Orientation is probably the busiest time on campus. If you have ever been part of the planning committee, you know how much work it takes to put it together.
Orientation has so many elements, from fun and engaging to educational. It’s where new students get to know everything and also make new friends.
Having some form of creative activity can help increase engagement.
Here are a few fun activities you could try for the next orientation you plan.
Creative & Arts Activities
Paint-Off Competition: Students sign up to paint canvases based on a theme, followed by peer voting and a prize presentation.
Collaborative Mural Painting: A paint-by-numbers or freestyle group mural on large canvases or a dedicated wall space, creating a lasting artifact on campus.
Interactive & Educational Games
Campus Resource Scavenger Hunt: An interactive team activity encouraging new students to explore campus facilities and key support services.
Cake Decorating Contest: A hands-on activity pairing team-building creativity with practical kitchen and food safety education.
Orientation Jeopardy Night: A trivia competition designed to share university trivia, policies, and academic tips in a fun format.
Consent & Wellness Bingo: An engaging social game used to introduce wellness resources and foster important campus conversations.
There are a lot more ideas, but I’m hoping you are able to take some inspo from this and be able to think of other ideas as well.
I know that these are all art-related activities, but you can always add your own ideas. If you’re feeling stuck, I’d like you to follow these steps:
Think of the information you need the students to learn.
Think of fun activities that students usually like.
Find a way to make them interactive.
I spent 2 years of my career in education planning orientation and I find that youth will always enjoy a fun activity that also is educational.
