It’s hard to believe, but it’s July and back-to-school season will be here before we all know it.
Whether you’re a brand-new Teachers Pay Teachers seller or you’ve been selling for years, now is the perfect time to start creating resources for the upcoming school year. Teachers begin planning weeks before students return to the classroom, which means having your products ready early gives them time to find your resources and gives you time to optimize your listings.
If you’re wondering what to create next, here are five back-to-school activities that are always popular and can work across a variety of grade levels and subjects.
1. Icebreaker Activities
The first week of school is all about helping students feel comfortable in a new classroom. This is true for all grade levels and subjects, so that’s why icebreakers are always a great product idea.
You need to think beyond simple “get to know you” worksheets; partner interview activities, classroom bingo, collaborative challenges, discussion cards, or scavenger hunts that get students talking and interacting are great resources to create.
Teachers are always looking for engaging ways to build classroom community without putting students on the spot, making these resources useful year after year.
If possible, include both printable and digital versions so teachers have flexibility regardless of their preference.
2. Goal Setting Activities
One of the best ways to kick off a new school year is with a goal-setting activity that encourages students to reflect on what they want to achieve.
Students can reflect on academic goals, personal growth, and study habits. You could also include action plans, monthly check-ins, or reflection pages that teachers can revisit with their students throughout the year.
Goal setting resources work well because they’re easy to adapt for different ages and subjects, and they encourage meaningful conversations from the beginning of the school year.
3. Classroom Community Builders
The first few weeks of school are about much more than academics. Teachers are helping students get to know one another, establishing classroom expectations, and creating a positive environment where everyone feels comfortable learning.
That’s why activities focused on teamwork and classroom community are always popular. Popular resources include team-building challenges, collaborative problem-solving activities, discussion prompts, or projects that encourage students to work together while building important communication skills.
These types of resources help students feel connected from the very beginning and make it easier for teachers to establish the kind of classroom culture they’ll build on all year long.
4. Back-to-School Writing Prompts
Writing activities are incredibly versatile, which is one reason they continue to sell well every back-to-school season.
Students can write about their summer, introduce themselves, set goals, reflect on their learning, or respond to creative prompts that help teachers get to know them better. These writing activities can easily be adapted for elementary, middle, or high school classrooms.
To add even more value, consider including multiple prompts, graphic organizers, rubrics, and editable options so teachers can choose what works best for their students.
5. Back-to-School Escape Rooms and Review Games
The first week of school doesn’t have to be all icebreakers and worksheets…
Many teachers are looking for engaging academic activities that help students ease back into learning.
Back-to-school escape rooms, review games, scavenger hunts, and challenge activities are a fun way to review prerequisite skills while getting students excited about the new school year. They’re also incredibly versatile; you can create them for virtually any subject or grade level.
Teachers love resources that combine academics with engagement, making these a great addition to your TPT store.
Don’t Wait Until August to Make Back to School Activities
One mistake I see new sellers make is waiting until back to school season actually arrives before creating back-to-school resources.
By then, you’re competing with sellers who finished their products weeks – or even months – earlier.
Of course, creating a great back-to-school resource is only half the battle. Once it’s finished, you need teachers to actually find it and click on it. That’s where strong SEO and effective covers come in. If you want to learn how to choose the right keywords and design covers that stand out in search results, check out my posts on TPT SEO and creating covers and thumbnails that get more clicks.
Ready to Start Your TPT Store?
If you’ve been thinking about selling on Teachers Pay Teachers – or you want to grow the store you already have – I’d love to help.
In my free training, I’ll walk you through how to choose products that sell, optimize them for search, and build a profitable TPT business.
Back-to-school shopping starts earlier than most people realize, so there’s no better time than today to start creating resources teachers will be searching for in just a few short weeks.
