Ice Breakers for the First Day

I'm not quite sure what I'm going to be doing yet, but wanted to share some ideas with you that I traditionally do. I know we brace ourselves for Day One because whether it's accurate or not, it often feels like hot mess! Kids/parents crying, bags of supplies to keep track of, students not knowing what to do. Last year I had students changing their own nametags, one sat down and started playing on my computer! That's never happened before. So I tend to over plan for first day activities; along with read-alouds and songs, we do some ice breaker-type games.

 I'm hoping to have my class list before we go back. so I can sent out those blank, enlarged puzzle pieces made of cardboard for the students to decorate and bring the 1st day. I usually ask them to decorate it with things they like or to look like themselves, that way they can share what they made.

I also like scavenger hunts around the school. Since the Wizard of Oz is my theme this year, I may use cutouts of Ruby Slippers or Toto to find around the building. That way we can meet the nurse and the librarian, etc. I always feel so badly for the little ones the first day because they are with me for awhile and then have to go to ancillary (which is PE, computer, library, etc.) -they rotate each day. Their faces that they will have another teacher are a little scared all over again.

I like to do name games a lot the 1st couple of weeks-since that is often the first word they start to read. We play 'Who Stole the Cookie" and "Doggie Doggie, Where's You Bone?"-so they can start getting to know each other's names (and so I can start learning them too-I inevitably mix up 2 kids-like Bianca and Bryanna, or I'll call them by the sister's name because I had the sister, they don't like that by the way :).

What kinds of get-to-know-you activities do you do for your kiddos?