Help prepare children new to school with a game day!

It’s Back to School time! The local markets put up their school displays. The school supply lists have arrived in the mail. And the incoming kindergartners are wondering what’s in store for them.

To prepare your child for school, you may want to give them a chance to meet their new classmates. Some parents organize play dates so that their little ones will have familiar faces in the crowd when they arrive to the first day of school. Why not go one step further and plan a game day for your child and her/his peers?


Bringing together 30 kindergartners can be intimating, but with the help of some other parents and a few games up your sleeves, you’ll have a fun and successful day. A favorite game among kindergarten set is Switch. Try also Bubbles and Kindergarten Kickball.

 

Put out some paint brushes and water and allow kids to “paint” the sidewalk. Check out the Ice Breakers and Cooperative Games sections of our Playbook for more great ideas that will allow children to get to know each other and work well together. Or for more ideas, check out KaBOOM!’s Play Day resources.

 

After a great game day, your kindergarteners will be both excited for school and ready to work cooperatively with their classmates. And you’ll be better prepared to volunteer in the classroom with a sleeve full of fun and successful games!

More Resources


Kids jumping in the air
Kids jumping in the air

June 17, 2024

Games to Play in the Summer ›

Summertime is here!  The first few weeks of summer bring fun and excitement and the return of free time and fun, seasonal activities. But as the summer stretches on, it…

January 12, 2024

Indoor Recess Transition Plan ›

From snow and cold to rain, smog, and everything in between, weather can throw a wrench in your outdoor recess plans. When inclement weather strikes, transitioning to indoor play can…

Junior Coach holding ball
Junior Coach holding ball

September 20, 2023

Empowered youth to community leaders ›

The importance of youth leadership programming in elementary schools Childhood is spent brimming with fascinations of the future – ideas of what infinite potential can amount to, ambitions of fulfilling…