The last day of school is exciting enough all on its own: cleaning out your desk or locker, saying goodbye to friends, and knowing that for the next few months, you can play (or sleep!) all you want. But there are lots of ways to make it even more special. These fun activities for the last day of school will send your students into summer with fantastic memories of the school year behind them!
1. Take a meaningful walk
Teacher Courtney G. shares: “The kids from our high school wear their caps and gowns and walk the halls in their elementary school the day before graduation. They go from kindergarten to fifth grade as the students stand in the halls and clap. The fifth graders also do this on the last day of school before they leave elementary school. This is my sixth year teaching kindergarten at my school, so my first kinders are now fifth graders. I’m probably going to cry!”
Source: Shelby County Reporter
2. Play End-of-Year Classmates Bingo
It’s one last chance for students to learn a little something new about their classmates! Grab the free printable at the link, or design your own to better fit your class.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
3. List what you’ve learned from A to Z
What a great way to look back over what kids have learned! For each letter of the alphabet, have them write and illustrate something they learned or did throughout the year. Hit the link below to get a free printable template for this project.
Learn more: Teaching With Jennifer Findley
4. Go to the beach
Or rather, bring the beach to you! This will take some planning and prep, but kids are seriously going to love it. Get all the tips you need at the link.
Learn more: Sailing Into Second
5. Roll & Chat
Here’s another one of those quick and easy activities for the last day of school. Grab the free printable at the link, pass out some dice, and let kids chat about the year gone by and goals for the future.
Learn more: @teachermompower
6. Pass the plate
Pick up a pack of paper plates and give out some colorful markers. Have each student write their name in the middle of the plate. Then start passing! Each student writes complimentary words to describe their classmate, then passes it to the next kid. Each one ends up with a sweet keepsake for the school year!
Source: Robin Bobo/Pinterest
7. Sign a T-shirt
You can customize T-shirts for kids to sign, or simply have each student bring a plain T-shirt from home. Then, provide fabric markers and let kids write messages and sign their names. (Send home any instructions on how to set the markers, if necessary.)
Source: @lvsweatshop
8. Make ice cream
Ice cream parties are popular last-day-of-school activities, but here’s a sneaky way to add some STEM learning to the fun! Have kids make their own ice cream in a bag, then add some toppings and lay out on the grass to enjoy.
Learn more: Growing a Jeweled Rose
9. Try a STEM challenge
STEM challenges make terrific meaningful and fun activities for the last day of school. Try building a roller coaster from drinking straws, or check out lots of other STEM challenges here.
Source: Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
10. Give pop-up toasts
Here’s a chance to practice public speaking in a low-key way. Buy some ginger ale and plastic champagne glasses to turn class into a party. Then have kids compose and give a short toast to their friends, teacher, school year, or any topic you choose.
Learn more: Dave Stuart Jr.
11. Host a lemonade tasting
There’s all kinds of tasty learning worked into this totally sweet idea! Kids taste pink and regular lemonade, then make graphs, write descriptions, learn vocab words, and more.
Learn more: Primarily Speaking
12. Compete in a paper airplane contest
You know they want to be outside, so take advantage of that and hold the ultimate paper airplane competition. Kids compete in multiple categories, like distance and accuracy, to find the overall winner.
Learn more: The Thinker Builder
13. Serve up a scoop of memories
What a sweet way to celebrate the end of the school year! Make paper ice cream sundaes, with a different memory on each scoop. You can have kids draw these themselves or buy a printable version at the link below.
Learn more: True Life: I’m a Teacher
14. Set up a photo booth
Photo booths are popular for the first day of school, but they’re terrific for the last day too. Help kids capture memories with their friends before they part for the summer.
Learn more: Teach Create Motivate
15. Wear a Last Day of School crown
Little ones will love coloring and cutting out their very own Last Day of School crown. Check out the link to buy the printable, or design your own.
Learn more: @teachstarter_us
16. Create a summer bucket list
Provide kids with lots of options, then have them compile their own bucket lists for the summer days ahead. In addition to fun items, encourage them to add ways to help others or learn something new too.
Learn more: Reasons to Skip the Housework
17. Put the year in a bag
This is such a cool idea. In the days leading up to the final day, have kids give some thought to what symbolizes this past school year to them and place them in a labeled paper bag. On the final day, they’ll give the other students a small token of that symbol and explain their thinking. (They don’t need to buy anything; they can write or draw their symbol instead.)
Learn more: Tarheel State Teacher
18. Make a poster for each student
This is like the “pass the plate” activity, but each kid will wind up with a big poster to take home and hang on their bedroom wall.
Learn more: @sweetnsauerfirsties
19. Conquer an escape room
Kids love escape rooms, so they’re great activities for the last day of school! Theme yours to what you’ve learned during the year, facts about different classmates, or summer activities. Learn how to set up a classroom escape room here.
20. Dance up a storm
Hold an epic last-day-of-school dance party! Consider having each class submit a song selection for the playlist. They could even choreograph their own special dance moves for when it comes on! We’ve also got fantastic end-of-year playlist ideas for you right here.
21. Fill out an end-of-year roundup
Sometimes you just need a quick activity that doesn’t take a lot of prep, and that’s where this free printable comes in. Personalize it by taking and printing a photo of each student, or have them draw their own portrait in the space provided.
Learn more: Squarehead Teachers
Loving these fun activities for the last day of school? Take a look at these 35 End-of-Year Assignments and Activities for Every Grade.
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