21 Fun & Best First Day of Preschool Activities

There’s something unforgettable about a child’s first day at preschool: the tiny backpacks, the wide-eyed wonder, and that mix of excitement and nerves. The right activities can turn those first-day butterflies into big smiles and happy memories.

Wondering what makes a first day truly special? Let us walk you through some fun and thoughtful first day of preschool activity ideas that help children feel right at home.

What is the Importance of Welcome Activities for Preschoolers?

 
The first day of preschool is a daunting experience for many children. Welcome activities for preschools create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that eases separation anxiety, builds trust, and fosters positive associations with school from the very beginning. Here’s why they are important:

• Eases Anxiety and Nervousness: Fun and familiar activities help reduce the fear and worry that children (and even parents) might feel on the first day.
• Builds a Sense of Belonging: Group games and simple introductions encourage children to feel like part of the class community from the beginning.
• Encourages Social Interaction: Interactive activities provide opportunities for little ones to make their first friends, building early social skills.
• Fosters Trust in Teachers: These activities help children connect with their teachers, making it easier for them to seek comfort and guidance.
• Introduces the Preschool Routine: These activities introduce children to the structure of a preschool day in a playful, non-intimidating way.
• Boosts Confidence: Successfully participating in games and tasks gives children an early sense of achievement and boosts their self-esteem.
• Helps Teachers Understand the Children: Through first-day preschool activities, teachers can observe each child’s personality, interests, and comfort levels, allowing them to support individual needs better.

21 Fun Activities for the First Day of Preschool

 
Welcome activities for preschools are carefully designed not just for fun, but to build confidence, ease anxiety, and foster new friendships. Here’s a look at some wonderful first day of preschool activities that can help set the right tone for the year ahead:

1. Welcome Breakfast and Classroom Tour

   Begin the first day of preschool with a welcome breakfast where children and parents can enjoy light snacks together. Following breakfast, a classroom tour can be conducted to help children familiarise themselves with different areas, from the play corner to the reading nook. It gives them a sense of belonging and reduces the fear of the unknown.

2. Give Welcome Bags

   Present each child with a welcome bag filled with simple goodies like crayons, a small book, or a soft toy. This creates excitement and a sense of being celebrated, which helps them feel special and valued.

3. Welcome Circle Time

   In this preschool welcome activity, children sit together with their teacher for greetings, songs, and simple introductions. It is a wonderful way to build a sense of community from day one.

4. Find a Friend

   Pair kids together and encourage them to learn something new about each other. This playful interaction promotes social skills and helps them feel like they are not alone in their new journey.

5. Classroom Decoration

   In this preschool activity for the first day, give the kids art materials to create drawings or crafts to display around the classroom. This brightens the room and gives children a sense of ownership by making them feel that the classroom truly belongs to them.

6. Storytime

   Storytime offers reassurance, sparks imagination, and sets a calming tone for the day. Hence, reading a story related to starting school helps children relate to the characters and realise that their feelings are normal.

7. Dancing to Fun Tunes

   Children love to sing, dance, and move to simple tunes. This activity allows them to release energy, loosen up, and build motor skills. Music and movement are essential for easing first-day jitters and making preschoolers feel joyful and energised.

8. Art and Craft Sessions

   Introducing art activities on the first day gives children a fun and expressive outlet to channel their emotions. Art and craft sessions boost creativity, improve fine motor skills, and provide an early opportunity for self-expression, making them a must-have for first-day-of-preschool activities.

9. Sticker Name Activity

   In this preschool welcome activity, make each child decorate a sticker with their name and wear it proudly. This makes it easier for teachers and children to learn each other’s names and fosters a sense of identity right from the start.

10. Musical Chairs

    This classic game introduces a sense of fun and friendly competition. It encourages children to listen carefully, move quickly, and learn to cope with minor disappointments in a light-hearted way.

11. One Lie, Two Truths

    In this ice-breaker, you can make your students share two facts and one lie about themselves, while others guess the lie. This game encourages speaking, listening, and laughter.

12. Scavenger Hunt

    In this simple and fun activity for the first day of preschool, let kids hunt around the classroom. This helps them playfully explore their surroundings while also enhancing their observation skills and helping them discover new areas with excitement.

13. Passing the Ball

    Make your students sit in a circle and pass a ball while music plays. When the music stops, the child holding the ball shares something about themselves. This promotes communication and ensures that everyone has a turn to speak.

14. Play “Favourite Thing”

    Invite the kids to talk about their favourite food, toy, or animal. Sharing favourites helps children discover common interests and begin forming friendships based on shared likes.

15. Animal Charades

    In this welcome activity for preschoolers, make children act like different animals while others guess which animal they are portraying. It will help spark creativity, encourage active participation, and reduce shyness.

16. Warm Breeze

    In this activity, children stand in a wide circle while the teacher calls out a statement such as, “A warm breeze blows towards children who have a sibling.” Any child who relates to the statement steps into the centre of the circle. Throughout the game, different prompts encourage various groups of children to move, helping everyone feel involved.

    This preschool welcome activity promotes inclusivity, builds a sense of community, and helps children discover shared interests in a fun and welcoming way.

17. Tall Thomas

    A perfect icebreaker activity for the first day of preschool, where you can ask the students to think of an adjective that describes them, with the catch that it must begin with the same letter as their first name. For example, a child named Thomas might say, “Tall Thomas.” This activity helps children with name recognition, boosts memory skills, and adds plenty of laughter to the day.

18. Penny Jar

    Start the first day of preschool with an interactive activity where children are invited to take a penny from a jar and pass the jar along. For each penny they take, the child has to share a fact about themselves with everyone. This encourages social interaction. To make this activity fun, ensure even you take a penny at the end or in the beginning and share an interesting fact about yourself!

19. Sensory Bin

    Setting sensory bin is a great sensory activity for preschoolers as it stimulates their senses, encourages curiosity, and helps develop fine motor skills. Set up bins filled with materials like sand, rice, or water beads, and let children explore using their hands and simple tools.

20. What’s in the Bag?

    In this fun activity for the first day of preschool, fill a mystery bag with easy classroom objects, like chalk, eraser, pencil, or anything else. Then, let students take turns feeling inside and guessing the objects. This activity sparks curiosity, enhances sensory perception, and is always a source of giggles and excitement.

21. Self-Portrait

    This is the most common first day of preschool activity, where the kids are encouraged to draw or paint a picture of themselves. Creating a self-portrait helps children think about their identity and express themselves artistically, all while boosting self-confidence.

Make Your Child’s First Day at Preschool Memorable

 
At KLAY, we understand how important the first day is for you and your little one. With our warm and engaging environment, thoughtfully planned activities, and caring educators, we make every child feel right at home from the very first moment.