Top 15 Back to School Teaching Games
As the sun sets on summer, and school swings back into action, you'll want to inject your upcoming back-to-school classes with some frantic first-day fun.
To give you a helping hand, your ever-reliable Baamboozle buddies are here with some varied and action-packed first day of school activities.
We’ve brought you exciting educational games for students of all ages… and they’re all perfect for learning, making friends, and thawing that familiar back-to-school frost.
Expect spelling bees, scavenger hunts, kooky dances, useful rule-setting, and endless ways to get to know each other.
Take off your coat, hang that bag up, and sit down at your brand-new desk. It’s your first day back at school, and Baamboozle is here to take you through it!
15. School Rules
By Genevieve
Kicking off the school year with rules might sound about as exciting as watching paint dry, but this game flips the script. Instead of just listing out the dos and don’ts, challenge your students to guess the rules using fun images.
And here’s the twist—once they’ve figured out the rules, can they actually stick to the ones they’ve named? It’s a clever way to set expectations while keeping your students engaged from the get-go.
Helps with: Introducing some ground rules, setting expectations, and laying the foundations for good behavior
Best for: Kindergarten to Grade 1
Baam-Link: Play now!
14. Heads or Tails?
By JC
Looking to add a quick burst of fun to your classroom? This luck-based game is just the ticket. Your students will face the timeless question: ‘heads or tails?’—but with a twist.
Rather than the usual coin flip, each click reveals a wacky gif, greeting your students with either a funny face or a cheeky surprise. It’s a lighthearted way to break the ice and get everyone laughing.
Helps with: A quick burst of fun, adding some laughter to the classroom, and breaking the ice in an unusual way
Best for: Kindergarten to Grade 2
Baam-Link: Play now!
13. Why Did the Boy Eat His Homework?
By Khaleesi
Brimming with witty jokes and challenging riddles, this wordplay game is perfect for getting kids grinning and giggling on their first day of school!
Helps with: Breaking the ice, having a laugh, and sharing some welcome smiles
Best for: Grades 3 to 5
Baam-Link: Play now!
12. All About You
By JAB500
As the new school year rolls around, the kids in your classes will need to get to know each other. This game is perfect for helping them do just that with some simple yet effective introductory brain-teasers.
What do they do in their free time? What’s their favorite TV show? And most importantly, which candy do they love to munch on? It’s a great way to get conversations flowing and start building connections.
Helps with: Breaking the ice, getting to know one other, and stirring up some healthy debate
Best for: Grades 1 to 4
Baam-Link: Play now!
11. Back to School Spelling Bee
By Miya
Perfect for first-day English classes, this basic bee tasks your brand-new students with spelling some school-based language and lingo. Get ready to see who can spell “notebook” without turning it into “notebok,” or who thinks “paintbrush” is two words.
It’s all in good fun, and a great way to warm up those spelling skills!
Helps with: Spelling, English classes, and some fun-but-educational competition
Best for: Grades 2 to 4
Baam-Link: Play now!
10. Fun Facts
By Alejandra Poveda
In this tricky trivia-fest, your students are confronted with some surprisingly-difficult questions and dilemmas. Themes include math, arts, movies, geography, animals, pizza, napping, and ginger people.
First-day fact-finding has never been this arbitrary!
Helps with: Teamwork, trivia, and testing your students’ knowledge
Best for: Grades 4 to 6
Baam-Link: Play now!
9. Hello, an Introduction Game
By Stela
So, it’s the first day of school, and you've got a classroom full of students who’d rather be anywhere but sitting in front of you? No worries—this game’s got you covered! It’s perfect for those inevitable awkward introductions.
Can your students describe their appearance without just saying, “I’m wearing clothes”? This game is a surefire way to break the ice and get everyone (even the shy ones) chatting.
Helps with: Building comfort, sharing personal details, and kickstarting connections
Best for: All ages (because who doesn’t love a good introduction game?)
Baam-Link: Play now!
8. Curiosity Quest
By Mr. Harry
Need to shake off those first-day jitters and get your students chatting? This game will have your classroom buzzing with questions like, “If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be?” or “If you could invent something, what would it be?” Brace yourself for the inevitable “chocolate fountain in the cafeteria” suggestion.
Helps with: Encouraging creativity, sparking imagination, and fostering curiosity
Best for: Grades 3 to 5
Baam-Link: Play now!
7. ABC Body Movements
By K_Sieger
If you want to inject some moving and grooving into your first day of school, this game is the perfect shape-throwing solution.
Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a different movement or motion… so you can get your students fluttering their fingers, slithering like snakes, and crawling like crabs.
And, yes, there are entries for X and Z.
Helps with: Warming kids up, offering some much-needed silliness, and practicing the alphabet
Best for: Kindergarten to Grade 2
Baam-Link: Play now!
6. Back to Middle School
By ericaallen
Middle school: that magical time when students are too cool for school, yet still need a little guidance on what’s acceptable (and what’s definitely not).
This game helps you navigate those tricky social waters with your students. Got a friend with something stuck in their teeth at lunch? It’s a fun way to reinforce social norms, teach middle school behavior, and remind your students that a little kindness goes a long way.
Helps with: Teaching social norms, reinforcing middle school behavior, and encouraging kindness
Best for: Middle School (where social skills are a subject all on their own)
Baam-Link: Play now!
5. Odd One Out - Food
By Barley Teacher
In this drool-inducing slice of foodie fun, your students are given various groups of four foods… and they need to decide which one of the four doesn’t fit.
But some of these questions are surprisingly challenging—can your students work out why seed-filled oranges don’t belong with stone-filled peaches, plums and avocados?
With some pretty contentious dilemmas, you can expect some delicious debate… perfect for adding some energy to the first day of school!
Helps with: Foodie fun, making quick decisions, and stirring up some food-based chat
Best for: Grades 4 to 6
Baam-Link: Play now!
4. Back to School Chat
By Profbazzi
More ice-breaking thought-provokers… but these questions are a little more complex and complicated—and they’re perfect for older kids.
Who do you most admire? Would you rather go back into the past or zoom forward into the future? And who knew you had this many mini Aristotles in your classroom?
Helps with: Deep conversations, making connections, and some serious self-reflection
Best for: Grades 4 to 7
Baam-Link: Play now!
3. Back to School Attributes
by Miss Lexi
Got students who need a little extra help with speech and language? This game is your new best friend. It’s all about practicing attributes with everyday back-to-school items.
“What is this?” you’ll ask. “Tell me 2 or 3 things about it.” And before you know it, they’ll be saying, “A bus! It’s yellow, it drives, kids go inside,” like pros. This game is a great way to kickstart the new year and get your students talking—literally.
Helps with: Speech therapy, building vocabulary, and practicing descriptive language
Best for: Grades 2 to 5
Baam-Link: Play now!
2. Welcome Back!
By jkracoff
This game is perfect for sparking conversations about all those summer adventures (or, let’s be honest, endless hours of screen time). “What did you do during your break?” “What’s something new you learned over the summer?”—these questions will get your students talking, sharing, and maybe even discovering that someone else also tried to turn their backyard into a mini water park.
It’s a fantastic way to reminisce, build connections, and kick off the school year on a high note.
Helps with: Encouraging conversation, sharing experiences, and getting to know each other
Best for: Grades 3 to 6
Baam-Link: Play now!
1. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
By Danae.simmons
We’ve saved a real gem for last. This is one of our favorite Baamboozle scavenger hunts, it is an absolute favorite for kicking off the school year with energy and excitement. A physical funfest brimming with hunting and hoarding, this game asks your students to find objects like crayons, shiny stuff, and things beginning with B. But here’s the first-day-of-school twist: your little learners are also tasked with making swift interpersonal connections.
Can your scavenging students find someone who has a sister? A person who likes broccoli? Or someone who might just become their new best friend?
Helps with: Turning shy kids confident, a fun burst of energy, and making quick connections
Best for: Grades 2 to 5
Baam-Link: Play now!
Baamboozle’s Top 15 Back to School Teaching Games: Final Thoughts
And just like that, we’ve reached the end of our first day of school. And exactly like your mom told you, it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be. You can access the whole collection of back-to-school games here.
If you’re looking for more lists of topical fun like this one, we have collections of ready-to-play games for American Football, World Pup Soccer, and Popman—game modes that add excitement and variety to your lessons.
Each mode can be used to play pre-made games designed to teach English, vocabulary, articulation, and more.
Crafted by dedicated teachers and speech-language pathologists, these games are designed to captivate and engage your students, ensuring they’ll not only learn but also love every minute of it.
And for many more ways to play our great games, check out Baamboozle+, our preposterously-popular premium platform. It’s much more affordable than Kahoot, and we think it’s way better*.
*Yeah, you’re right, we probably are a bit biased.
Thanks for reading, you beautiful Baamboozler, and we’ll see you again soon!
