7 Engaging Back to School Activities That Can Be Practiced with Social Distancing

Need ideas for back to school activities that can be practiced with social distancing?

If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place!

Before we move on, know this: Just because students have to social distance doesn’t mean back to school activities have to be boring.

In fact, students can have just as much fun.

For two days, I read many blogs and educational articles in search of activities that are easy to implement, engaging, and don’t require students to be in each other’s faces.

I classify the first 7 back to school activities as most popular because they show up most frequently when searching for back to school activities, especially considering our criteria of social distancing.

In addition to those 7 activities, I include a few bonus back to school activities: one supports SEL and the others allow you to assess students’ thinking.

7 Most Popular Back to School Activities for Social Distancing

Activity 1: The Name Game

This classic back-to-school activity is simple and straightforward.

During my first few years of teaching, it was my go to activity.

It’s easy to implement, fun, and a quick way to learn students’ names.

And if you’re anything like me — I can butcher a student’s name — you will find this game to be a boon.

Why?

You’ll get to hear students’ names pronounced a thousand times before YOU have to say it.

I can recall times I rehearsed students’ names in my head before verbalizing it. Only to be corrected. Ha!

You’ve likely played this game before.

But if not, here are the directions.

Activity 2: Time Capsule

Many people have hopes of finding a time capsule. I mean, who wouldn’t want to discover or open a relic.

With this back-to-school activity, students will seal the moment — literally (well, sort of) and open it at the end of the school year.

During the end of the year reflection, students will be able to assess how much they’ve changed since the beginning of the school year.

Ideas and Directions for Creating Time Capsules

• Time Capsule Co. provides ideas and variations of this activity for multiple grade levels
• Clueless when it comes to creating a time capsule? Then check out Rockin Resources, where you get step-by-step directions and a 42 second instructional video that shows you exactly what to do. You also get ideas for things to puts inside.

Time Capsules in Middle and High School

If you teach middle or high school, you can introduce this activity by reading about eight of the world’s most notable time capsules. It would serve as a great hook as well as build students’ background knowledge.

Now, because time is of the essence and pacing is critical to student attentiveness, I recommend you read about and discuss no more than 2 of the historic artifacts. For tips on instructional pacing, read my latest published article, “Pacing Lessons for Optimal Learning.”

Now that you know creating time capsules is a popular back-to-school activity, if you’re interested in more ideas for things to put inside or are looking for ways to make them cute, head on over to Pinterest or teacherspayteachers.

Activity 3: Would You Rather?

Want to engage your students in some interesting dialogue? Then use this ice breaker as a discussion starter.

In this game of hypotheticals, students must choose which one they would rather — based upon the two choices.

This game is guaranteed to surface differences and similarities in your students’ character, fears, values, likes, and dislikes.

But not only that, your students will learn a little something about themselves.

Here are 250 best would you rather questions.

If you don’t like any of those, check these out.

By the way, you can make up your own questions, too!

Activity 4: All About Me Bag

Instead of traditional classroom introductions where students introduce themselves and share a bit of personal information, make it more engaging and interesting with this easy-to-make All About Me Bag activity.

If you’re looking for cute ideas, you know where to look. Ha!

 

Activity 5: Bingo

This classic game is easy to play and takes little preparation. The Peanut Gallery has a free Back to School Bingo game for grades 3 through 7 that’s personal.

How so?

Students record their survey answers on a Bingo card — the card they will use to play the game.

Unlike traditional Bingo, with this one, students get to learn a little about each other. And so do you.

Kim Heuer’s free Back to School Bingo game — for students in grades 2 through 5 — is all about what kids did over summer.

Activity 6: Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts is a very popular back-to-school activity.

Have you ever completed a digital scavenger hunt, though?

If not, you need to try it out!

Goosechase allows you to create digital scavenger hunts. The learning curve is small, so no need to worry.

Students can complete this activity in collaborative teams.

And guess what else? They can use their phones to play!

Activity 7: Candy Introductions

This is another popular back-to-school activity, and it goes by various names.

It can be played with any candy that comes in multiple colors.

The directions are simple, and it’s easy to play.

Just come up with a question or statement (something you want students to share) for each color.

Give each student a piece of candy (e.g. Skittles, M&Ms, or Starburst).

Whatever color candy you give students, they respond to the question or statement that corresponds to that color.

You can make it more interesting by giving students up to 3 pieces of candy.

Here’s an example.

Bonus Back to School Activities That Can Be Practiced With Social Distancing

A Much Needed Activity: Friend Wanted Ad

When it comes to SEL, this is a great activity for one reason: everybody wants a friend. You know, someone they can connect with.

Building relationships is important to creating a nurturing classroom community.

When many people think of building relationships, they think of teacher-student relationships.

Like teacher-student relationships, student-to-student relationships are critical and can play a key role in whether students thrive or not.

This Friend Wanted Ad activity is a great way to get your students to communicate their definition of friendship as well as what they want in a friend.

What I like about this activity is that students get to share what they want in a friend while maintaining their anonymity.

What better way to show your students the value of friendship and the characteristics that define a true friend.

Back to School Activities You Can Use to Assess Students’ Listening and Thinking Skills

Fact or Fib? (second activity under the “More Quick Getting-To-Know-You Activities” section) This activity will allow you to test your students listening and note-taking skills without them ever knowing it.

But not only that, they will learn . . .

• the importance of attentive listening
• the importance of note-taking skills
• about you

I AM Not! (second activity from the bottom of page): This activity requires students to engage in critical thinking as they explain why an item is not like him or her.

This activity will give you insight into students’ analytical thinking and communication skills.