8 End of Year Classroom Party Ideas

It’s time to start creating a memorable send off for all the kids in school! Warm weather is here, and kids (and parents and teachers!) are dreaming about summer vacation. End of the year class parties are a great way to close out the year with a bang!

If you’re looking for inspiration for your end of school year celebration, check out these ideas from Karen Bantuveris, founder & CEO of VolunteerSpot, an online tool that makes group party planning and parent volunteering easy with free online sign up sheets and scheduling.

Class Party Ideas for the End of the School Year

Think about creative themes that kids and teachers will remember well into summer!

• Camping Party: Set up several tents as play stations inside and outside the classroom, prepare nature crafts, play horseshoes and animal charades. Serve hot dogs, s’mores (made with marshmallow spread) and popcorn.
• Go Hawaiian Party: Play the limbo, hand out leis (or make your own as a classroom project,) create ‘Island’ snacks like pineapple skewers and coconut treats, and dig for beach finds in a sandbox-filled with shells.
• Old Fashioned Picnic: Decorate with checkered table cloths, serve hoagies and root beer floats, and play field day outdoor games like egg and spoon, three-legged race and water relays.
• Wet and Wild: Water, water and more water! Come up with as many outdoor water activities as you can think of. Water balloons, water shooters, sprinklers, a small kiddie pool, water baseball (soaking wet sponge ball,) bubble blowing and more! Choose snacks that are okay around water like apples, carrot and celery sticks and popsicles.
• Recent Learning Fun: Ask your child’s teacher what they have been studying recently. If it’s animals, host a jungle or zoo themed party. If it's American history, host a 'colonial' style party complete with old fashioned games kids played 200 years ago like hoops and jacks. Host several fun experiments and serve treats in test tubes for a science-themed party.
• Show Time!: Host a mini talent show and ask each child to share a trick or talent with the rest of the class like a song, gymnastics trick, juggling, and even timeless kid skills like burping and knuckle-cracking on demand. Encourage everyone to participate and bring a joke book along for those who claim they don't have a skill.
• Autograph Fun: Kids love collecting each other’s autographs at the end of school. They can sign each other’s yearbooks, a titled piece of cardstock, e.g. “Ms. West’s 3rd Grade 2010-2011,” the back of a printed photo-collage of the year’s fun, or even a t-shirt (provide colorful permanent markers and alert parents ahead of time.) You can also include an autograph opportunity (card, poster, t-shirt) where kids can celebrate and thank their teacher.
• Post Card Grab Bag: Keep kids in touch over the summer and encourage them to practice their writing! Each child writes their address on 3 post cards and drops them into a big cloth bag. One-by-one, kids choose 3 cards (not their own) and agree to mail their classmates silly summer news in the coming months.

Whatever your theme, the kids and your teacher will be sure to have a blast. Make an effort to include everyone, and be sensitive to your school's rules about parties, snack and gifts.

Happy end of school!!