Back to School Activities for Elementary Mandarin Chinese Classes
Are you excited to start the school year? As a Chinese Immersion first-grade teacher for 8 years, these are my absolute favorite back-to-school activities to encourage self-expression and build a Chinese classroom community of learners and friends! Kick off the school year with these fun Mandarin Chinese activities to help your students get to know each other during the first week of school!
1. First Day of School Crown
Celebrate the first day of school with a fun crown craft that your students will love! These back-to-school headbands are easy to make. You can print the crown templates on white paper or cardstock, have students color them, and then staple them on sentence strips.
Grab the simplified or traditional Chinese version here.
2. First Week of School Activity Packet
This 17-page back-to-school packet is designed to help you engage your young Chinese learners during the first week of school! It includes a variety of low-prep activities and worksheets that will make this busy time of year a little easier. Students will discuss their feelings, favorites, how they get to school, and more. Fun activities like "Find Someone Who" are also included.
A PowerPoint version is also provided for teachers to make any necessary adjustments for your Chinese class.
Grab the simplified or traditional Chinese version here.
3. All About Me Lapbook
If you’re looking for a bigger first-week-of-school project, creating a lapbook is a fun and interactive way for your students to introduce themselves to the class! This easy-prep flap book craft is perfect for Mandarin Chinese learners to practice self-introductions in Chinese. Each day, students complete a section of the lapbook, and by the end of the week, they'll present their finished projects to the class. All you need are some colored file folders!
Grab the simplified or traditional Chinese version here.
4. All About Me in Numbers
This fun craft is perfect for getting your young Chinese learners excited about their first week of school! Students will answer questions about themselves using numbers. After completing the questions, they’ll select a boy or girl template to color, cut, and glue on their "All About Me" sheet, making it look like the character is holding the paper!
5. First Day of School Photo Sign
This First-Day-of-School Sign is perfect for back-to-school photos! Simply print the colorful sign on cardstock, have your child hold it, and snap some lovely pictures! It’s a great way to capture the first day and create a memorable keepsake. You can also compare these photos with their last day at school photos - you will be amazed by the kids' growth throughout the year!
P.S. This is a photo of Mia’s daughter’s first day of daycare :)
6. All About Me Flag Bunting
This quick, one-page activity is perfect for the first day of school! Students can introduce themselves and share expectations for the teacher by answering a fun questionnaire in Chinese. Pinyin is included to help your Chinese learners read each question. Let your students get creative by drawing and answering questions about themselves. Then, hang up the buntings in your classroom to create an adorable and personalized banner!
Mandarin Chinese Children’s Books for the First Week of School:
《梅伊第一天上學》
《我們班的新同學：班傑明·馬利》
《大卫上学去》
《一年级，一点都不可怕！》（“我爱一年级”小甜橙入学准备绘本）
《同学，你好啊！》（“我爱一年级”小甜橙入学准备绘本）