There’s no better way to welcome your students and set the tone for an exciting new year than with a fun, community-building activity — and a tasty treat! This Back to School Snack in a Cup Activity is the perfect way to start the year with smiles, connection, and creativity.
First Day of School Activity
This engaging activity begins with a lighthearted, original poem that guides students in creating a delicious first day of school snack. As you read the poem aloud, your class will follow along and add each snack item to their cup. It’s a simple, meaningful way to ease first-day jitters and start building classroom community right away.
First, you’ll want to gather your ingredients for the snack. If you’re using it at the beginning of the year, you may need to purchase the items yourself. However, if you have an Open House or Meet the Teacher Night, you can hand out the included donation letter ahead of time and collect just what you need before school starts.
Once you have your ingredients, print the labels and attach them to paper bags. I recommend preparing one bag per student so everyone can participate. Just divide the ingredients evenly among the bags. It’s best to do this the morning of the activity, as some ingredients—like fish crackers—can make the bags greasy if prepared too far in advance.
To begin the activity, pass out the mini books and give each child a snack bag. You’ll also need a large bowl and spoon to mix your Back to School in a Cup. Then, simply read through the booklet together and add the ingredients as you go. If a student has the item on the page, they dump their snack bag into the bowl. As an alternative, you could print the poem page or project it on your interactive board and read from there. I love to sit in a circle with the kids and read it aloud while we all add our items—it’s such a fun, shared experience!
Once the snack is made and enjoyed, the fun continues! Students can complete a variety of hands-on activities, including:
- ✏️ There are several writing extensions to choose from.
- 🎲 Students can play the simple math board game included, complete a class graphing activity, and answer math questions about the snack.
- 🎨 There is a simple response activity and a matching game.
- 🚍 Finally, there are two versions of sequencing: a basic version and a school bus version where students can color and add extra details.
Whether you use this on the very first day of school or spread it out over the first week, this activity adds joy and structure to your classroom routine — all while helping your students bond and settle into the new school year.
👉 Grab the Back to School Snack in a Cup Activity here!
Love “In a Cup” Activities?
If this is your first “Snack in a Cup” activity, you’re in for a treat! I’ve created a full collection for holidays and classroom celebrations throughout the year. Grab the bundle and have your snack activities planned all year long!
💡 Tip: Print extras of the recipe cards to send home so families can join in on the fun too!
Here is what a few buyers had to say about Back to School in a Cup:
“This is adorable! I love the Snacks in a Cup resources you have created and my students thoroughly enjoy them too! I like to do cooking activities in the classroom with students using my crockpot often (make applesauce, cakes, breads, etc.), so I love that I can add these Snack in a Cup activities as well to change things up and create an easy edible activity! Thank you so much!”
“This activity is the perfect first day of school lesson. It encompasses community building, social and emotional learning, and relationship building. All of the additional activities will carry you through the rest of the day. There is no need to plan anything else for the first day of school. This covers it all!”
More Back to School Activities
Check out these other first day of school activities on the blog:
