Fun Class Team-Building Activity: My Play On "What's in the Bag?"

A Fun Class Team-Building  Activity: My Play On "What's in the Bag?"

The first day of school is all about setting the tone for the rest of the year—building curiosity, encouraging teamwork, and fostering a love for learning. One of my favorite first-day-of-school activities is What’s in the Bag? It’s simple, engaging, and leaves students with a powerful lesson about perspective, critical thinking, and inquiry-based learning. 

Setting the Stage 

After welcoming my students and getting to know their names, I introduce a fun classroom icebreaker—a mysterious cloth bag. Inside is an object that holds personal meaning to me—a wooden elephant toy my dad once gave me. I tell the class that they will use their sense of touch to figure out - What"s in theBag?, but there’s a catch: they can’t say their guess out loud.

The Mystery Begins 

One by one, each student reaches into the bag and feels the object, using their hands to explore its shape and texture. Instead of blurting out their guess, I ask them to quietly take a piece of paper and draw what they think is inside. This step is key—it forces them to rely on their own observations, predictions, and problem-solving skills without being influenced by others. 

Connecting to a Story

Once everyone has had a turn, I gather the class on the carpet for a first-day-of-school read-aloud. The Blind Men and the Elephant Retold by Karen Backstein. This engaging children’s book tells the story of a group of blind men, each feeling only a part of an elephant and drawing different (and incorrect) conclusions. Some of my students start to make the connection—maybe the object in the bag is an elephant too! But I keep them in suspense, telling them they’ll find out before the day ends. 

The Big Reveal

My wooden elephant from childhood days is in the front.

At the end of the day, I finally unveil the wooden elephant (or you can also use a plushie or any item that suits your story well). Excitement fills the room as students compare their drawings to the actual object. Then, I ask an important question: 

 “What did you do differently from the blind men in the story?”

The answer: They touched the entire object, rather than just one part. This sparks a conversation about growth mindset, hands-on learning, and the importance of seeing the bigger picture in education. 

The Lesson That Lasts All Year 

I wrap up the activity by explaining that this idea applies to everything we will do in the classroom. Learning isn’t just about knowing one fact—it’s about exploring, questioning, and thinking critically. My wish for them is to be open to new ideas, just like they were today. 

By the end of the day, I’ve not only introduced my students to an engaging first-day classroom activity, but I’ve also set the foundation for a year of curiosity, collaboration, and deep learning.  And, although I originally used this with my youngest grades, I found older elementary students enjoyed this as well.

Want to Try It? 

If you’re a teacher looking for a meaningful first-day-of-school lesson plan, give What’s in the Bag? a try! It’s an easy, low-prep classroom activity that builds excitement, promotes inquiry-based learning, and sparks deep conversations about perspective and understanding. 

💡 Save this activity for your back-to-school lesson planning! 

What are your GO-TO  first-day-of-school activities? Let’s share ideas in the comments! 😊