Ah…that bittersweet feeling when summer is so close you can almost taste the ice-cold mango mai tai on the deck as you have your first morning meeting of the last month of school, BUT it’s still a month away and your lovely littles are…squirrel-y!! 🥜🥜🥜
What we all need is some FUN. And I have gathered just a few of my very favourite end-of-the-year traditions to get us all through to the sunshine at the end of the tunnel…
1. EASY FLOWER MEMORIES:
Let’s start with a super simple craft activity where students write 6-8 of their favourite school memories on strips of coloured paper, then fold and glue them behind a coloured-paper circle, and write their names in the middle. It not only is an easy way to focus on the positives and generate great discussions amongst friends as they work, but it also makes the sweetest bulletin board!!
(The original idea is actually different but really you could have students write anything you’d like…even 6-8 things they’re excited to do this summer!)
2. BEACH DAY, BABY!
This one is definitely more work but lasts for a whole day!
Stack your chairs, tuck them away, and spend your day on beach towels that students bring in. Pop up the umbrellas, kick off your shoes, and learn “on the beach” for the day. Aris rocked this beach day. You can read all about it here.
3. POP-PER-DAY SURPRISES:
Who doesn’t love a surprise?! This end of the year idea is one of my go-tos because it’s so easily customizable for your students and SO FUN!
The basic idea is to pop one balloon every day as a countdown to the end of the year. You can do it for the last week or you can do it for the whole last month! Inside, is a little piece of paper with a surprise on it. The surprise can be anything from an extra 10 minutes of recess to a mini chocolate bar for everyone! Ashley has some more great reward ideas here.
4. MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES:
Remember how I said that kids are kinda squirrel-y right now 🤪 Channel that summer energy into some fun, hands-on, Minute to Win It games! There are soooo many classroom ideas for these games out there, just a quick Google will give you lots, but you can read a couple hit here.
5. AWARDS CEREMONY:
You’ve seen this one time and time again but honestly, it’s a tradition for a reason. Awards Day is always such a huge hit. PLUS the prep isn’t painful which makes it fun for both the kids AND me!
We get dressed up all fancy, throw down a “red carpet” (aka a cheap felt red runner from amazon), hang up some gold stars (just search “awards night decorations” and you’ll find lots of options), dim the lights, and start the ceremony!
You can choose between classic certificates or do something a little different and make “medals” to put over their heads as they walk up to receive their awards.
Medals may seem like they take a bit more time to prep but that is specifically why I did not include name personalization on them. The time it takes to cut out and string each medal is about the same time it takes to personalize each certificate! It’s totally worth it.
Now it’s time to decide who gets what! There are SO many awards that it’s easy to find the perfect one for each of your littles.
It may seem overwhelming having so much choice, BUT the planning pages make it a breeze to keep everything organized…
After you’ve decided who is receiving what, you can go ahead and create your awards! I’ve always been a fan of hand-personalization but I get that I’m old school in that way and the cheese probably stands alone 😆 SO that’s why I added BOTH PowerPoint and Google Slides options as well so you can buzz through and digitally-edit your class awards in a flash!
I really do love how something as simple as a piece of paper can have such a huge impact on student mindset and classroom community. The excitement and just plain ol’ feel-goodness that Awards Day brings seriously cannot be matched.
You could totally go all-out with your ceremony and have a whole spread of snacks set out for after, awards-themed activities, and really roll with the theme BUT the beauty is you can keep it so simple and just spend the afternoon celebrating each student as they celebrate one another.
The support and cheering as each name is reveal is the best. EVERY student gets to leave on a high, feeling valued and special and motivated. The joy even spreads beyond the classroom as students proudly bring their awards home to show and tell all about their day and their accomplishments with their families. Love, love, LOVE IT 💕
If you don’t already have awards you use and love, here is the link to my best-selling, newly-updated awards, as well as a little peek at what’s included:
Every year is filled with ups and downs, but no matter how it went or how it’s going, I hope you not only enjoy these last few weeks but get the much-needed break you deserve when it’s all said and done. HERE’S TO SUMMER BREAK, you freaking earned it!!!! ☀️🩱🍹 💦🌸
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