Returning to school after winter break can feel challenging, for both teachers and students. Everyone is often tired, out of routine, and easing back into learning mode. That’s why I always recommend keeping things simple during those first days back.
Low-prep, engaging activities that can be completed in a single class period help students reconnect with the classroom without feeling overwhelmed. They also give you space to observe, reconnect, and gradually rebuild routines. This posts includes both free and paid resources.
You’ll find a mix of free and paid resources below, so you can choose what works best for your classroom and your time. Here are a few easy and engaging ideas you can use for your first class after winter break:
Roll a Story
Roll a Story is a fun, low-stress activity that provides meaningful input at the novice and beginner levels. Students stay engaged while working with familiar language in a playful way. You can download it here.
Roll a Monster
All students need is dice, a monster template with different body parts, and a page for drawing and coloring. Students roll the dice to create silly monsters. This activity high engagement with minimal prep. Find it here!
Colgadores para puertas
This is a calm, relaxing activity that works beautifully for the first days of the new year. Simply print the templates and let students color and cut them out. Download it here.
Color by Code – Winter Pages
One of the most low-key options for easing back into class. Just print and let students color while reviewing familiar vocabulary. You can find this resource on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Calendar Talk
Use this calendar template to talk about January holidays, celebrations, and important dates. Fill it out together as a class—and don’t forget to include birthdays! Download the calendar here.
Las doce uvas
A great activity for setting simple goals with students while connecting to a cultural tradition. It’s meaningful, engaging, and perfect for the beginning of the year. Find it here!
Mapa de sueños
A Mapa de sueños (vision board) is a wonderful way to start the year with intention. Students reflect on their hopes, goals, and dreams for the new year using drawings, images, or simple words—perfect for novice learners. This activity encourages creativity, self-expression, and meaningful conversation in a low-pressure way. Find it here!
La maleta (Story-Based Activity)
La maleta is a story-based resource inspired by a New Year’s tradition practiced in several Latin American countries. It’s ideal for the first days back because it combines culture, high-frequency verbs, and repetition in a way that feels light and engaging. You can read the story aloud, act it out, or choose from the included comprehension and extension activities to fit your time and students’ energy levels. Find the story here.
El Año Viejo Craft
The El Año Viejo craft is a hands-on, reflective activity that works beautifully at the beginning of the year. Students create a figure representing the old year and reflect—through drawings or simple language—on what they want to leave behind and what they hope to bring into the new year. It’s a meaningful cultural connection that encourages reflection while keeping language simple and accessible. Find it here.
Starting the year with simple, engaging activities helps create a smooth transition back into learning for your students and for you. Wishing you a calm, joyful, and successful return to school!
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