I cannot believe that the end of the year is almost here! The year has been packed with fun memories, and now it’s time to implement some fun end-of-the-year activities for the kids.
When the end of the year comes, there are always tons of chaotic things happening, from testing to assemblies to classroom celebrations. Kids love being sent off to the next grade with a bang. Use these 10 fun end-of-the-year activities to wrap up the year with style and tons of smiles.
Do an End of the Year Countdown
Use construction paper strips to make a paper chain. Rip off one chain each day. To make it more fun, add a simple activity to each piece of paper. Students won’t know what the fun activity is until the day of. These could include extra recess, a fun snack, lunch outside, or a special reader.
Create a Class Shirt
If a parent in your class has the ability to print things with their Cricut on t-shirts, make a simple shirt that students can sign. If you don’t have access to create them on your own or with the help of a parent, there are tons online. This fun end-of-year activity works sort of like a yearbook!
Invite Students to Participate in Themed Days
The end of the year is packed with student testing, grading, student absences for vacation, and bittersweet goodbyes. Make the last couple of weeks fun by implementing themed days for the kids to look forward to. Here are some fun end-of-the-year activities you can use on themed days.
- Beach Day – Students are invited to bring a towel to the classroom to read on.
- Camping Day – Invite students to bring a flashlight and set up little tents for them to read in.
- Movie Day – Hold one day where students watch a short film during lunch or during an academic block you are caught up on.
- Hollywood Day – Students can wear sunglasses to school, and you can share why each of them is a superstar.
- Sweet Treat Day – On this day, bring in popsicles or invite the kids to make their own ice cream. Getting parent help on this day may be beneficial for donations and extra hands.
- Dance Party Day – This day can be completely customized, but I love using it as a flash mob-type day. Whenever music starts playing, we have to stop what we are doing and dance!
Other ideas include pajama day, backward day, fictional character day, rainbow day, stuffed animal day, school spirit day, silly hat day, and when I grow up day.
Set up a Photo Booth or Bulletin Board
On the last day of school, use a poster board with the center cut out to take pictures. Decorate it with your class name or grade, and use props for the students to have some fun. If you have a polaroid camera, buy some extra film so students can display or keep their memories. Be sure to take digital pictures you can share with the families as well.
If you aren’t able to snag a photo booth poster board, try an adorable end-of-year bulletin board that kids will be proud of. They can display their own faces and artwork one last time before the year is up!
Try This Bundle of 10 Fun End of the Year Activities
For this end-of-year bundle, students will get to reflect on the year as a class. The activities are perfect for morning meetings during the last week in school or for dismissal while students wind down. Here are some of the activities included in this download:
- Summer Plans Drawing and Writing
- End-of-Year Letter
- Reflection – Then and Now
- Letter to Next Years Students
- Memory Book
- Find a Student Who …
Pass the Plate Activity
This is a super fun activity that shows students how amazing they are. Have each child write their name on a paper plate in the center. Then, pass the plate around the room and ask each child to write positive words about that child. When each kid gets their plate back, it will be filled with fun and colorful words to describe themselves.
Field Day
Many schools have a built-in field day, but if yours doesn’t, try to plan one. This day outside is always so much fun. Kids love a good game of tug of war, egg races, and sack races. This is the perfect day to invite parent volunteers and to let the kids have fun outside for the majority of the day.
Hold a Book Swap
Fun end-of-the-year activities don’t always have to mean gifts, but this one is an exception. Ask the kids to each bring a book they love and wrap it with no labels. Students will swap books white elephant style, and everyone will go home with a new title. While students are opening them, the gift-giver can give a brief synopsis of the book and explain why they enjoyed it. It’s a great way to motivate reading and foster that classroom community one last time.
Break Down the Classroom
As surprising as it may be, students LOVE to help around the classroom. Dedicate one day to cleaning and sanitizing the classroom together. We have used shaving cream on the desks and chairs to clean them (we write, draw, and practice math in them too)! If you have to pack up your room, recruit the help of your students for organization, and more.
End-of-the-Year Snapshots
For this FREE activity, students will brainstorm a list of fun memories from the school year. After brainstorming some ideas, they choose their most memorable ones and illustrate them on paper. The final product from each child makes an adorable end-of-year bulletin board for the classroom or hallway. Once you are done displaying them, they also make great keepsakes in their student notebooks.
Pro tip: Make a copy for yourself, so you have fun memories to look back on from each school year!
The end of the year is always bittersweet, so make it exciting by using these 10 fun end-of-the-year activities for students of all ages. I hope you had a fantastic year with your sweet kiddos and are looking forward to another amazing year in the classroom! Thanks for being here.
Looking for More Fun Classroom Ideas? You will also love these:
- Are Your Students Ready to Surf Into Summer with This End of the Year Bulletin Board Idea?
- 10 Simple Ways You Can Create & Maintain a Positive Classroom Environment
- How to Setup & Organize an Inviting Reading Corner in the Classroom
