It's here! Back to school 2024 has begun, and this post will focus on provision ideas for learners beginning their first formal school year in Reception or EYFS (FS2). This time of year almost always necessitates some 'getting to know you' activities in your classroom or learning space, but there is so much more to providing fun, simple activities in the early weeks of school. In this post we'll share our favourite activities that will help children become familiar with their classroom, peers and teachers.

The magic of simple, open-ended continuous provision (and why it's important!)

While there is value in creating 'back to school' or 'about me' specific activities, there is a lot to be said for the importance of simple continuous provision when children are just starting out at a setting.

Simple home corner role play, books, sand and water, outdoor play and loose parts are likely to be familiar, calming invitations which children can get stuck into with minimal adult input. Children are taking a great deal in during the first few weeks of school, particularly - so easy to access, open ended continuous provision has an important place in your setting. In addition to this, simple, open ended activities are particularly helpful for allowing practitioners and teachers to get involved in play, observe and get to know their new cohort without the additional expectation of fancy set ups, modelling, preparation and explanations!

That being said, including some easy to set up enhancements to your provision during the early weeks is a fun way to get learners engaged, especially those who need a little extra help getting used to a setting. An activity with clear boundaries and expectations can help those who are feeling a little wobbly and need something to focus on! Here are our ideas for just that.

Small world ideas

Simple small world activities are a great way to get children engaged in imaginative play alongside their peers. When it comes to early weeks in a new setting, a good idea is to go with simple, familiar set ups, while also including lots of 'home' and 'about me' focused options to get children discussing and sharing about themselves. There will be plenty of time throughout the academic year to work on more complex themed set ups - just stay simple! Some ideas are:

  • Small town set ups
  • Dolls houses
  • Train set ups
  • Vehicle play/car garages
  • Dinosaurs
  • Farm themed tuff trays

Personal, social and emotional development ideas

PSED should be woven throughout your curriculum, and particularly the early weeks. Offering lots of cosy seating spots, pillows and blankets will encourage children to find a calming moment to regulate if needed. Activities that encourage children to talk about their feelings can also be very helpful at this time of year. Here are our ideas!

  • Cosy dens, pillows, cushions
  • Quiet reading corners
  • 'Make a face' activities with loose parts
  • Reading lots of PSED focused books

The importance of a home corner

A home corner is vital in these early weeks for observing how children negotiate an imaginary home space. This can help you spot family dynamics, hear about what children's families are like (siblings, who lives at home, etc) while also supporting the transition with a familiar role play set up.

Simple early maths activities

Keeping maths connected to loose parts, number recognition and shape recognition offers a gentle introduction to the classroom. Here the focus should be on open ended activities - and you might just spot some keen mathematicians! Here are some ideas:

  • Simple counting and 1:1 correspondence activities
  • Number recognition
  • Shape spotting and shape recognition

Simple phonics and early literacy activities

Here, the focus is to provide opportunities for name recognition, as well as providing practitioners with a chance to gently spot current skill sets. While baselining is not longer an EYFS requirement, early observational assessments are still useful! Here are some ideas:

  • Rhyming games
  • Early name recognition
  • Simple phonics discs/cards
  • Simple mark making
  • Book themed small world set ups which are likely familiar to children, e.g We're Going On A Bear Hunt

When in doubt, keep it simple!

These are just a few simple activities you might like to try out with your new class, but they are not a tick list. The most important part of a child's first few weeks at school are becoming comfortable with new people, new routines and a new space to negotiate. So if you're not sure where to start, strip it back, and keep it simple!