Woohoo! It’s finally here—the last day of school. While most kids are going to be super excited, others may have mixed emotions. Make your last hours together extra special with some of these fun last-day-of-school activities, and send your students into summer with fantastic memories of the school year behind them!
Activity Village
1. Stage your own classroom Olympics
What better way to wrap up a great year than with your very own version of the Olympic Games? Your kids will love the pomp and circumstance, from the opening ceremony and challenging events to the winners on the medal podium.
Teacher Brenda Tejada knows that the end of the school year is a time of mixed emotions. “Students have worked hard all year and are almost at the finish line,” she says. “Some may be excited for their summer vacation, while others may feel anxious to say goodbye.” Her book list and accompanying activities are a sure bet to help ease the transition.
Grab those buckets of sidewalk chalk and head out to the playground! Encourage students to draw memories from the past year, write shout-outs for friends and staff members, or just draw for the pure joy of creating something.
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!”
Genius Hour, sometimes called Passion Pursuit, in the classroom is an opportunity for students to explore their own unique interests in a loosely structured but supported way. On the last day of school, let each student teach the class what they have studied and learned.
Learn more: What Is Genius Hour and How Can I Try It in My Classroom?
Playdough to Plato
7. Play Classmates Bingo
It’s one last chance for students to learn a little something new about their classmates! Grab a free printable with get-to-know-you clues at the link, or design your own to better fit your class.
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.
Before you break for the summer, pair your students up as pen pals. Gather students on the rug and talk about what being a pen pal looks like. Draw names and let each pair spend some time together brainstorming ideas about what they’d like to write about.
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.
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. They’ll each end up with a sweet keepsake for the school year.
According to the teacher team at Minds in Bloom, a legacy project is a lesson that students create, from objective and materials to procedures, to share with next year’s students, like this fun science project.
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 it out on the grass to enjoy.
Load up on embroidery floss and let your students loose! They’ll love creating a keepsake that reminds them of this special year every time they look at it.
Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Dave Stuart Jr.
16. 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.
Set up game stations and give students time to rotate through each station. Try games like Marshmallow Madness, Scoop It Up, and more at the link below!
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.
Organize your students into teams and leave your school better than you found it. Weed the school garden, write thank-you letters to school staff members, pick up litter outside, help take down hallway bulletin boards. Or see if specials teachers (music, art, P.E., library) need any help getting organized for the end of the year.
The Thinker Builder
20. 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.
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.
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.
Little ones will love coloring and cutting out their very own Last Day of School crown. Check out the link below to buy the printable, or design your own.
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.
This has to be one of the most fun and meaningful last-day-of-school activities. 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 their ideas 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.)
For this project, students create a project that provides a sneak peek of one of their favorite books. They can create posters, dioramas, trifolds, or even dress up as a main character. Give students a couple of weeks to prepare their project at home, then hold your museum walk on the last day of school as a grand finale to the year.
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.
We Are Teachers
Little Bins for Little Hands
29. Send your wishes soaring
Follow the tutorial below to make paper kites with your students. Have each student write down their hopes and dreams for the future (or alternatively, their favorite memories of the school year) on their kites, then go outside and have a launch party.
Scavenger hunts can be not only educational but also a blast! Click the link below for creative scavenger hunts to use in the classroom or send home with students for the summer. To get started, download these free scavenger hunt worksheets.
Learn more: Free Scavenger Hunt Ideas
31. Play last-day-of-school charades
Reminisce about what a fun school year you’ve had together with a rousing round of charades. Create cards from categories including academics (math, reading, social studies, etc.), experiences (field trips, assemblies, special days, etc.), or anything else you want kids to remember about your year together.
The last day of school is a bittersweet time. Give your students some time to reflect on and write about their experience so they can hold onto favorite memories.
Students work in partners or groups. Math problems are projected and students solve them together. For every correct answer, they receive a raffle ticket. Prizes are awarded at the end.
Push the desks to the edges of the classroom (after you’ve cleaned them with shaving cream—see #41, blow), and let your little songbirds loose! Or divide your class in half and have a sing-off.
37. Make welcome brochures for next year’s students
Have your students create brochures for next year’s students, telling them all about the fun things they’ll learn, experiences they’ll have, and all the best parts about your grade. At the start of next year, you can set a brochure on each desk as a welcome present for your new crew.
Discuss with your students what makes a great teacher, and then have them rate you! Their comments will help you grow. They’ll feel honored you listened to their feedback, and you can demonstrate a growth mindset right in front of your own students.
Check out this great video tutorial on juggling, then head outside to practice! Your students’ laughter and cheers will be a great memory to take away from the last day of school.
Learn more: How To Juggle with Josh Hartman via YouTube
We Are Teachers
Growing Roots
41. Clean desks with shaving cream
Tackle those filthy desks and make it look like play. Believe it or not, shaving cream is one of the best ways to get desks looking brand-spanking clean, and kids love it! Plus, check out more ways to clean your classroom.
A glow party is a super-fun way to celebrate the last day of school. Get out your black lights and pass out the glow sticks. Details in the link below.
Looking for a fun way to review materials that is easy to set up and super fun for your kids? Then Trashketball is the game for you. And what better way to wrap up the last day of the school year than a review of all the fun subjects you learned about?
And the key word here is volunteer. Not every kid is a natural ham, but almost every kid in your class probably has a talent that, with a little coaxing, they could share.
Learn more: Unique Talent Show Ideas
Creative Commons
47. Hold a puzzle competition
See who can assemble a jigsaw puzzle the fastest.
Learn more: Jigsaw Puzzles We Love at We Are Teachers
Hello, Wonderful
48. Have a water day
Celebrate the last day of school with a splash! Check out the super-fun activities at the link below. And of course, what better way to end water day than with Popsicles?
Learn more: Splashtastic Water Activities at We Are Teachers
The Brown Bag Teacher
49. Do a read-in
Your kids worked really hard this year. Why not reward them with a read-in day? Invite them to bring cozy blankets, stuffed animals, and, of course, their favorite books. Then laze about the classroom and get lost in a good book.
Encourage learning all the way through the finish line! Use the link below to find a whole array of amazing activities to set up as stations for some hands-on fun.
Use cardboard tubes and tape to create a vertical track on the wall. Then drop pom-poms (or small balls) and see if they can make it all the way through. If not, make adjustments. Split students into groups and make your tracks in a large space like the gym if possible.
Slam poetry is a unique form of expression that allows students to perform meaningful works of poetry in front of their peers. Give students a heads up and time to practice before the last day of school, then hold the slam as the culminating event.
Learn more: 25 Slam Poetry Examples
55. Play old-school recess games
These oldies (but goodies) to play with your kids on the last day of school will leave you feeling nostalgic for sure.
Learn more: Old-School Recess Games
Tried and True Teaching Tools
56. Give each other a pat on the back
Pair students up and have them tape a piece of paper to each other’s backs. Once everyone is ready, give students time to mingle and write a positive comment or compliment on each of their classmate’s sheets. What a heartwarming keepsake to wrap up the school year!
End-of-year awards have been around forever. But instead of making it a competition for a chosen few, here’s a way to include everyone. Recognize academic and social-emotional skills with these fun colorful certificates.
Learn more: 50 Free Printable Awards for Students
Mommy Poppins
58. Head off on a virtual field trip
Just didn’t have time (or money) to get around to that great field trip you had in mind? No problem! Get out the popcorn and kick back with a fun and interesting virtual field trip.
Learn more: Amazing Virtual Field Trips
59. Hold a book swap
What better way to prepare your students for summer reading than with a student-recommended book? Give students (and parents) a heads up a couple of weeks before the last day of school, asking them to bring in a gently used book that they would recommend. (Be sure you have a few extra books on hand just in case.) Draw numbers and let students choose or play the white elephant gift-swap game.
Graffiti walls are an awesome way to encourage kids’ creativity. Why not give them free rein to record their favorite memories from the school year on the last day of school?
Learn more: 20 Engaging Ways To Teach With Graffiti Walls at We Are Teachers
Overyummed
62. Brainstorm a list of summer activities
Send your students home for summer brimming with ideas for summer fun and learning. Either make a class poster with contributions from everyone or have each student create their own.
Cleaning out your classroom at the end of the year may be a dreaded task, but it’s much easier with lots of hands to help. Assign tasks to students to make the process more efficient, or even turn it into a game! Students can do things like pick up trash, wipe their desks, take down bulletin boards, and organize bookshelves. Be sure to have a fun activity planned as a reward.
Try this activity if your group loves writing. Set up writing stations directions such as: Create a scene from a play, write a story about you as the president, write a poem about your favorite season, create and describe your own brand-new holiday, etc. For extra fun, have a different snack at each station, and every so often take a break to share a few stories they’ve produced.
Learn more: Writing Prompts at We Are Teachers
Sweet Firstie Fun
65. Make it a Yes Day
It seems like the average day in the classroom involves way more no’s than yes’s. Make an exception and declare the last day of school a Yes Day.
Read Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow Miller and ask your students to think about the next road they want to take to new adventures. Then have them create posters showing their dreams.
Ask your students to wear their favorite color to school on the last day of school—head to toe if possible. Then have a parade around the school grounds. If the whole school can participate, have each class dress in a different color. Add zany accessories and have a blast!
This is such a poignant activity if you had your students fill out an “All About Me” paper in the fall. Give them a fresh copy and have each student fill theirs out. Then, pass out the ones from fall and let them see how much they’ve changed or stayed the same.
This is a fun (and educational) way to do a walk-through of your year together with your students. Tip off your students the day before and ask them to come to the last day of school with ideas.
Paper folding is so much fun! Take an ordinary square of paper and turn it into a bunny or a bear or a silly face. Let kids sit with friends and create to their heart’s content.
There are so many people that contribute to our kids’ education. Aside from the classroom teacher, you have the librarian, nurse, specials teachers, principal, custodian, and others. Take a few moments at the end of the year for your students to write to their favorite staff member and spread some feel-good vibes around the building.
73. Get creative with a round of Pass the Sentence
This is a well-known classroom game. Give each student 30 seconds to start a story with one sentence on a piece of paper. When the timer dings, have each student pass their paper to the student on their right. Now students have 30 seconds to add the next sentence to the paper they’ve been handed. Do as many rounds as you’d like. Then have the original author read the story that has developed from their beginning.
Waroona District High School
74. Build bridges
Team kids up to design and build the strongest and longest bridge out of Popsicle sticks and model magic to span desks in the classroom.
75. Try these “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” activities
Dr. Seuss’ inspiring book Oh, the Places You’ll Go! is an end-of-year favorite for many teachers. Use it to inspire your students to think about their goals and possible pathways for the future. For this idea and more, check out the link below.
Learn more: Best “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” Activities at We Are Teachers
Fun in First
76. Have a class picnic
Nothing breeds companionship like sharing a meal. Hold a class picnic on the last day of school and let your kids enjoy each other’s company one last time.
Summer birthdays can be a bummer for kids who like to celebrate with their classmates. Why not have one big birthday party on the last day of school to include everyone? Try one of the fun ideas at the link below.
The promise of a movie on the last day of school is a great motivator to inspire the best behavior from your students those last few weeks. Let your kids choose the movie, and on the last day, supply the popcorn and enjoy!
Learn more: Spectacular Summer Movies for Kids
We Are Teachers
We Are Teachers
We Are Teachers
81. Rock out!
Set the tone for a celebration on the last day. Try one of these awesome playlists and have a dance party, or use the music as a background for some fun activities.
Learn more: Apple Music Playlists for the Classroom
We Are Teachers
We Are Teachers
83. Start an end-of-year tradition
Start a new tradition that you love to end the school year with. We were inspired by a teacher that took snips of his beloved spider plant and started new plants to give to each of his students at the end of the year.
Learn more: Teacher’s Plant Tradition
We Are Teachers
84. Play math games
One sneaky way to keep the learning going, even on the last day of school, is with fun and engaging math games. Set up stations and let kids choose which ones they’d like to play with their friends.
Learn more: Math Games for Every Grade Level
We Are Teachers
85. Make bookmarks
As kids head off for summer, reading a ton of books is hopefully high on their to-do list. Get them excited for it by making some of these adorable bookmarks.
Learn more: Adorable DIY Bookmarks
Hreisho via Pixabay
86. Go outside and play!
It may not officially be field day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a few of your students’ favorite activities on the last day of school! Take a peek at the list below and revisit a few of your favorites.
Learn more: Best Field Day Games and Activities
We Are Teachers
88. Try some drawing tutorials
How-to drawing books are always a big hit with kids. Here, teach your students how to draw a dragon, step-by-step. See the other fun options below.
Learn more: Draw a Dragon, Draw a Cat, Draw a Dog
89. Do a playground cleanup
End the year with a good deed. Give your students compostable bags and send them off to clean up the playground and fields around the school. Set the reward for the cleanup as a Popsicle party!
We Are Teachers
We Are Teachers
91. Do yoga
Have a last-day-of-school yoga party. Push all the desks to the sides, or better yet go outside. Make it easy with the free printable cards below.
Learn more: 15 Easy Yoga Poses
Adobe Stock
92. Just chat
Sometimes the best gift we can give our kids is just time to be together. Give your kids a lot of freedom on the last day. Let them sit with friends, let them talk more than usual. Try to have at least one meaningful exchange with each student to savor over the summer.
93. Invite families in
Open up the classroom the last hour of the day and invite families to sit in your final classroom meeting. Be sure to have a talking stick on hand so everyone doesn’t talk at once. Go around the circle and let each student and their parent/caregiver share one highlight or something they’re grateful for from the year.
94. Hold relay races
Relay races are a fun, mildly competitive activity that kids love. Go outside for a little more space, or see if you can reserve a time slot in the gym.
Learn more: 30 Creative Relay Race Ideas To Try
Mud & Bloom
95. Take a hike and make nature bracelets or crowns
If the weather cooperates, get outside with your kids! Take along a roll of masking tape and put a bracelet of tape on each student’s wrist, sticky side out. As you hike, encourage students to add beautiful leaves, berries, or flower petals to their bracelets. To make crowns, simply use card stock to shape a crown, then stick tape to the outside and proceed as above.
You may be wondering what giant snowflakes have to do with the last day of school and beginning of summer. Well, nothing! But that’s what lands them on our “unexpected” list of activities for the last day of school. Plus, they make fun parting gifts.
97. … or giant flowers
OK, flowers would be more seasonally appropriate. And they also make beautiful parting gifts.
Teach Create Motivate
98. Do a round of shout-outs
Print and pass out these colorful shout-out cards. Then give students time to really think about who they’d like to say thank you to. Once everyone is done, circle up and have students read their cards aloud. Or if you’d rather, collect the cards and read them for your students.
If you’re looking for no-prep last-day-of-school activities, watch this fun video. Then pair students up and let them create their own version. At the end, have each pair perform their handshake for the class.
Amazon
Loving these fun activities for the last day of school? Take a look at these end-of-year assignments and activities for every grade.
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