Back to School Activities to Build Confidence (with Free Practice Scavenger Hunt)

The first day of school comes with a lot of unknowns. Especially with milestone grades like kindergarten and entering middle school. And as parents, we spend a lot of time gathering school supplies and navigating the world of new school shoes. (Oy!) But sometimes, we forget that some of the most important back-to-school prep is the life skills that help children transition with a lot more confidence. As a former teacher and mom to three boys, I make these back-to-school activities to build confidence. I’ve seen firsthand how much they help!

This simple back-to-school activity will help your child practice following a schedule, finding a classroom, and navigating something new – all through play. (If you are new here, that’s how we do things.)

RELATED: Headed into kindergarten? Start with this parents’ guide to kindergarten.

A printout for kids to use to navigate finding "classrooms" throughout the house as a back to school game. Kids use this at home to practice navigating finding schedules and new routines.

First day of school activities to help kids feel confident

I remember my first day teaching kindergarten like it was yesterday. Twenty-one-year-old me was not prepared for how long the day would feel. There was a little boy who raised his hand to tell me everyone was bored…and the little girl who ran out of the classroom looking for her dad for days.

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It was a crash course in understanding one thing: when kids feel unsure, everything feels bigger.

The first day of school at any grade comes with many unknowns. And although you can search for a kindergarten readiness checklist, many focus on academic skills and overlook something equally important: helping children feel comfortable navigating a new environment.

And we all know that when kids feel prepared, they walk in more confident and ready to learn.

A young boy with a smile on his face as he checks off his list. The list is pretending to be a school schedule for kids to practice finding their classes at home.

How to prepare your child for the first day of school

Help your child prepare for the first day of school by focusing on knowing their teacher’s name, practicing opening lunch containers, knowing how to ask for help, recognizing their classroom routine, and using the bathroom independently. (I have this life skills for ages 3-kindergarten printable list if you want even more practice.)

Before school starts, practice:

Knowing their teacher’s name

Asking an adult for help

Opening lunch containers and water bottles

Recognizing classroom routines

Using the bathroom independently

Following simple directions

Finding their way around a new space (This activity!)

A young boy making a checkmark off of his pretend back to school schedule. The house is marked with room numbers and he is pretending to follow his schedule finding the different rooms.

Common questions from parents are typically:

Will they know where to go?
Will they ask for help?
Will they get lost?
Will they know what to do?

And this activity will help practice solutions to these common confusions that happen at school.

A young child using a checklist that pretends to be a school schedule around the house. Here, he is looking for the music room that is labeled in the house and he is checking it off his schedule.

A fun first day of school activity: Create a school at home

Before kids enter a new classroom, they can practice finding one.

And this little gem of a first-day-of-school activity isn’t just for littles. I love playing this game with my other elementary kiddos because every year they look at the schedule and read a map; they add more to their prior knowledge. Skills like, oh, if it starts with a 2 it must be on the second floor moments start to click.

Child using a back to school checklist to find pretend classrooms around the house. In this photo, he found the reading room and is checking it off his list.

How to play the classroom navigation game

I created this back-to-school activity for you to help your child practice navigating a schedule and following a sequence.

Use sticky notes to turn rooms in your home into classrooms. The main floor becomes 100s. Upstairs rooms become 200s. (Example: Kitchen = cafeteria, and the living room can = Room 101.)
Show your child the schedule and mention there are hidden objects for them to find along the way.
Remember that we are keeping this simple! This is so kids can have a fun scavenger hunt that also helps them practice navigating the school.

Free Download

Back to School Game

Print the download.
Label a few rooms in your home.
Have fun!

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Why practicing independence before school matters

When children practice navigating a new environment, they aren’t just learning where their room is. They are practicing problem-solving, memory, confidence, and independence.