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Build a positive learning environment, at school or at home that is …
imaginative,
inspiring
colorful
stimulating
motivational
fun and engaging
What might kids with a Growth Mindset say to themselves or others?
‘I love a challenge’
‘Can I try this a different way?’
‘I am determined to succeed’
‘I’m going to solve this problem’
What do kids with a Fixed Mindsetbelieve?
’I’ll never be able to do this’
‘There’s nothing I can do about it’
‘I’m just not good enough at this’
‘There’s no point in trying’
Get kids thinking a bit more deeply with these ‘Three ways I can…..’ writing prompts.
Print this banner to decorate your door or bulletin board!
Get to know your new students in a fun way!
These art and writing prompt lesson plan activities focus on helping kids to celebrate and share their uniqueness, their goals, their views, their likes, and equally, their dislikes!
They are ideal for the first week back to school 🙂
Happy New Year 2026! Check out these fun New Years Art Activities for kids. Enjoy celebrating 2026 in your classroom and ease kids back into January after their winter break with these creative print-and-go art, reflection, and goal-setting activities.
These printable resources are ideal for Grades 3-7: Upper Elementary and Middle School teachers, homeschoolers, and parents.
Here at Imagination Box HQ, I love to help teachers, parents, and homeschoolers bring more art into kids’ lives without the stress of lots of prep! Art is more than a fun project; it’s a tool for self-expression, community-building, and finding calm. Engaging in these imaginative art activities for January can motivate your students and build excitement for this month of new beginnings.
Read on for five engaging ways to ignite creativity at home or in the classroom this January 🎉
1. NEW YEARS 2026 FIREWORKS 🎇 $3.95
Welcome New Year 2026 with this fun fireworks art activity and January goal-setting writing activities. Ease kids gently into the first week back by reflecting on 2025 and creatively setting goals for 2026.
Invite students to create an energizing fireworks display. Use these worksheets to explore warm and cool colors and experiment with making confident, expressive marks. I update this activity each year, so you can download free updates to continue using it beyond 2026.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Colleen says, “Excellent resource that offered a variety of different ways to complete an assignment for students on different levels.”
2. NEW YEARS 2026 CELL PHONE ART ACTIVITY 🎇 $3.95
Ring in New Year 2026 in your classroom! This fun fold-out cell phone art and writing activity is a hands-on way for students to reflect on 2025, set new goals, and make resolutions for 2026.
Engage your students with this relatable New Years ‘All About Me’ Instagram-style cell phone construction, art, and writing resource. Kids love cell phones and drawing their own app images!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Christina says, “My students absolutely loved this resource. It was a wonderful back from winter break activity for them to do. I look forward to using it for years to come, They personalized their phones and were excited to set new goals for the new year.”
3. NEW YEARS SELFIE COLORING PAGES 🎇 $4.25
Kickstart New Year 2026 with these cool selfies and help students focus! These engaging New Year coloring pages, art, and writing prompt activities are perfect for reviewing 2025, goal setting, and making resolutions for 2026. Reconnect, reflect, and refocus as a community.
Students can choose their favorite glasses or spectacles, create a unique self-portrait, and then complete the review and resolution activities that encourage a balance of art and writing.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Natalie says, “This was a really great twist to the usual New Year’s Resolutions. My students are enjoying creating their “selfie”. I am loving how different and creative each student has created their character. Thank you for this product.”
4. 2026 WARM & COOL COLORS ART ACTIVITY 🎇 $3.25
Celebrate New Year 2026 with these no-prep, fun coloring pages. With this creative, warm, and cool colors art lesson, you can gently encourage students to set goals and work imaginatively this January. This resource is updated for free each year at the end of November. The challenge is to see if ‘2026’ stands out from the background when the coloring page is finished. Your students’ artwork will make an eye-catching January bulletin board display to kick off the new year!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Catherine says, “My students loved starting the year revising warm and cool colours, and showing off their brilliant colouring skills. On a hot afternoon, this is the kind of task that is easy for them to engage with, and we now have super colourful display boards!”
5. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026 DOOR DECOR KIT 🎇 $1.95
Welcome your students back to school with this Happy New Year 2026 Classroom Door Decor Kit.
Add some welcoming New Year sparkle to your classroom door this January with these Happy New Year 2025 posters.
This kit includes US Letter-size numbers posters 2-0-2-5, abstract ‘Happy New Year’ fireworks posters, and Happy New Year titles in 3 color options….why not try it for just a dollar? 🙂
How to purchase Imagination Box Resources
🍄 You can browse all resources and freebies on this website. Click the pink ‘Buy on TPT’ button on any product page to purchase safely via my TPT Store (Teachers Pay Teachers)
🍄 You can download and re-access all TPT resources by creating a free membership account. Your purchases will be available for digital access immediately after you purchase.
Let’s explore how engaging middle school kids with relatable all about me art activities can be helpful during the first week back to school.
Some kids burst through the classroom door on day one, excited to be back and reconnecting with friends. Not all kids are happy to be back. Back to school can be a stressful time.
As a teacher or homeschooler, you know it can be the quieter kids who often have the richest inner worlds. The challenge is giving them tools to express themselves without pressure.
That’s where I come in! I love to design relatable, low-stress first week back art printables that help build trust and connection with upper elementary and middle school kids.
It’s simple, engaging, and a surprisingly powerful way to help students literally and figuratively walk in each other’s shoes.
Why choose a Shoe Art Activity?
There’s something symbolic about designing a shoe. It’s not just an art activity; it’s an invitation for students to reflect, share their uniqueness, and get a glimpse into their classmates’ paths, which could be very different from their own.
Each student designs a shoe that tells their story – their likes, dislikes, goals, values, challenges, dreams, feelings. It becomes a visual representation they can proudly share without standing in the spotlight. For shy or neurodivergent students, this quiet, creative process can be a gentler bridge to connection during the first week back to school.
It’s surprising how much information can fit onto the soles of a pair of shoes!
An opportunity for creativity – choose a focus word for the year.
Students can express what is important to them, without words.
These shoe lace bookmarks are perfect for doodle brain breaks.
Happy teacher feedback:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jordan L says,
“This was a great back to school resource to use with my students. It tied in nicely with eighth grade because our first novel is To Kill a Mockingbird, and we talk about what it means to walk in someone’s shoes. It was a great way to make the connection between themes in our novel and relationship building in the classroom.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Melissa M says,
“My students loved using this during one of our class meetings. This was a great way to start the year and discuss ways to remember we each walk a different path each day and to respect that.”
Ways this back to school art activity can be helpful:
First week of school, getting to know you icebreaker activity
Celebrating the end of the year
Reflection and goal-setting
Expressing likes and dislikes, discussing similarities and differences
Learning more about classmates in a fun way
Building a strong classroom community from day one
Exploring empathy – eunderstanding that everyone’s journey is different
Welcoming a new student
A handy low-prep sub plan
Encouraging discussion about the symbolism of shoes – youth culture, identity, self expression, physical and metaphorical journeys
Try this all about me art activity with your kids
This print-and-go activity could be the answer if you’re looking for a meaningful, student-centered way to kick off the year, especially for classes with a mix of personalities and learning needs.
Display them on a bulletin board or string them into a “shoe line” across your classroom. (You’ll be amazed how many parents and staff stop to read them!)
I create printable art and writing resources for 7 to 13-year-olds, helping busy upper elementary, middle school teachers, and homeschoolers deliver high-engagement art projects with minimal stress and prep.
Teachers often tell me they would love to do more art, but feel short on time or are unsure where to begin. That’s where I come in! I bring together a love of design and a deep understanding of what helps kids of all abilities connect with themselves and each other. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Back to school art projects can be a really useful way to spark interesting conversations and get kids engaged in a fun way during their first week in a new class.
This is especially important after kids have been at home or receiving a hybrid education for some time.
In my experience, kids are more likely to engage with cool, modern and relevant activities that reflect their interests in and out of school.
Kids love modern themes
Here are some themes that I have experimented with when creating back to school art projects for kids.
Modern Technology – phones, tablets, watches, gadgets, computers, social media, instagram, facebook. Tech Geek is the new cool!
Sport inspired – always a great cross over with art, and can help engage reluctant artists, energetic boys and girls. Kids love expressing themselves through the clothes they wear and the sports they participate in and watch – prints, logos, t shirts, hoodies – all part of their developing identity.
Graffiti, Street Art – Banksy, ‘tags’, spray can art, reflections of the world today
Pop Art – bright colors, bold imagery and graphics, simple eye-catching patterns
Through designing and road testing art resources for the classroom, grades 3 to 8, I’ve learnt that kids – both girls and boys – really do love to engage creatively with current, relevant themes that reflect their ‘tech savvy’ lives and ‘appy’ pursuits!
Many pre teen kids now own cell phones or ‘mobiles’ as we call them here in the UK.
Most parents, including me, are keen to limit screen time and remind our kids about pastimes from ‘the olden days’ including engaging with ‘books’, ‘paper’, ‘pens’ and ‘pencils’!
So my mission is to keep art going in the classroom and combine the two – Good Old Art with a Modern Tech Twist! –
Through art, kids can express themselves in an abstract way, explore their feelings, how they fit in the world, their hopes, fears, goals, likes and dislikes – often in a deeper and more meaningful way than using only words.
Art activities can be especially useful at the beginning of a new year when anxiety may be running high – for both teachers and students!
My classroom and homeschooler/parent art activities are designed to engage kids of all abilities, are low prep, include finished examples for inspiration, require limited workspace and basic art materials
First week back to school ideas and activities are great for soothing anxious students and teachers. Icebreakers do just that – they break the ice!
How do we build a strong classroom community for the year ahead?
Engage kids in fun group discussions
Set goals for the year, talk about hopes and fears
Get creative and decorate classroom walls, doors, and bulletin boards for an inspiring learning environment
We’ve gathered some fun facts, exploring what back to school looks like, in different countries around the world.
This could be an interesting back to school idea – open up a global conversation with your new class. Get students chatting and researching in small groups about back to school customs and traditions in different countries.
Back to School Around the World – First Week Back Customs
Children all around the world are experiencing their first week back to school too at different times throughout the year.
In Japan, parents give their children a randoseru (a specific type of backpack made from leather) on the first day of elementary/primary school to prepare them for their new school year.
In India, a back to school tradition is the giving of a small gift. This is often an umbrella, as the school year starts in May/June which is the monsoon season in India.
In Russia,the first day back to school is always September 1st. Even if it falls on a Saturday the children will still attend school! This first day is known as ‘Knowledge Day’. Teachers receive a bouquet of flowers from the students as thanks and the student each receive a balloon in return.
In Saudi Arabia, back to school celebrations can take several days. New students are invited to socialize through activities and the sharing of food.
In Germany, first-grade children are given a giant cone made of paper, cardboard, or plastic and filled with treats such as candy and useful items such as crayons and pens. The cones are called ‘schultüten’ which translates to ‘school bag’.
In Vietnam, a countrywide festival ends with a guest beating a drum three times to signal the start of the academic year.
In Kazakhstan, education starts at age 7 and first day of school is known as Tyl Ashar which translates to ‘initiation into education’. Children honour their ancestors around family and friends at a ceremony where each child delivers the Zhety ata, reciting the names of their seven generations of grandfathers.
In Brazil, the school year starts in February.
The USA has the biggest number of home-schooled children at 2.5 million.
What are School Uniforms Like Around the World?
Japanese uniforms, known as ‘seifuku’ look like a sailor suit with a bow and a flat panel across the back.
In France, school uniforms aren’t compulsory but some schools have a casual hoodie with the school logo. Children can choose their own trousers.
In China, school uniforms are often tracksuits for comfort.
In the UK, trousers or a skirt, shirt, tie and blazer are worn – sometimes a straw hat.
In Australia, dresses or shorts are worn with a large hat to protect children from the sun.
In Italy, children traditionally wear a smock or apron called a ‘grembiule’ on the first day back to school. This can be personalised with a unique pattern or name. A specific colour ribbon is worn on the Grembiule to show what grade you are in.
Ideas for your class:
Research and design your own Italian grembiule or Japanese seifuku
Discovering Unusual Schools Around the World
In Ziyun County,China, the Dongzhong Cave, housed a primary school from 1984 until 2011!
Bangladesh has many floating schools due to regular flooding. For this reason, schools are boats which also transport the children home, at the end of the school day.
Denmark started forest schools where children are educated outdoors using nature and natural materials
A question for your class:
How would you welcome another student from a different country to your school?
Here are some popular back to school printable resource ideas, ideal community builders for the first week back. They are carefully designed to help kids express their uniqueness, reflect and set goals in a safe and creative way – ready to print and go! Kids love sharing their finished t-shirts, hoodies and backpacks with their friends!
I’ve come up with 10 reasons, but in reality, the list is endless! I’m a great believer in the positive power of art on our mental well-being. Art is a fantastic vehicle for learning, communicating feelings, and exploring outside-of-the-box thinking.
In this blog post, I’d like to explore why I feel including a good dose of art and creativity can be really beneficial to kids and their new teacher during the first week back to school – and throughout the rest of the year!
I wonder….do kids feel more comfortable or free to express themselves in a deeper way via creating imagery rather than just using words?
Posters are available to download for FREE at the end of this post.
Recently, I asked teachers and homeschoolers on my mailing list, “Why do you feel art is important in your classroom?”
I loved reading their responses!
Homeschooler, Grades 3 and 5 “Art is important in our homeschool for many reasons. It allows my children a chance to creatively express themselves and to demonstrate what they’ve learned. Often times it helps serve as a visual reminder of specific topics we’ve covered, cultures we’ve explored, etc. My younger son is currently coloring your 2024 Chinese New Year Dragon. He is proudly taking his time and wants to include it in his end of the year evaluation portfolio. (Thank you!)”
Teacher, Grade 3 “Art instruction in school is important because many children learn through art activities in ways they cannot in other subject areas. We all learn in different ways and, for many, those ways are not math, science, or reading. We need to teach the whole child. (Even those who succeed in the “core” subjects benefit from art!)”
Teacher, 6th Grade “Art is important because it’s a way kids can express themselves! If they struggle with a concept, using art is a great way for them to demonstrate learning.”
Teacher “Art is important in the classroom because it is able to help students express themselves in outlets they typically don’t have access to. It gives meaning to words unexpressed and unlocks doors that are difficult to open in other traditional ways.”
Art Teacher, Pre K-8 “I teach Pre K-8 art and I think are is important because it helps us connect to each other and the world in ways that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. It’s a universal language.”
Special Education Teacher “I think art is important in the classroom for self expression and learning appreciation for a variety of art mediums.”
Teacher, Grade 5 “Art gives students an outlet and a way to express their creativity.”
Homeschooler, Grades 5,8 and 11 “I am a homeschool mom. My kids are currently in 11th, 8th, and 5th. Art is important because it’s a way for us to be creative together. My youngest son and I recently took a class on collage and made some mini books (he made four, and I made one.) It was so fun, and I can’t wait to make more! It’s also something where my kids can learn new skills and make something they are excited about. My daughter (17) won an art contest sponsored by our military library last week, and she was so proud of herself. It’s also a chance for community. We attend homeschool art classes at our local library, and participate in a homeschool art show there too – both are so much fun!
10 Reasons Why Art is Important – for kids and adults too!
make sense of our thoughts
connect with our feelings
tell our story, explore our internal world
encourage play, stimulate our imagination
relax, quieten our minds, aid concentration
relieve stress, reduce anxiety
develop self-awareness
build confidence and self-esteem
lower blood pressure
express complex states of mind
So, let’s imagine it’s Back To School Week…. The class meets up again after the long holiday. Students get to reflect on their summer memories, catch up with their friends, and start to get to know their new teacher. They explore their learning preferences, where they excel, the challenges they face, and they set new goals for the coming year. And the new teacher starts to build a picture of each child
What a lot is going on!!
How are the children really feeling on their first day back to school? And how are teachers feeling? A mixture of excitement and apprehension? We are all unique and can feel happy, sad, scared, anxious, and excited all at the same time. Excited to see friends again. Sad, or maybe glad that the summer holidays are over. Anxious about building a relationship with a new teacher. Scared that maths might be too challenging this year.
This is where we can introduce icebreaker games, ‘all about me’ activities, student surveys and teacher questionnaires.
Researching ‘Back to School’ activities on the web (mainly pinterest because I love it), I found an abundance of printable pages and activities, teacher surveys and questionnaires.
Most of them involve answering questions with words.
Being a visual, creative type who sees the world in pictures, this information gave me the inspiration to fill what I see, as a gap – to design some relevant, modern, imaginative back to school activities that involve illustrating our answers, exploring color and imagery, alongside expressing ourselves with words.
You can view my popular Back To School art and writing prompt activities here on my website or at my Teachers Pay Teachers store where you can securely purchase these downloads, from anywhere in the world.
