks.

It's a low-prep project that's fun and educational—find the free template and instructions on the blog to get started.

www.livinglifeandlearning.com

Back-to-School Kindergarten Math Worksheets

This printable pack helps kindergartners practice essential math skills with a fun back-to-school theme. Inside you'll find activities for counting, number order, simple addition and subtraction, and even a bit of early skip counting—all accompanied by cute school graphics to keep kids engaged.

Download the set from the blog to give your child a head start in math as the school year begins.

www.projectswithkids.com

Pencil Painted Flower Pot

Kids will have a blast turning a plain flower pot into a giant pencil by painting it bright yellow with a pink rim. Once it's dry, this pencil pot makes a great holder for pencils or a small plant—an excellent teacher gift or desk accessory that celebrates back-to-school time.

Check out the blog for painting tips and see how this cute project comes together (with plenty of possibilities to customize it).

www.preschoolplayandlearn.com

Back to School Color by Number

These back-to-school color-by-number pages let kids reveal fun school pictures (like apples and buses) as they color each section by the number code. It's a relaxing, no-prep activity that helps young learners practice number recognition and follow simple directions while creating a cute piece of art.

Snag the free color-by-number set from the blog to keep your child entertained and learning during the first week of school.

frogsandsnailsandpuppydogtail.com

Back to School Sensory Bottle

Fill a clear bottle with colorful school-themed trinkets and liquid to create a mesmerizing “I spy” sensory toy. Kids of all ages will enjoy shaking and turning the bottle to spot tiny items like letter beads, paperclips, or mini erasers floating inside—it's like a back-to-school treasure hunt in a bottle.

Check out the blog for simple instructions on putting together this calming, engaging activity.

www.stirthewonder.com

Back-to-School Pencil Frame

Your child can make a special picture frame for their first-day photo by decorating a piece of cardboard with real pencils. By arranging and gluing pencils around the edges, they'll create a unique frame perfect for showing off a back-to-school snapshot or gifting to a teacher.

The blog post details this creative keepsake art—an ideal activity for the first week of school.

thekindergartenconnection.com

Back to School Sensory Bin

Make early literacy practice hands-on with a back-to-school sensory bin filled with alphabet fun. Bury some plastic letters or picture cards in a bin of rice or shredded paper, and let kids search through to find each one and match it to its beginning-sound card—printables come with the activity.

This engaging Pre-K/K activity reinforces letter sounds through play, and the blog offers free printables and setup tips to get you started.

www.icanteachmychild.com

Crayon Slime

Put a back-to-school twist on slime-making by using crayons to color it! This recipe has you mix shaved or melted crayon pieces into your slime base, creating a swirl of vibrant colors and a fun new texture for kids to explore.

It's a clever way to reuse broken crayons and adds an artsy element to the usual slime play—find the full slime recipe on the blog and get ready for colorful, squishy fun.

funlearningforkids.com

Feed Me Numbers Crayon Activity

Who's hungry for numbers? In this adorable game, kids feed number cards into a big smiling crayon (made from a printable template with a “mouth” slot), turning counting practice into a fun pretend-play session.

It's a clever way for preschoolers to work on number recognition and counting skills—just print the free crayon and number pieces from the blog and start feeding that hungry crayon!

www.craftplaylearn.com

School Paper Project

With this super simple project, students can whip up a cute paper schoolhouse in just a few minutes. Using basic shapes cut from construction paper (think a big square building and a triangle roof), they'll glue together a classic little school building that's perfect to display on a bulletin board or fridge.

The blog has the template and quick instructions—an ideal last-minute activity to fill a few extra minutes of class time.

lifeovercs.com

Crayon Box Roll and Count Game

Make counting practice fun with this crayon box roll-and-count game. Children roll a die and then count out that many little paper crayon cutouts to “pack” into a printable crayon box mat, turning math into a hands-on play activity.

The blog has the free printable game board and crayon pieces so you can start this simple math game in no time.

wheredmysanitygo.com

Back-to-School Placemat Printable Activity

Make the first day of school breakfast special with a printable activity placemat for kids. This one-page mat packs in mini puzzles, coloring sections, and fun prompts with a school theme, keeping children entertained at the table while they wait for their meal.

Grab the free placemat from the blog to add playful learning to your morning routine and kick off the new school year with a smile.

fluffytots.com

Back-to-School Emotion Sorting Activity

Help kids discuss their back-to-school feelings with a clever emotion sorting activity. The free printable includes cartoon school supplies and faces showing different emotions. Kids can cut them out and sort them into categories like happy, nervous, or excited.

It's a gentle, hands-on way to get children talking about emotions, and you can download the activity from the blog to use at home or in class.

www.preschoolplayandlearn.com

School Bus Counting Playdough Mats

These printable playdough mats turn counting practice into a fun, hands-on activity with a school bus theme. Each mat shows a school bus with a number, and kids roll and place that many playdough “students” or counters onto the bus, combining fine motor play with early math.

Print and laminate the free mats from the blog for a reusable center that makes learning to count feel like playtime.

www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com

Paper Plate Apple

This classic project turns a simple paper plate into a shiny red apple. Kids can paint or color the plate red and add a construction paper stem and leaf (maybe even a cute worm peeking out) to create an apple perfect for fall or as a teacher gift.

The blog post details this easy project—an ideal way to celebrate the back-to-school season with your little ones.

www.schooltimesnippets.com

Washi Tape Pencil

Cut out a big paper pencil shape and let kids decorate it with strips of colorful washi tape in this mess-free art. Little ones will strengthen their fine motor skills as they tear and stick the tape and end up with bright, patterned pencil artwork to proudly display.

It's an easy, no-mess activity to kick off the school year—check out the blog for the pencil template and see how to do it.

More Fun Kid’s Ideas

21 School Bus Crafts To Get Your Kids Excited For The Classroom
23 Community Helpers Books for Preschool
17 Fun Read Aloud Books About The First Day of School

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photograph of found of Simple Everyday Mom, Sam

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Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.

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