Get to Know Me-First Week of School

I needed a few more decorations for my classroom so my cousin suggested this:  On the first day of school I passed out canvas and brushes to the kids. I only passed out the colors of paint that matched my classroom. They all enjoyed painting and it gave me a chance to get to know them (who was serious, silly, wild, etc.) before planning a seating chart or going over class rules. 

They are proud to see their artwork decorating my room. 

We also had fun with the more traditional get to you know activities.  This is a good way to see who has difficulty with spelling and following directions, while learning about my new students.