With summer fast approaching, it means that the school year is drawing to a close. Whilst teachers and students alike are thrilled about the time they will have off to rest, relax and spend time with friends and family, there are still school days left to fill.
However, with the entire school community looking forward to the summer holidays, it can be difficult to keep students engaged during these final days of school. To help teachers ensure that they can run fun and informative last few weeks of school, we created this activity guide.
How do you make the end of the school year special?
If you are looking for a fun end-of-year activity that will reward your students for all the hard work that they have done over the past few months of the school year, we created the perfect list for you. Regardless of whether your class loves sports, arts and crafts, or just loves to play with their friends in the schoolyard, we guarantee that there will be something on this list that your students will enjoy.
Class party!
The classic end-of-school-year activity is the party. It is a sure-fire way to ensure that your students are having the time of their life. It is also relatively low maintenance, and you can even get the kids involved in planning in the days leading up to the party.
One of the best ways to do this is to have them make their own party decorations which you then put up all around the classroom on the day of the party. You could also have them contribute to the party playlist and suggest some party games. If your class is a little older, you could even have them create some games of their own.
Then, on the day, all you need to do is bring in some party snacks, throw on the playlist and let them have fun. After a hard year of school work, students deserve time to unwind and have some fun with their friends, and a party is a great way to do that.
Photoshoot
Although the official picture day rolls around once every school year, having a fun informal picture day on the last day of school is a great way for kids to remember their year in the classroom, and remember all the friends that they shared it with.
You can make some cool accessories that they can hold up during the photoshoot, such as the teacher’s name, the grade they are in, and maybe even some inside jokes that you shared with your class that year. By setting up a mini photo booth, your students can take memorable pictures that they will cherish for a lifetime.
Yearbook superlatives
Yearbook superlatives are not just for high schoolers, they can be used by any grade at any time, from elementary school to middle school, right up to high school. Ending the year with your students nominating their classmates for superlatives is a fun and silly way to end the year.
The superlatives will prove to you just how close your students have gotten over the last year, making it a truly wholesome activity. Of course, the kinds of superlatives you do will depend on the age range of your students, but this activity can be enjoyed by kids of any age, just make sure to create age-appropriate superlatives for them to have fun with.
Kronos virtual activities
If you are looking for an end-of-year activity that is slightly more educational whilst still being fun and engaging, the KRONOS youth experience is the perfect answer. KRONOS events are an exciting way to teach students about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
This is the ultimate activity for kids aged 5 to 12 as it teaches them important life skills in a way that engages their imagination. The concept is very simple and easy to execute, making it perfect for teachers who are at their busiest before school holidays. The first part is the auditions that will occur in the weeks prior to the main event in which students will take part in a series of 30 to 60-minute workshops.
Teachers will send in pictures, videos, and information about the workshop process to then be used in the main event. The main event is a live TV show hosted by an energetic host that is set in the future. It will last up to 60 minutes and will look back at the work done by your students, placing them in the center of the production. After the main event, students will receive a souvenir video to remember the experience.
End of year gifts
Although it is customary for teachers to receive gifts at the end of the year, students put just as much time and effort into their studies as teachers do planning the lessons, and a small gift can show just how much you appreciate all the effort your class has put in over the year.
It does not have to be anything big or fancy, something as simple as a candy bar or a fidget toy will be enough for them to recognize that all of their hard work did not go unnoticed. It also works as a little souvenir for them to remember their teacher, classmates, and school year.
Time capsule
A time capsule is a great way to create unforgettable memories. Have all your students put in something from the school year classroom that they have particularly liked, whether that be a favorite pen, or a book that they particularly enjoyed this year. The goal is to give them the freedom to choose something that has been meaningful to them.
Also, have your students write down on a piece of paper something that they have enjoyed doing this year, something they are proud of themselves for achieving, and what they hope to do in the future. During the final week of school, those little pieces of paper can be read out loud to provide a sense of closure to all students.
Class outside
Depending on your class cohort and if they are well behaved, why not have the class outside? Just as summer begins, there is no better time to enjoy the clement weather and the fresh air. Since the focus of students by the end of the school year is lower than usual, compromising with your students is a sure way of keeping them attentive.
Before starting the day, you can let them know that if they are well behaved, they just might get the chance to have the last period outside. This incentive is perfect to keep them hard-working until the very last minute.
Clean up
Cleaning up might not sound like a great activity, but with some music in the background and given the context of the final days of school, students tend to appreciate this responsibility. Since so much has happened over the year in the classroom, giving back some love and teaching the importance of cleanliness is a great lesson to pass on to your students.
Preparing a note to communicate to the parents that their kids should bring cleaning products on that day is all that must be done. This activity will ensure that you will have a beautiful and clean end of the year.
Write letters
Writing letters is a great way to end the school year because you can get all your thoughts and feelings out on one single piece of paper. You can get your students to write a letter to themselves, detailing everything they have achieved this year and allowing them to reflect on their personal growth and also look ahead to what is in store in the future. You can also write letters to your students.
Writing individual personalized letters to students will mean a lot to them as it shows that you have taken the time to think about them individually. Throughout the school year, with the demands of the curriculum, it can be difficult to show students that you recognize them as individuals, but writing them a letter at the end of the year can show them that they did not go unnoticed.