Returning from holidays can be a disorienting time for primary school students. They’ve had a break from the routine, and it can take a little effort to get them back into the groove of learning. One of the most effective ways to ease this transition is through engaging students in welcome-back activities. Here are some fun ideas that our teachers at SOS Teacher Agency use to incorporate icebreakers into lesson plans, to encourage students back into the rhythm of participating in the classroom. These are particularly geared toward primary-aged students but can be adapted to engage secondary school students too.
Icebreaker Ideas for Students
Start with a fun icebreaker activity to help students reconnect. These can be simple games or activities encouraging students to share something about themselves and their holiday experiences while building connectivity.
Two Truths and a Tale
This classic game is a fantastic way to get students talking and learning interesting facts about each other. Each student takes it in turn to say three statements about themselves, two that are true and one that is a tale. The rest of the class tries to guess which statement is a tale. This game is very effective in encouraging students to think creatively and listen actively to peers, and also to develop more understanding of other students’ experiences. This game can provide a platform for students to share fun and unique experiences from their holidays while bringing them back to engaging in the present moment.
Randy Pausch
Holiday Bingo
Holiday Bingo is a fun icebreaker idea for students to get talking about their holiday experiences. Create bingo cards with different holiday activities (e.g., "traveled to another state," "watched a holiday movie," “went swimming,"). Students walk around and find classmates who did these activities, marking off the corresponding boxes. The first student to complete a line yells "Bingo!" This game is a wonderful way to encourage students to move around and interact with as many classmates as possible, helping to re-establish social connections. This is also a productive way to include new students who might be joining the classroom midterm and allow them to feel part of the group.
Holiday Share
Allow students to share their holiday experiences through stories, drawings, or show-and-tell sessions. This not only makes them feel heard but also helps them transition back into the school environment. A story circle is a wonderful way for students to verbally share their holiday adventures. Arrange your students in a circle. Each student takes a turn to share a memorable experience from their holiday. To make it more structured, you can give them prompts like "The best thing I did was..." or "A funny moment was when..." This activity encourages students to practice their storytelling and listening skills. It also allows them to reflect on their experiences and share them with their peers.
Holiday Drawing
Drawing can be a wonderful aid for students who might be shy or prefer visual expression, for quiet or more introverted students, a drawing activity can be very effective. Ask your students to draw a picture representing their favorite holiday memory. Once the drawings are complete, each student presents their artwork to the class and explains what it depicts.
This activity allows for creativity and personal expression. It also provides a visual way for students to communicate their experiences, which can be particularly beneficial for younger students or those who are less confident with verbal sharing.
After incorporating a few of these games into your lesson plan, it’s now a great time to review and refresh previous lessons. It's a good time to briefly go over what was covered before the holidays with quick summaries, discussions, or review sheets. Our teachers at SOS Teacher Agency find these first few weeks can be helpful for students in setting academic and personal goals for the term. This gives them direction, motivation, and a clearer vision. By encouraging collaboration and assigning group projects at the start of a term you will continue to build on the togetherness, which will further foster teamwork. It also works well to get students working on new projects together at the start of the term, which will allow the class to encourage and support each other while presenting topics throughout the term.
The start of a new term is a time for positive reinforcement. It's a time to celebrate students' efforts and achievements and share in games to boost morale and build on the tone and momentum of a supportive classroom environment for the remainder of the year.
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