Making a Great Open House

Making a great Open House for parents is actually pretty easy with all the tools and technology today.  I like to use simple scavenger hunts for students to help show their parents around the room.  Taking pictures of families helps keep you busy and not be too available for any “parent conference” type of conversations.  I direct parents to the conference sign up sheets.  I also don’t let volunteers come in the room until after Open House.  In kindergarten, this helps the kids learn the routine without relying on parents.  Some teachers create easy slideshows to show rules, routines or student’s pictures.  I usually have a few All About Me items out, including an All About Me Journal where the parents are encouraged to sit and write a note to their child at the end of the night.  Students make Mini Me Persons that I tape to their chairs that help the room look adorable!  Smile a lot, and show off what you have helped their children learn in the short amount of time they have been with you.