How to Plan a Successful Preschool Back-to-School Night
Preschool Back-to-School Night is an exciting event! Parents and caregivers love seeing their child’s classroom, and children love showing it off. Hand-in-hand they go to the science center to the craft area to the pretend play bins, little ones happily morphing into official classroom tour guides. For teachers, Preschool Back-to-School Night is all about striking a balance between reinforcing policies and procedures and having fun.
Here are over 15 ideas to ensure a successful and productive Preschool Back-to-School Night.
Don’t underestimate the hallway and door leading to the classroom. Swathing them in bright colors, thematic décor, or student artwork gives the perfect first impression. Since the door is one of the first things visitors see, turn it into something that welcomes the children and sets the tone for the school year. Look to popular culture for ideas kids will instantly recognize. This Pixar’s Inside Out inspired door décor greets children will familiar faces and the promise of good memories. LEGO is another popular theme. Use the colorful blocks to emphasize the inspiring message: “Let’s build something amazing together!”
As your preschoolers settle into a new school year, it’s a perfect time to incorporate a school supplies-themed sensory bin activity into your routine. Download this free and easy sensory bin idea from Preschool With a Purpose!
The one thing kids love to look at more than building bricks? Themselves! Incorporate pictures of the students into the door theme. This Welcome to Our Hive kit turns the children into honeybees. Teacher tip: Include pictures of the teaching staff, too. Kids get a kick out of seeing their teachers up on the door with them!
Once inside the classroom, it will undoubtedly be crowded and loud with all the extra guests. Because it is difficult to chat with and help every family at the same time, having one place set up with Open House welcome materials allows everyone to move around at their own pace. Pocket of Preschool suggests using the student desks. Children are thrilled to find their desks full of colorful goodies! Included in the materials are things like a classroom scavenger hunt (this free editable template is fantastic!), perhaps a few basic school supplies, a welcome folder for each family, and a snack.
The scavenger hunt encourages families to explore the classroom and familiarize themselves with the daily routines. Angie Brown, early childhood educator at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Providence Connections, recommends adorning the learning and play spaces with pictures of the children: “I hang the child’s picture and name in several places. On their cubby, on their question of the day clothespin, and I try to take pictures while they’re busily working or preoccupied with something, not just smiling at me and posing.” She notes, “kids take pride in showing this to their (families), and who doesn’t like to see their kids!”
Since the welcome folders go home with families, they should provide copies of things like the classroom daily schedule, school rules, and teacher contact information. It is a good idea to also briefly discuss these things during the Back-to-School Night to ensure everyone is on the same page. To warm up for discussion, consider starting with an ice breaker. Human BINGO is the perfect way to get the adults and kids moving around and chatting. Each family gets a BINGO card with short statements like has a pet cat and likes to play baseball on it. The idea is for families to talk to and learn about one another, marking their cards accordingly. By the time someone yells, “BINGO!” new friends have been made.
Funny and thought-provoking questions can also get everyone to warm up. This list of ice breaker questions is creative and fun for any age. A fantastic way to build community in the classroom, the String Theory activity literally connects everyone. Using a ball of string (or a roll of toilet paper!), one person shares an interesting fact about themselves, holds onto a section of string, then tosses it to the next person. The result of the activity is a giant web of string and a great visual representation of how we are all connected. It’s a thoughtful segue into emphasizing the importance of a strong home–school partnership.
Communication is key in any good partnership, so it’s important to establish an open-door policy and encourage families to reach out as needed. Communication apps like Bloomz, Brightwheel, and Class Dojo make it easy to share student information, photos, and schedules without compromising anyone’s safety or privacy.
Policies and procedures, while important, cannot replace the compassion and care of a good teacher. This is precisely why Brown’s “Handle with Care” pass is so important. Among the documents in the welcome folder is a paper that explains if a child is having a rough day, the caregiver only needs to send the paper to class or simply say, “handle with care” during drop-off. Brown explains, “They can just tell me that phrase and with no questions asked, (and) I make it a point to give a little more love and attention to their kid that day.” It’s seemingly little things like this that strengthen the relationship between families and teachers.
No Back-to-School Night is complete without a snack! Whatever the treat, consider dressing it up with a cute tag. For instance, kid-favorite fish crackers are yummy, and now they’re adorable, too, with this “It’s oFISHally back to school time!” tag. For more snack ideas, including nut-free options, check out these preschool snacks.
Finally, bring Back-to-School Night to a close with the ultimate edible guessing game. Fill a large jar with candies and allow each family to guess how many candies are inside. The guess closest to the total takes the whole jar home! Other, non-food versions of the game could use Crayons, small toys, or a variety of school supplies.
Preschool Back-to-School Night is the perfect time to hone relationships with families while giving them a glimpse into the daily happenings in the classroom. Good luck!
Did you love this article? Get regular updates about preschool products, teaching tips, and ideas to cultivate joyful learning in your classroom. Don't miss a thing - sign up today!
About the Author:
Stephanie Jankowski is an educator and author who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When she's not teaching or writing, she's spending time with her children, Brady, Ella, and Lyla, and marveling at just how short the years really are.