The first week of school can feel both exciting and overwhelming—especially when you're meeting a brand new group of students and trying to set the tone for the year. Whether you teach Core French, Immersion, or FSL, having a few no-prep French activities ready to go can make that first week much smoother (and way more fun!).
Here are 5 no-prep back to school French activities that are perfect for your beginner French class. These activities require little to no printing, work with all levels, and help you start building community and routines right away.
🗣️ 1. “Find Someone Who” – French Icebreaker
This classic is a student favorite and works wonderfully in a beginner French class. Simply project or say a list of prompts like:
Trouve quelqu’un qui a un chien.
Trouve quelqu’un qui aime le chocolat.
Trouve quelqu’un qui est en 6e année.
Students walk around asking each other questions in French to find a match. It gets them moving, speaking, and laughing—all while reinforcing basic French vocabulary.
👉 Read more: My 5 All-Time Favorite Icebreakers For The French Classroom
✏️ 2. Pourquoi j’apprends le français – Quick Write or Doodle
One of the most meaningful back to school French activities you can do is ask students to reflect on why they’re learning French. You can keep this low-prep by:
Having them write a simple sentence: J’apprends le français parce que…
Or draw a picture that represents their goal (travel, food, culture, etc.)
Use these as a quick informal writing task or create a mini gallery walk on your wall. This works across all levels and helps you learn about your students' motivations from day one.
👉 Want a more structured and creative version? Check out my Why Learn French Activity Packet, which includes fill-in-the-blank worksheets, banner templates, puzzles, and a bilingual option for differentiation:
3. French Classroom Object Scavenger Hunt
A great way to introduce classroom vocabulary is with a quick scavenger hunt. Name or show classroom objects in French (le crayon, la chaise, le tableau) and have students find or point to them.
If you teach in a classroom with labeled visuals, even better—they’ll start associating the space with everyday French words right away.
This beginner French class activity takes just a few minutes and gets students engaged with their environment while learning!
4. French Name Tag Adjectives
Let students decorate name tags that include one or two adjectives in French that describe them (happy, sporty, creative, etc.).
For beginners: provide a word bank and use visuals.
For intermediate students: let them come up with their own or use full sentences.
You can turn this into an oral activity by having students introduce themselves: Je m’appelle Lina. Je suis drôle et gentille.
It’s simple, creative, and perfect for setting up a positive classroom atmosphere.
👉 Read more: How To Get To Know Your Students At The Beginning Of The School Year
🧠 5. “C’est Moi!” Quick Oral Game
This low-prep speaking activity is a fun way to help students introduce themselves and practice basic French vocabulary without pressure.
Here’s how it works:
You (or a student) say a simple statement in French like: J’ai un chat.
Anyone in the class for whom that is true says: C’est moi! (That’s me!)
Then, one of those students can be the next to offer a statement, or you can keep leading.
Sample prompts:
J’aime le chocolat
J’ai deux frères
Je parle anglais
Je suis sportif/sportive
Je joue aux jeux vidéo
This activity gets lots of giggles, encourages listening comprehension, and helps students get comfortable hearing and responding to basic French sentences.
You can even turn it into a daily warm-up throughout the first week!
💡 Final Thoughts
The first week of school doesn’t need to be overwhelming to be effective. With these no-prep French activities, you can build relationships, introduce classroom language, and set the tone for a fun and purposeful year—especially in a beginner French class.
Looking for more back to school French activities that are ready-to-use and classroom-tested? Check out my TPT Store for collaborative posters, icebreakers, goal-setting, and more!