The end of the school year is so close, yet there are days that it just seems so far away! I know I always was looking for the last day of school on the horizon, but I wanted to keep my students engaged in learning all the way until the end. To help make planning the end of the year easier (and to help squeeze in some fun!), I wanted to share some end of year activities that my students always loved!
This was always one of my class’s favorite end of year activities. My students loved to enjoy a beautiful day outside playing with chalk paint. Not only is it simple to make, but it kept them busy and I was able to review skills with them as they had a blast painting answers outside on the sidewalks of our school! Read more about chalk paint HERE.
When it comes to classroom management towards the end of the year, it can feel like you’re running out of tricks to try! If that’s you, you might try these Positive Behavior Punch Cards!
When you spot students working hard, showing respect, helping others, or any other kind of positive behavior, you can punch a star. When they complete their punch cards, students can earn a reward like chalk paint, extra recess, free draw, etc.
These classroom awards were a hit every single year! They were a fun twist on end of the year awards. I grabbed the items that went along with the awards from the Dollar Tree, filled out the editable awards, and then handed them out on the last day of school at our classroom award ceremony! Parents loved them, too!
Kindergarten graduation was no joke at some of the schools I worked out. It was serious business and boy were the little ones just precious as they marched the hallway and received their awards! These editable graduation diplomas or certificates along with parent notes made my job simple! Type in their names and print!
When my teammate had this idea almost 5 years ago, we knew we had to run with it! We brainstormed academic games the kids could play easily with chalk, dice, bubbles, and a simple notepad. Threw the items (purchased for cheap at the Dollar Tree), a bucket list, and a few leveled readers for each student in the bucket and off they went on the last day of school!
Parents were THRILLED that we sent their kiddos home with activities to keep them busy! Grab the bucket list FREEBIE HERE.
I always loved, loved, loved to have the student reflect on the year during the last week of school. We would sit down, talk about all of our wonderful memories we made together, and then they would ride about the year! This pineapple writing craft is a fun and engaging way for students to write about their “sweet” year. Read more about my purposeful writing crafts HERE.
Let’s face it, the last few weeks are just simply crazy! I loved having end of year activities that would calm them down at the end of each day. I would simply introduce each new page for their memory book and then they would get busy writing and drawing about that topic while we listened to our “writing music” (instrumental music).
The End of Year Selfie Memory Book helps document students’ school year through writing and pictures, too. This activity can be used to create individual memory books, a class book, or even a bulletin board display. Your students will love documenting their year, and you’ll love how this can serve as a writing activity!
When you need something to keep them busy as you are packing up your room or those early finishers finish their memory book page early, you can give them a color by number to review some math facts! Grab this FREE activity HERE!
Sometimes awards would make my head hurt because I truly wanted each child to get something unique, but I also wanted to celebrate their fantastic growth! I needed something simple and these editable Super Kids Awards were just that!
Our end of year classroom party and award ceremony were always a blur! I loved using this summer fun bingo game! It’s something simple that a parent can run and do with students while you help with other things that only you can help with in your classroom….like taking pictures with each student on the last day! 🙂 You can grab this FREEBIE game HERE.
That’s a wrap! 10 ideas that are sure to help you survive the last few days!
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I’m a K-1 teacher who is passionate about making lessons your students love and that are easy to implement for teachers. Helping teachers like you navigate their way through their literacy block brings me great joy. I am a lifelong learner who loves staying on top of current literacy learning and practices. Here, you’ll find the tools you need to move your K-2 students forward!
2 Responses
Wow, so many incredible ideas! Thank you so much for sharing them. For us, school goes until June 29 so plenty of time to use them. This could be the best end- of- year yet!
Thank you!! That is a long school year! I feel for you, but you can do it! 🙂 I’m so glad you have some new things to do as you wrap things up next month!