80+ Back to School Questions to Inspire Student Connection

Back to school questions play a powerful role in easing students back into the classroom, building connections, and setting a positive tone for the year ahead. Whether students are stepping into school for the first time or returning after summer break, they often have thoughts, hopes, and nerves that can be unlocked with the right questions. This article offers a wide variety of thoughtful, fun, and meaningful questions that teachers can use to spark conversations, encourage self-reflection, and create a welcoming, student-centered classroom from day one.

Icebreaker Back to School Questions

The first week of school is the perfect time to break the ice, ease first-day jitters, and help students connect. A good question can turn strangers into friends and classrooms into communities. These icebreaker questions are fun, light, and perfect for circle time, morning meetings, or “question of the day” routines. Let’s explore three types of student-friendly questions to get conversations flowing!

Fun and Silly Questions to Make Everyone Laugh

Start the year with a smile using these playful questions that spark creativity and humor.

If you were a superhero, what would your power be?
What’s your dream lunch menu at school?
If your backpack could talk, what would it say after the first day?
Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet robot?
What’s the silliest face you can make?
If your shoes could take you anywhere instantly, where would you go?
What would school be like if animals were the teachers?
If you could invent a new holiday, what would it be and how would we celebrate?
What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you at school?
If you were a character in a video game, what would your special move be?

Use this silly and fun questions worksheet to break the ice and bring joyful energy to your classroom from day one!

Favorite Things to Learn More About Each Other

These questions help students share their personalities and preferences in a relaxed, familiar way.

Use this “Your favorite things” questions worksheet to get students talking about their interests and discovering what they have in common with classmates!

What’s your favorite book, movie, or TV show right now?
Do you have a favorite subject or class activity?
What’s your favorite school lunch or snack?
What’s your favorite game to play during recess or free time?
Who’s your favorite fictional character and why?
What’s your favorite thing to do after school?
What’s your favorite holiday or time of year?
What’s your favorite song or music artist right now?
Do you have a favorite teacher or school memory from last year?
What’s your favorite way to learn—through games, videos, stories, or something else?

Explore more “Icebreaker questions for kids” here.

Relationship-Building Questions

After the initial icebreakers, it’s important to create deeper connections that foster trust and empathy in the classroom. These relationship-building questions help students reflect on their experiences, values, and backgrounds, making room for more meaningful peer and teacher-student conversations.

Get-to-Know-You Questions to Start Deeper Conversations

These questions go beyond surface-level fun and invite students to share who they really are.

What’s something you’re really good at or proud of?
What’s a challenge you’ve overcome recently?
What’s something new you’d like to learn this year?
If someone wanted to be your friend, what should they know about you?
What’s a memory that always makes you smile?
What’s one thing you wish people asked you about more often?
Who inspires you and why?
What’s something that makes you feel calm or happy when you’re nervous
How do you like to be encouraged when you’re stuck on something?
What’s a unique talent or interest you have that most people don’t know about?

Try this Get-to-know-you questions worksheet to help students share personal stories and build meaningful connections with classmates and teachers!

Family and Culture Questions to Celebrate Identity

Help students feel seen and valued by encouraging them to share about their background and experiences.

Use this family and culture questions worksheet to create space for students to share their backgrounds and learn from one another in a supportive environment.

What’s a family tradition you really enjoy?
What language(s) do you speak at home?
What’s a dish your family makes that you love?
What’s a holiday or celebration your family observes?
Who do you spend the most time with outside of school?
What music, stories, or games are popular in your home?
What’s a place your family is from that you’d like to visit someday?
What’s one thing that makes your family special?
What’s your favorite thing to do with your family or caregivers?
How does your culture shape the way you think or express yourself?

Goal-Setting and Growth Questions

The start of a new school year is a great time for reflection and goal setting. These goal-setting and growth questions encourage students to think about their strengths, areas for improvement, and what they hope to accomplish—promoting a growth mindset from day one.

Questions About Hopes and Goals

These prompts help students define what success looks like for them this school year.

Use this hopes and goals questions worksheet to help students reflect on what they want to achieve, try, and improve as they head into a brand-new school year!

What’s one goal you want to achieve this year at school?
What’s something new you want to try or learn?
What does a great school day look like for you?
What’s one habit you’d like to build this year (like reading more or staying organized)?
What’s something you hope will be different this year compared to last year?
What’s one thing you want to improve about how you learn?
If you had a “dream school project,” what would it be about?
What kind of student do you want to be known as?
How will you take care of yourself when school feels hard?
What’s something exciting you’re looking forward to this year?

Reflecting on the Past: Learn from Last Year

These questions encourage students to reflect on previous school experiences and use them to grow.

What’s something you learned about yourself last school year?
What’s a mistake you made that helped you grow?
What was your proudest moment last year?
What’s something from last year that you want to do differently this time?
What was your favorite project or assignment from last year?
What’s a skill you gained last year that you’re still using now?
What was a challenge you faced, and how did you handle it?
Who helped you the most last year and why?
What’s one thing you want to leave behind from last year?
What’s something you accomplished that surprised even you?

Use this reflecting on the past questions worksheet to guide students in learning from last year’s experiences and stepping confidently into a new school year.

Creative and Thought-Provoking Questions

Encouraging creativity and imagination early on helps students feel empowered and expressive. These creative and thought-provoking back to school questions can spark great writing prompts, deep discussions, or even inspire future projects in your classroom.

Imaginative Questions to Spark Creativity

These questions invite students to dream, invent, and imagine without limits.

Spark curiosity with this imaginative questions worksheet, perfect for helping students express creativity and think outside the box in a fun, engaging way!

If you could design your perfect school, what would it look like?
If your life were a book, what would the title be?
If you could create a new school subject, what would it be about?
Imagine you’re principal for a day—what would you change?
If you had a time machine, would you visit the past or the future—and why?
If you had your own classroom pet, what would it be and what would you name it?
If your pencil could talk, what story would it tell about you?
What kind of classroom decoration theme would you design if it were up to you?
If you could turn one school rule into a “fun rule,” what would it be?
If you had a magic folder that could instantly help you learn anything, what would you use it for first?

Deep-Thinking Questions to Encourage Self-Reflection

These prompts help students think critically about who they are and how they view the world.

Use this deep thinking questions worksheet to encourage thoughtful conversations and help students connect with their values, goals, and classmates.

What does being a good classmate mean to you?
What’s one way you can help someone feel included this year?
How do you respond when something feels difficult or unfair?
What’s a belief or value that’s really important to you?
How do you know when you’ve done your best?
What does success mean to you?
How do you feel when you learn something new?
What’s something that makes you feel confident?
What’s one way school helps prepare you for life outside of it?
How would you like others to remember you at the end of the school year?

Bottom Line

Asking the right back to school questions sets the stage for a year filled with trust, curiosity, and meaningful learning. Whether you’re breaking the ice, getting to know your students, or encouraging goal setting, these questions help build a strong classroom community from day one.

To keep the momentum going, explore engaging back-to-school worksheets on Worksheetzone. You’ll find fun, printable activities that support student reflection, connection, and learning—all designed to make your first weeks back smooth and successful.