7 Easy and Fun Back to School Crafts for the First Week of School

Crafts are a fun and simple way to make the school year exciting for kids who are hesitant to participate or who just enjoy being creative. Use these fun back-to-school crafts for kids to get them excited.

Back-to-School Crafts to Kick Off an Amazing Year

Start the school year with creativity and connection using these fun and meaningful start-of-year crafts for kids. Find crafts paired with a back-to-school read-aloud and ones designed to help students express themselves, feel welcome, and get excited for the year ahead.

These crafts are great for the first week of school, and most are featured in my Back to School bundle, making them easy to prep and teach!

Craft #1: “5 Things About Me” Apple Flap Book

Materials Needed

• Apple flap book template
• Scissors, glue, crayons, or markers
• Writing pencil
• Paired Read-Aloud: A Letter From Your Teacher
• Found in: Back-to-School Book Companion Bundle

Steps to Create

1. Have students cut out their templates. The lines on the template indicate where to cut and where to fold to create their apples.
2. On each flap, students write five important facts about themselves. They attach the flaps to the apple craft to show everyone how amazing they are.
3. Read and share their writing with the class to get to know one another better.

Teaching Tips:

• Read A Letter From Your Teacher to open a discussion about teacher-student relationships.
• Model 5 things about you to inspire ideas.
• Use this craft during the first few days to get to know your students on a personal level.
• Display on a classroom bulletin board titled “Getting to Know Us!”

Craft #2: At School “I Can” in Schoolhouse Shape

Materials Needed:

• Schoolhouse cutout
• “I Can” mini booklet pages
• Stapler, crayons, pencils
• Paired Read-Aloud: Our Class is a Family
• Found in: Back-to-School Book Companion Bundle

Steps to Create:

1. Read ‘Our Class is a Family’ and brainstorm ideas from the book about what they can do at school.
2. Each student receives 3–5 “I Can” pages to write and draw their ideas. Examples include “I can be a good friend” or “I can learn new things.”
3. Stack the booklet and staple it on top of the schoolhouse shape.

Teaching Tips:

• This is a great writing activity that helps establish expectations and routines.
• Let students share a page aloud to build confidence.
• Use during the first writing block or for centers.

Craft #3: Directed Drawing – “Draw a School”

Materials Needed:

• White drawing paper
• Pencils, erasers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Step-by-step directed drawing instructions
• Paired Read-Aloud: Our Class is a Family
• Found in: Back-to-School Book Companion Bundle

Steps to Create:

1. Guide students through a simple directed drawing of a school building.
2. Have them color in their drawings with care. They can add personal touches and details to make it their own.
3. Optional: Add a sentence like “This is our school!” or a fun writing prompt at the bottom.

Teaching Tips:

• Great for a calm morning activity or an early finisher task.
• Display the drawings together for a welcoming classroom wall.
• Use to practice listening, following directions, and fine motor skills.

Craft #4: First Day of School Hat

Materials Needed:

• Hat template with…
• Cardstock, sentence strips, or paper strips
• Glue, scissors, crayons
• Found in: Back to School Fun Pack

Steps to Create:

1. Print the hat parts and have students decorate them.
2. Glue the pieces together and attach them to a strip to fit their heads.
3. Staple ends to create a wearable hat.

Teaching Tips:

• Use this on the first day for a fun and celebratory activity.
• Perfect for photos to send home or use in portfolios.
• Kids love wearing them around the school or during a welcome parade!

Craft #5: “Colorful Year” Crayon Box Name Craft

Materials Needed:

• Crayon box and crayons template
• Student name letters
• Glue, scissors, markers
• Found in: Back to School Fun Pack

Steps to Create:

1. Students write each letter of their name on a different crayon.
2. Decorate the crayon box and arrange crayons inside it.
3. Add the title: “NAME is going to have a colorful year!”

Teaching Tips:

• Great for name recognition and fine motor skills in those younger grades.
• Hang the crafts on a hallway bulletin board to brighten up the space.
• Reinforces a growth mindset and positive tone for the year.

Craft #6: “What’s in My Backpack?” Craft

Materials Needed:

• Backpack template
• Drawing/writing insert pages
• Crayons, scissors, glue
• Found in: Back to School Fun Pack

Steps to Create:

1. Students draw or write a list of what they need for the school year on the inside of their backpack. Lines are provided to facilitate this.
2. Glue the front flap onto the backpack so it lifts open. They can decorate this part any way they want!
3. Decorate and display the backpacks in the hallway or on a back-to-school bulletin.

Teaching Tips:

• Pairs well with a school supply scavenger hunt or backpack story.
• Helps students think about routines and preparedness.
• Add it to a “Ready for School” bulletin board.

Craft #7: Student Pennants for “Welcome to School” Banner

Materials Needed:

• Pennant templates
• Markers, crayons, string
• Hole puncher, yarn, or ribbon
• Found in: Back to School SEL Resource

Steps to Create:

1. Students decorate pennants with their names and illustrations of themselves or their goals. They can create a list of things they are excited to learn about, as well as record their grade and age.
2. Hole punch the top corners and string the pennants together.
3. Hang as a banner above your board, door, or hallway.

Teaching Tips:

• Use this as a collaborative class project to foster a sense of belonging.
• A fun way to showcase individuality and ownership of classroom space.
• Leave it up as a cheerful welcome message for families at meet-the-teacher night!

Starting the year with crafts like these helps build a joyful, connected classroom from day one. Each activity promotes creativity, self-expression, and a sense of community, which is exactly what kids need during those first few weeks of school.

Grab a free Schoolhouse Directed Drawing Activity!

This easy, step-by-step drawing lesson is a great way to calm first-day jitters, practice fine motor skills, and create beautiful classroom displays.

Click the image below to sign up for your free copy!

Want all these crafts (and more) ready to print and teach?

Check out the Back to School Bundle – it includes 3 best-selling resources:

• Back to School Fun Pack – You’ll find hats, crafts, writing, and more!
• Back to School SEL Resource – This is packed with community-building & emotional learning skills.
• Back to School Book Companions – These are fun activities tied to your favorite read-alouds for the school year.

This bundle has everything you need to make your first week fun, meaningful, and stress-free.

More Back-to-School Activities and Ideas

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