Open House Ideas for Teachers
With open house just around the corner, you might be feeling a bit anxious. How do you introduce yourself? What should you share with parents? It’s normal to have these questions swirling around as you prepare. In this post, I’ll share some tips and strategies to help you make your open house a smooth, stress-free event, setting the tone for a successful school year.
A Personal Story: My First Open House
As I was planning this post, I remembered something crazy—I actually never had an open house my first year teaching! I was a late hire, brought in to teach a fifth and sixth grade combo due to an influx of students. Instead of at the typical open house, I met my students’ parents during parent-teacher conferences, just a week after I started. It was a whirlwind! I set up my classroom, met my students and literally the next week handed parents their student’s report card from last quarter and discussed what I saw for our classroom moving forward.
When my first real open house came around the following year, I was so nervous. I wasn’t sure what to do or how to present myself. If you’re feeling that way now, I completely understand. But here’s my advice: JUST STOP! Don’t let the worries about making a perfect first impression take over. Don’t let yourself think, “What if I’m not good enough? What if they don’t like my classroom?” Instead, shift your mindset! Think about the positive outcome—this is your chance to start building strong, positive relationships with your students and their families.
Tips for a Successful Open House (one that occurs BEFORE the start of school)
Set Up Stations
Open house can be a bit chaotic with parents and students coming in and out. To manage this, set up stations around your classroom. Each station should have a clear purpose. One of the most important stations is to provide important information to parents. This is one of the main things they will be looking for. This can be done with a brochure or packet that includes classroom expectations, curriculum details, and your school supply list. One of your stations should focus on gathering information from parents. You can provide a form—either digital or paper—where they fill out contact details, note how their child gets to and from school, and share any important information about their child. I like to include a “Two Stars and a Wish” section where parents can share two things their child excels at and one area they’d like to see improvement. If you’re looking for resources like the forms I described, check out my Open House Activities with ready-to-use signs, forms, and more.Use a Welcome Slide
When parents walk in, greet them with a welcome slide on your smart board. Something simple like, “Welcome to Third Grade! Please explore the stations and check in with me before you leave because I can’t wait to meet you!” This sets a positive tone and helps guide parents through the event even if you are already speaking to another student or parent.Meet Each of Your Families Individually
It is so important to take the time to meet each student and parent in your classroom. When you meet each student, give them their name tag and let them choose their desk. It’s a small gesture, but it gets students so EXCITED and gives you a chance to start connecting with them and their parents. So hold off on placing student name tags on desks until AFTER your open house. Plus, when your night is over, you know which families showed up and which ones you still need to connect with!Provide a Small Treat
A little treat for students to take home can go a long way in making them feel welcomed and excited about the new school year. It doesn’t have to be expensive—please DON’T expect to spend a lot here. Instead, use a tag for “Thanks for Poppin’ In” on some bags of popcorn, or small erasers with a cute note are great ways to show you care and are excited for the school year as much as they are.
For Those with a Later Open House (After School has Started)
If your open house happens after the school year starts, you can still do practically any of these strategies. However, there’s one more thing that could do to boost the event. Consider having your students work on a small project beforehand, like a “Guess Who I Am” activity (such as a coloring page, a poem, etc.). Display their work around the room and have parents try to identify their child’s work. It adds a fun, more enjoyable piece to the event.
I hope these tips help you feel more confident and prepared for your open house. Again, if you’re looking for more resources, check out my Open House Activities!
Wishing you an amazing start to the school year!