At the start of the school year, your classroom is full of nervous, shy, and excited little faces. One of the best ways to build classroom community and help students feel comfortable is by starting with a few classroom ice breaker games for kids.
These first day of school ice breakers are quick to play, no-prep, and a great way to start building relationships from day one. Here are five of our favorite ice breaker games for back to school that you can use right away.
#1 The Name Game
This easy ice breaker game is a go-to for many first grade teachers during the first week of school. The class sits in a circle, and one student starts by saying their name. The next student repeats the first name and adds their own. Each student continues in this pattern, repeating the names before them and then adding theirs to the end.
By the time the last student shares, they’ve heard every name multiple times—which helps everyone remember names a little faster, including you.
A fun twist is to assign each student a food that starts with the same letter as their first name. So instead of just saying “Ethan,” they become “Ethan-Egg.” The game works the same way, but now with food names—like Gabby-Grape, Alex-Apple, and so on. It’s silly, memorable, and always gets a few laughs.
#2 Four Corners
Have students stand in the middle of the room. Then give them a prompt like, “Go to corner #1 if you like popcorn, corner #2 if you like chips, corner #3 if your favorite snack is yogurt, and corner #4 if you love cookies the most.”
You can change the question to anything, favorite colors, pets, recess activities and even use this game beyond the first week. It works well for brain breaks, indoor recess, and smooth classroom transitions all year long.
#3 Would You Rather?
This one’s been around forever, and it still works every time. Students are given two options and can only pick one. It’s quick, easy to explain, and always a hit.
Kids love this game outside the classroom too. It’s popular with students of all ages—though sometimes they try to make the choices as silly (or gross) as possible. In the classroom, it helps to guide them toward fun but age-appropriate topics that still spark conversation and laughter.
Use it as a whole-group game, a partner discussion, or even as a quick transition during the day.
Here are a few classroom-friendly Would You Rather questions to get you started:
- Would you rather have toasted or burnt marshmallows on your S’mores?
- Would you rather eat only spaghetti or only pizza for a week?
- Would you rather read a book or draw a picture during free time?
- Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon?
- Would you rather slide down a rainbow or jump on clouds?
- Would you rather go to the zoo or the aquarium?
- Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
- Would you rather do math all day or recess all day?
- Would you rather eat lunch with your teacher or your principal?
- Would you rather live in a treehouse or a castle?
Keep a running list and let students come up with their own (with your approval) to keep the game going all year. It’s a great way to get to know your students—and help them get to know each other too.
#4 Find A Friend Who…
This back to school ice breaker is a favorite among early elementary teachers because it gets students moving, talking, and making connections.
Have students stand in the middle of the room. Give them a prompt like, “Find a friend who has the same favorite animal as you.” Once they’ve found someone, they sit together and share their answers. Then bring everyone back to the middle and repeat with a new prompt.
You can use this with a wide range of topics, and it works especially well for helping shy students find something in common with a classmate.
Try prompts like:
- Find a friend who has the same number of siblings as you
- Find a friend who goes to bed at the same time as you
- Find a friend who likes the same snack as you
- Find a friend who has a pet (or wants one!)
- Find a friend who watches the same show as you
- Find a friend who loves recess
- Find a friend who’s nervous about starting school
- Find a friend who loves to read
You can also tie this game in with read-alouds. After reading First Day Jitters, ask, “Find a friend who was nervous about starting school.” This game works well during the first week but can also be used anytime students need to re-connect, build empathy, or just have a fun, structured movement break.
#5 Stand Up If…
This quick game is a great way to build classroom connection through shared experiences—and it takes no prep at all.
Have students stay seated at their desks. Call out prompts like, “Stand up if you have a pet,” or “Stand up if you like chocolate ice cream.” If the statement applies to them, they stand. If not, they stay seated. After a few seconds, everyone sits back down and you move on to the next question.
You can make the prompts as silly or as simple as you want:
- Stand up if you’ve ever been on an airplane
- Stand up if you had cereal for breakfast
- Stand up if your favorite color is blue
- Stand up if you love recess
- Stand up if you’ve ever lost a tooth
- Stand up if you’re excited for school
It’s quick, gets everyone moving, and helps students learn what they have in common with their classmates. You can also bring it back later in the year as a brain break or a fun way to transition between activities.
Read Alouds As An Ice Breaker Alternative
Books shift the focus away from the student and onto the story—giving everyone a shared experience without putting anyone on the spot. A good back to school read aloud helps create a safe, welcoming environment while still building classroom community.
A favorite for the first day is First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. After reading, try saying, “Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt nervous about something new,” or, “Turn and talk—what part of the story felt familiar?” It’s a simple way to help students connect without any pressure.
Looking for more books like this? We’ve put together a full list of our favorite back to school read alouds. And if you still need a copy of First Day Jitters, you can grab it here. (This is an affiliate link, which means we may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you decide to purchase.)
These back to school ice breaker games are quick, low prep, and easy to fit into the first few days of school. Whether you’re helping students learn each other’s names, find common interests, or feel more comfortable in your classroom, these activities are a great way to start building community from day one.
Ice breaker games are a great place to start. If you’re looking for more ways to build connection and trust with your students, check out our guide on How To Build Classroom Community From Day One. Read it here.
Want to keep the connection going beyond the first week? Setting up a simple Student of the Week routine is another great way to help students feel known and celebrated. It gives each child a moment to shine—and teaches the class how to support and learn about one another in a structured way. Check out our post on how to do Student of the Week in your first grade classroom.
