10 Engaging Classroom Activity Ideas for Early Finishers

10 Stimulating Activities For Early Finishers Middle School Students

When I started teaching, I gave my early finishers extra homework or busy work. But I quickly realized that wasn't the best way to utilize their time. They needed activities that were fun and engaging while still reinforcing the math concepts we were learning in class. 

That's when I started using crossword puzzles, word searches, digital games, pixel puzzles, and printable mazes to keep my early finishers occupied.

The great thing about these activities is that they aren't just time fillers. They develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and spatial reasoning while reinforcing important math concepts. You can give them to your early finishers, too, so they feel good about themselves.

Benefits of These Activities:

As a middle school math teacher, I know how challenging it can be to manage early finishers in the classroom. They can become restless, bored, or even disruptive if they're not engaged in something meaningful. 

Another thing I love about these activities is that they're versatile and adaptable to different learning styles. If you have students who prefer hands-on activities, you can print out and complete the mazes or word searches. 

And if you have students who love a challenge, they can tackle the crossword puzzles. If you have students who love digital games, you can assign the digital games by themselves or with a partner. 

These activities are meant to be quick and easily accessible for you and your students. 

That's why I've put together this list of 10 fun activities that you can use to keep your early finishers engaged and learning.

Self-Checking Mini Math Mazes: 

Early finishers can practice problem-solving skills and improve their spatial reasoning with printable mazes. Challenge your students while they have fun. One correct answer path leads to the next question and the wrong answer path does not. 

Math Vocabulary Word Searches:

The use of math vocabulary word searches is a wonderful way to help your early finishers develop their math vocabulary and spatial reasoning abilities.

Crossword Math Vocabulary:

These crossword puzzles are a fun and stimulating way for your early finishers to practice and reinforce important math concepts and vocabulary. Word bank included.

Picture Scramble: Picture Progression:

Your early finishers will love these self-checking digital math games because they're interactive and innovative. Whether it's fractions, decimals, integers, or exponents, these games are designed to help your students master important math concepts. Green answers are correct and red are incorrect.

Digital Math Self-Checking Escape Room with Google Sheets:

Math escape rooms are a fun and challenging way for your early finishers to work independently to solve math problems. Designed specifically for middle school math topics, these self-checking escape rooms will engage and motivate your students to work to apply their math skills to solve puzzles and unlock the locks.

I made this a little easier on you. Click here to grab the freebie with mini samples of these activities. 

Grab the Freebie!

Overall, having early finishers in the classroom doesn't have to be a challenge. By using fun and engaging activities like these, you can keep your students learning and growing even when they finish their work early. So, try out these activities in your classroom and see how much your students enjoy them.