35 Fun Questions to Ask Kids for Back To School

Back to school is an odd mix of excitement, nerves, and a whole lot of emotional baggage for both kids and teachers. The first week of school, or the return from a break, quietly set the tone for the return, and the questions we ask during that time matter more than we realize.

Questions aren’t just icebreakers or time fillers; they’re one of the fastest ways to build safety, trust, and classroom community. And you know I’m always preaching that those pieces are the building blocks to seeing the behavior we want from our students!

The right question invites connection and participation, while the wrong one can shut a student down before they ever feel comfortable raising their hand. Knowing the right questions to ask can also be the difference between being trauma informed and making a student feel more anxiety.

It’s also important to remember that back to school is about much more than school supplies and seating charts. 

Students walk in with wildly different experiences, family dynamics, and emotional loads, especially at the start of a new school year. Not every “cute” question is inclusive, and some well-intended prompts can accidentally highlight sore or embarrassing topics. 

That’s why the best back-to-school questions are open-ended, present-focused, and low-pressure. They give students choice, allow them to pass, and create space for every child to participate without having to explain, compare, or perform. 

The list below is crafted to help you welcome students in a fun, thoughtful way. A way that builds connection from day one and continues well beyond the first week or first day back.

The 35 Fun, Student-Friendly Back to School Questions

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1. What’s one word that describes how you’re feeling about the new school year? (Perfect for one-word answers, no overthinking required.)
2. What’s your favorite thing to do after a school day?
3. If today’s school supplies could talk, which one would complain the most?
4. What’s your favorite place to relax…real or imaginary?
5. What TV character would make a terrible teacher in school today?
6. What’s one question you wished I asked more often?
7. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned, inside or outside of school?
8. Would you rather have superhuman strength or a teleportation device during the school year?
9. What’s your favorite movie to watch on movie nights?
10. If you had a time machine, would you visit the past or the future? Why?
11. What’s a favorite book you could read again and again?
12. What’s one fun way you like to learn; games, videos, hands-on, reading?
13. What’s the hardest thing about the first weeks of school for you?
14. What’s a trivia fact about yourself you’d be okay sharing?
15. What’s your favorite sport, or a physical activity you enjoy, like martial arts or dance?
16. If lunch felt like a dinner table with friends, what would make it better?
17. What’s one thing that helps you feel like a proud student?
18. What video game world would be the worst place to have homework?
19. What’s one thing you hope your teacher knows about you by the end of the year?
20. What’s your favorite place to go in your mind when school feels like a lot?
21. What’s a fun question you like being asked?
22. If you could design a school game, what would the game be like?
23. What’s one little bit of your school day you really enjoy?
24. What’s your favorite science experiment, or one you want to try?
25. What’s the best way to make new friends at the beginning of the year?
26. What’s one thing that helps you during the school season when you feel stuck?
27. If you could bring one thing from home (not a family member!) to school every day, what would it be?
28. What’s your favorite place to sit or work in the classroom?
29. What’s something you’re proud of that has nothing to do with school?
30. If there were no wrong answers, what rule would you change for the first time you walk into school?
31. What’s one thing we might be surprised to learn about you?
32. What’s your favorite thing to talk about when you feel comfortable?
33. What’s one thing that makes school feel safer or calmer for you?
34. If you could add one fun activity to the first day of school, what would it be?
35. What’s something important you want your classroom community to be known for this year?

Tips for Making Back to School Questions Actually Fun

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Back-to-school questions work best when they feel like an invitation, not a pop quiz. 

You don’t need every student sharing out loud on the first day of school, and you definitely don’t need to force whole-group participation to make connection happen. Let students answer in different ways like drawing, writing, pointing to a choice, moving to a spot in the room, or sharing with a partner. 

These options lower the pressure and make icebreaker questions accessible for new students, quieter kids, and those who just need a little more time to warm up. 

Building questions into routines like morning meetings, transitions, or end-of-day check-ins is a great way to keep things consistent without making it feel like extra work. 

Even better, take notes and revisit favorite prompts later in the year. When students realize you remember their answers, that’s when trust starts to stick! 

Connection always matters more than compliance.

If you want something to add a little more to your questions, you can try out this engaging Getting to Know You activity. It is a boom card set, and a great way to use some technology and ask some super low pressure questions. Check it out here.

Start the Year with Fun, Not Pressure

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Students may not remember every rule you explain during the first week of school, but they will remember how the classroom felt. 

Thoughtful, inclusive questions send a powerful message: you belong here exactly as you are! Not because you can do something or because you are forced to be here, but because we’ve gotten to know you and genuinely like you.

A truly fun classroom isn’t loud or flashy-and it doesn’t have to be chaotic or unorganized-it’s one where students don’t feel put on the spot or worried about saying the “wrong” thing. It’s a classroom with consistency, but also one that speaks the language of our students. 

When you lead with curiosity and care, your questions become a great way to build safety, belonging, and real relationships. And that foundation? It lasts far longer than the first day of school.

I hope this list of questions gives you some fun ideas for how you can break the ice with your students and give them time to shine!