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Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

10 Activities

kid-grit↗️

Grades 3 - 5

2 Hours

Overview

This collection of opening and closing activities encourages students to explore their thoughts, feelings, and choices while building habits that support reflection and growth. Opening activities use emojis, discussion prompts, and movement to help students connect with their emotions and set a tone of respect, curiosity, and readiness for learning. Closing activities invite students to slow down, look inward, and practice calming techniques as they reflect on their experiences and explore ways to shift habits and mindsets. Together, these moments bookend the day with purpose and self-awareness!

Quality Instructional Practices

Faces and Feelings

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Faces and Feelings

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will use the emoji handout to begin identifying their own thoughts and feelings. Before you begin any activity use this icebreaker to get check in with students on how they are feeling.

Discover Activity

Faces and FeelingsSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

What Makes Me, Me?

Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

What Makes Me, Me?

kid-grit

3 - 5

10 Minutes

This activity aims for students to examine, learn, and accept that being unique is a wonderful thing. The pressure to fit in and be like everyone else often starts at an early age. In this activity, students learn how to notice when they are different and appreciate themselves for their differences and unique qualities.

Discover Activity

What Makes Me, Me?Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness, Literacy
10 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Emotional Triggers

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

Emotional Triggers

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

Through this interactive icebreaker, students will learn valuable skills in expressing, exploring, and dealing with their feelings positively and constructively. This sets the stage for a supportive and emotionally intelligent learning environment.

Discover Activity

Emotional TriggersSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Ruley Rules

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Ruley Rules

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, you will break down the students' understanding of a rule and why we have them. Understanding the value of guidelines, rules, and expectations are an important part of personal development.

Discover Activity

Ruley RulesSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

I Am Not My Actions

Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

I Am Not My Actions

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will learn that a negative behavior does not define who they are as a person. A negative behavior is an action that doesn't have to be permanent.

Discover Activity

I Am Not My ActionsSocial and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Tap to Your Toes

Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

Tap to Your Toes

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing activity, students explore physical exercises and tapping methods to relieve stress. Using physical stress relievers is another way to reduce anxiety, especially for students who don’t like to talk about it. This activity can be used anytime, all year round!

Discover Activity

Tap to Your ToesHealth and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Flip It

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Flip It

kid-grit

3 - 5

10 Minutes

In this closing activity, students think about differences intentionally as they recognize that they can change their actions, habits, and mindsets. By letting students solve their challenges, they build and fortify their resiliency skills.

Discover Activity

Flip ItSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
10 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

A Thing to Recall

Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

A Thing to Recall

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing, reflection activity, students will learn a mindfulness exercise they can practice to access positive thoughts and events in their lives. Helping students remain positive is useful for maintaining a productive learning environment.

Discover Activity

A Thing to RecallHealth and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUN

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUN

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing activity, students think critically about their performance in school, sports, arts, or any other learning space they participated in, reflecting on their day and exploring how satisfied they were with what they did or observed.

Discover Activity

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUNSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Definitely Different

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

Definitely Different

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

This is a closing activity to help students think about differences intentionally. These skills help them in school and real-life situations, like resolving conflicts with friends. Developing critical thinking early builds confidence, encourages curiosity, and prepares kids to face challenges more thoughtfully.

Discover Activity

Definitely DifferentSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

kid-grit↗️

Opening and Closing Activities for Grades 3-5

Grades 3 - 5

2 Hours

Overview

Quality Instructional Practices

Faces and Feelings

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Faces and Feelings

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will use the emoji handout to begin identifying their own thoughts and feelings. Before you begin any activity use this icebreaker to get check in with students on how they are feeling.

Discover Activity

Faces and FeelingsSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

What Makes Me, Me?

Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

What Makes Me, Me?

kid-grit

3 - 5

10 Minutes

This activity aims for students to examine, learn, and accept that being unique is a wonderful thing. The pressure to fit in and be like everyone else often starts at an early age. In this activity, students learn how to notice when they are different and appreciate themselves for their differences and unique qualities.

Discover Activity

What Makes Me, Me?Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness, Literacy
10 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Emotional Triggers

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

Emotional Triggers

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

Through this interactive icebreaker, students will learn valuable skills in expressing, exploring, and dealing with their feelings positively and constructively. This sets the stage for a supportive and emotionally intelligent learning environment.

Discover Activity

Emotional TriggersSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Ruley Rules

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Ruley Rules

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, you will break down the students' understanding of a rule and why we have them. Understanding the value of guidelines, rules, and expectations are an important part of personal development.

Discover Activity

Ruley RulesSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

I Am Not My Actions

Social and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

I Am Not My Actions

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this opening activity, students will learn that a negative behavior does not define who they are as a person. A negative behavior is an action that doesn't have to be permanent.

Discover Activity

I Am Not My ActionsSocial and Emotional Awareness, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Tap to Your Toes

Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

Tap to Your Toes

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing activity, students explore physical exercises and tapping methods to relieve stress. Using physical stress relievers is another way to reduce anxiety, especially for students who don’t like to talk about it. This activity can be used anytime, all year round!

Discover Activity

Tap to Your ToesHealth and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Flip It

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

Flip It

kid-grit

3 - 5

10 Minutes

In this closing activity, students think about differences intentionally as they recognize that they can change their actions, habits, and mindsets. By letting students solve their challenges, they build and fortify their resiliency skills.

Discover Activity

Flip ItSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
10 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

A Thing to Recall

Health and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness

Grades 3 - 5

A Thing to Recall

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing, reflection activity, students will learn a mindfulness exercise they can practice to access positive thoughts and events in their lives. Helping students remain positive is useful for maintaining a productive learning environment.

Discover Activity

A Thing to RecallHealth and Wellness, Social and Emotional Awareness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUN

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy

Grades 3 - 5

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUN

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

In this closing activity, students think critically about their performance in school, sports, arts, or any other learning space they participated in, reflecting on their day and exploring how satisfied they were with what they did or observed.

Discover Activity

SA-TIS-FACT-SHUNSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

Definitely Different

Social and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness

Grades 3 - 5

Definitely Different

kid-grit

3 - 5

15 Minutes

This is a closing activity to help students think about differences intentionally. These skills help them in school and real-life situations, like resolving conflicts with friends. Developing critical thinking early builds confidence, encourages curiosity, and prepares kids to face challenges more thoughtfully.

Discover Activity

Definitely DifferentSocial and Emotional Awareness, Literacy, Health and Wellness
15 Minutes•Grades 3 - 5

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Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.

Library

CategoriesCollaboratorsExploreAll ActivitiesAll Collections

Community

Our StoryTeam MizzenEventsThe Mizzen Minute

Engage

NewsroomContact Us

Account

Sign InCreate an AccountMizzen for TeamsPrivacy PolicyTerms of Use

Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.