What First Amendment Rights Do Students Have in School
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25 DIY Back-to-School Activities That Will Start the New School Year Off Right
These fun crafts can help teachers and parents get students ready for the new school year.
Courtesy of Happiness is Homemade and Squirrelly Minds
There's no better way to jumpstart the new school year and get to know your students than with a DIY craft. The first week of school can be nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing (especially during a pandemic), so why not put your students at ease with activities they can all work on together? Not only will they feel welcomed right away, but these activities will really let their personalities shine and they'll get to know their classmates a little better too.
From making their own name tags to writing a note to their future selves to put in a last day of school time capsule, the options are endless for starting the school year off on a strong note. Most of these easy crafts for kids require only a few supplies and some even have printables you can use so you don't have to do any extra work during an already busy time. Parents can also get in on the fun by sending their kids off to school with some DIY school supplies or helping them complete a few crafts at home. Whether your students are going to school for the first time, attending a new school, or starting a new grade level, these back-to-school activities will help them get adjusted in no time.
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3D Paper Apple Book Craft
Get your students ready to read by having them make their own 3D books with some colorful cardstock paper.
Get the tutorial at hello, Wonderful .
What you'll need: Colored cardstock ($7, amazon.com)
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Felt Pencil Toppers
Busy hands often mean lost pencils. With these felt pencil toppers, they'll be able to keep track of which ones are theirs.
Get the tutorial at Kids Activities.
What you'll need: Felt ($6, amazon.com)
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Pencil Picture Frame
Picture frame, picture frame on the wall, who's the most scholarly of them all? These pencil picture frames are great for showing your students their seating assignments to identify which classroom cubbies are theirs.
Get the tutorial at Thrifty Northwest Mom.
What you'll need: Hot glue gun ($6, amazon.com)
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Toilet Paper Roll Crayons
Use these colorful toilet paper roll crayon crafts as decoration for your classroom centers or have each of your students make their own as a first week of school warm up.
Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids.
What you'll need: Googly eyes ($6, amazon.com)
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Back to School Time Capsule
All you need is a mason jar, ribbon, and a small piece of paper to make this capsule. Then, have your students write a note to themselves or color this cute unicorn, and put them in the jar and look at them on the last day of school.
Get the tutorial at IHeartCraftyThings.
What you'll need: Mason jar ($9, amazon.com)
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Bookmarks
Clearly ribbon is a common occurrence in fun back-to-school activities, and these easy paper clip bookmarks give you one more way to use them.
Get the tutorial at The Partiologist.
What you'll need: School ribbon ($8, amazon.com)
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Getting to Know You Sculptures
Looking for a way to learn more about your students? Let their imaginations run wild by letting them make these paper sculptures according to their interests and experiences.
Get the tutorial at Charity Mika.
What you'll need: Construction paper ($4, amazon.com)
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School Bus Guided Drawing
You don't have to be an art teacher to get creative with your students. With this guided drawing activity, you can show them step by step how to draw and paint a school bus worthy of going on their refrigerator.
Get the tutorial at Proud to Be Primary.
What you'll need: Watercolor paint sets ($25, amazon.com)
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Would You Rather: Kids Edition
The classic game gets a kid-friendly twist and makes a great ice breaker activity to get your students more engaged and excited for school.
Get the tutorial at The NY Melrose Family.
What you'll need: Jar ($2, walmart.com)
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Paper Bag Backpacks
Regular folders are a thing of the past. Instead, if you're looking to spice up the first week of school, send your students home with these paper bag backpacks filled with flash cards, notes, or whatever else you can fit inside!
Get the tutorial at Danielle's Place.
What you'll need: Crayons ($2, walmart.com)
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All About Me
Encourage your students to introduce themselves to everyone in the class with this creative fill-in-the-blank booklet.
Get the tutorial at Simply Skilled in Second.
What you'll need: Markers ($10, amazon.com)
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DIY Pencil Holder
Help them keep track of their school supplies with these colorful DIY holders that can be decorated in whatever pattern they like best.
Get the tutorial at Wine & Glue.
What you'll need: Scrapbook paper ($6, amazon.com), Glue stick, pack of 12 ($12, amazon.com)
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Crayon Box Backpack
Let their creativity run wild with these fun crayon box backpacks that are super easy to personalize.
Get the tutorial at A Pumpkin & A Princess.
What you'll need: Sandpaper ($14, amazon.com), twine ($7, amazon.com)
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No-Sew DIY Felt Bookmarks
Start them off with positive thoughts about reading with simple felt bookmarks that they can tuck into their favorite stories.
Get the tutorial at Crafts Unleashed.
What you'll need: Colored felt ($6, amazon.com)
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DIY Erasers
Let them know from day one that it's okay to make mistakes — and fun to fix them with these funky erasers.
Get the tutorial at Squirrelly Minds.
What you'll need: Eraser clay ($11, amazon.com), Rolling pin ($7, amazon.com)
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Alien Name Creatures
This craft is a fun way for you and the students to learn each other's names. Just know you'll forever be associated with these bright and colorful monsters.
Get the tutorial at Happiness is Homemade.
What you'll need: White cardstock ($12, amazon.com), Markers ($10, amazon.com)
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Getting to Know You Candy Game
This back-to-school activity is sure to be a big success. Why? There's candy involved. Duh.
Get the tutorial at Crazy About Cakes.
What you'll need: Assorted candy ($10, amazon.com)
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DIY Photo Booth
Get them excited for the new school year with this adorable photo booth prop. Every kid strikes a pose before finding their seat!
Get the tutorial at Surviving a Teacher's Salary.
What you'll need: Alphabet stickers ($15, amazon.com)
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Classroom Contract
Kick off the year with this simple exercise that teaches kids the five senses and proper classroom behavior.
Get the tutorial at Proud to Be Primary.
What you'll need: Poster board ($13, amazon.com)
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Tissue Paper Apple Craft
Make festive art for your classroom with this easy activity for preschoolers.
Get the tutorial at The Suburban Mom.
What you'll need: Tissue paper ($5, amazon.com)
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What Kind of Teacher Do You Want?
Alexis Jones Assistant Editor Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.com, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine.
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What First Amendment Rights Do Students Have in School
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