The Name Game

The first child says his or her name, then the next child says his or her
 name and repeats the first child's name.  Play continues until the
 last child or the teacher has repeated everyone's name.

Variation:

Have children sit in a circle on the floor. Hold up a beanbag and say,
 "My name is _______, and I like __________." Pass the beanbag
 to the child beside you and have him/her repeat the sentence,
 inserting his or her name and the thing he/she likes. Continue
 around the circle until everyone has had a turn. Then go around the
 circle again and have student volunteers try to retell each
 child's name and the specific thing he/she likes.

Name Game II

With ball (pass to a friend and say I’m glad you're here _____.

Nimble Names

Help your children learn one another's names with an activity that
 will have them jumping for joy!  Put an unlit candle in a candlestick
 on the floor in your group area.  Invite each child, in turn, to jump over
 the candle as the class recites the nursery rhyme "Jack Be Nimble."
  Of course, you'll replace the name "Jack" with the name of the jumping
 student.  If desired, post a copy of the rhyme where everyone can see it and use
 sticky notes with the children's names to change the verse each time you recite it.

Teacher Game

Have children take turns being the teacher, who has the
 children play classroom games such as "Simon Says."

Friendship Walk

Have all the children sit in a circle.  Choose a child.  Turn on the children's
 favorite music.  The child should then begin to walk around the outside
 of the circle as the music plays. When you stop the music, the child
 should stop and hold hands with the child closest to him.  Begin the music.
  Now the two children walk around the circle.  Each time you stop the music,
 the children select the child they are standing closest to.  That child joins
 their friendship walk.  The game continues until all of the children are walking.

Something's Missing Memory Game

Collect a book  bag, a pack of crayons, a bottle of glue, a pair of scissors,
 and a pencil (and/or other school supply objects from your classroom).
 Show the supplies to the children; then ask them to cover their eyes while
 you remove one item from the group. Ask a volunteer to guess which item
 is missing; then return that item to the group. Continue until each child
 has a turn to guess or until interest wanes. Store the supplies in the book
 bag; then put the bag in your games center for small groups to play during center time.

Bean Bag Name Game

Say the poem as follows:

Bean bag, Bean bag goes to you (Toss bean bag to child)
This is what you need to do.
Say your name, so we can hear.  (Child says his or her name)
(Child's name)
Everybody give a cheer!!!
Yeah!!!!  (Child's name)!!!
Now your turn has come to an end,
So toss the bean bag to a friend.

When every child has had a turn....on the last child say the following ending...

Now your turn has come to an end,
Say good-bye to our bean bag friend.

Another Bean Bag Game

You can have the class sit in a circle. When you are thrown the bean
 bag you catch it and say one thing that you like to do in school!

Getting To Know You Game

This works great with an edible snack like fruit gummies, mini ritz bitz crackers,
 pretzels, etc. Each child takes a handful, while sitting in a circle. For each piece they
 have they have to tell something about themselves, a delicious way to break the ice!

ABC Scavenger Hunt

This is a nice game to play the first day. Divide your class into small groups
 and assign them certain letters of the alphabet. They need to search
 around the classroom for things that begin with that letter.

School Lotto

Materials Needed:
9" square white poster board,
marker,
bingo chips
school photos

Directions:
Divide the poster board into 9 even squares. Put a photo in each square that represents
 school (bus, teacher, easel, etc.) Give each child bingo chips to cover the picture.

Hot Cow Name Game

Have the students sit in a circle. Pass around a stuffed cow
 (or any other stuffed animal) to music, when the music stops
 the student holding the cow has to say his/her name.
 Continue until everyone has had a chance to tell his/her name.
 The students love this and ask to do this again and again!

Brown Bag It

As a way of introducing yourself on the first day of school, bring a brown bag
 full of items that tell about yourself. Share these with your students. They
 could be things that tell about your family, an embarrassing moment, a hobby,
 etc. Then as a homework assignment for the first night, give each child
 a brown lunch bag, with the poem attached. (See poem below)
Have children bring their bags full of 5 items to share with their classmates the next day.
 This is a fun way to get to know one another and find common interests!

Poem:

In this brown bag you will find,
Things that show I'm one of a kind,
5 items of stuff I like,
My family, friends, a hobby, or bike.
So when I share these things with you,
You'll find out things you never knew

Who Am I?

Give each child an index card with the following sentence starters:

I am __________________.
I have _________________.
I like __________________.
The most interesting thing about me is _______________.
Who Am I? ____(name)_____.

Students fill in the blanks with facts such as age or favorite things.
 (Younger children will need help filling out their cards.) When there is
 a few extra minutes in your day, pull a card from your stack. Have every
 child stand in the room. Without reading the child's name, say 1 line at a time.
 If the sentence applies to them, they remain standing. If it doesn't, then that child
 sits down. The children standing will decrease as each line is read, until 1 child
 remains. Students will not only learn more about their fellow friends,
 but will also see how much they really do have in common.

Back To School Night Scavenger Hunt

School Bus Game

Materials Needed:
1/2 as many chairs as there are players
table and a pencil
a slip of paper for each player

Directions:
Play this game at home or daycare and or school.  To set up the game, put the chairs
 in rows, like on bus. Write the names of all the players on the slips of paper, and put them
 on a table across the room from the chairs. One player is the school bus driver. She or he
 says: "the school bus is here. Let's all be on time. Pick up your tickets  over there, so we
 can be in school by nine." After this is said, the  other players run to the table to find the
 ticket with their name on it.  If they find it, they run to the bus and get a seat. Whoever is
 left cannot  ride the bus. Play the game over and over, and keep score for perfect  school
 bus attendance. Whoever reaches a perfect score of 5 (for the 5 school days of the week)
 first gets to be the bus driver for the next round. Now this can be played by preschoolers with
 a little help it is fun, most of mine just laughed and laughed and the just filled the air!

Name Games

I use this with kindergarteners during the first week of school.  I write the child's name on an index card.  I cut the letters apart and put them in an envelope that has their name on the outside. They have to spell their name.  They can look at the envelope for an example, if needed.  I also do this again and cut their name into a puzzle.  I start off with 3 pieces and when they can conquer this easily, I cut it into 6 pieces. The key to this is to use different colors, so that the kids at the same table don't mix their pieces.

Here Are My Classmates

Give children an opportunity to learn more about each other with this fun first-day activity.
 Take a photo of each child on the first day of school. Then, if desired, send a note home
 asking parents to send a few pictures of the child the next day. As each child arrives,
 mount his photo(s) on a large sheet of construction paper; then label the paper with his
 name. During circle time, hold up one page at a time and invite the pictured child to tell
 about his photos and himself. Once everyone has a turn, bind the pages together between
 two construction-paper covers. Title the book " My Classmates";
 then put the book in the reading center for the children to enjoy.

All Join Hands!

Seat your children in a circle. Call out a direction such as one of those suggested below.
When the specified children stand, ask them to move to the middle of the circle and join
hands. Then have them sit down where they are. Repeat this process many times, having
 children move from group to group. Make your last direction one that will include everyone
 such as "Stand if you are a student in [teacher's name]'s class." Have all the children join
 hands and form a circle like the one they were in at the beginning of the activity. Guide children
to summarize that they are all alike and different in many ways, but they are all part of the same class!

Stand and hold hands if
you are wearing [sneakers]
you have [blue] eyes
you like [chocolate] ice cream
you have a [brother]
you have a [dog]