15 Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year

This is not the end of the school year most of us expected. But it can (and should) still be celebrated! Here are 15 ways to make the end of the school year special this year, even in the midst of social distancing.

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For most of us, this is not the end of the school year we (or our kids) expected. While this time of year is usually filled with eager anticipation and excitement, this year it’s surrounded with an air of unease, sadness, and no small amount of disappointment.

Mostly, though… it just feels a bit anticlimactic.

But it doesn’t have to be! Just because we’re finishing at home instead of in a school building doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the end of the school year with the same special excitement. We can (and should!) transition into summer with the same kind of BANG we usually do.

And I hope this post helps you do just that.

Whether your kids are finishing their first year or their last, here are some ways you can make the end of this school year special (quarantine and all)!

15 Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year

Have an “End of the School Year” countdown
Take a “last day of school” picture as usual
Give your kids special (or silly) awards — Some ideas might include “Exceptional Effort Award,” “Hardworking Hero Award,” “Aspiring Artist Award,” or “Super Reader Award”
Do an “end of the school year” activity (here’s a free memory book template!)
Read a last-day-of-school-themed book
Prepare (or pick up) a celebratory meal
Have a family bonfire (obviously easier if you live in the country as we do)
Make a photo book of your kids’ artwork, projects, crafts, writing samples, etc.
Put together “welcome to summer” goodie bags
Have a “Now vs. Then” session — compare pictures and school work, talk about ways they’ve changed, and celebrate their growth
Go out for a treat
Present your kids with special summer activities or supplies
Have a “class party” at home with treats, activities, movies, etc.
Make a memory collage with pictures from your time at home together
Write your kids a letter — tell them a few things you learned, point out some areas of growth you noticed, affirm their strength and resilience, thank them for their patience and grace, and share a special/funny memory or two! (Even if your kids are young and can’t read or won’t appreciate this now, write it anyway! They’ll enjoy reading it years from now when they’re older.)

I don’t think this was the ideal year for any of us, but we can still end it well. After all, some of life’s most meaningful memories come out of tough times, and some of the best home runs come from curve balls.

Do you have any ideas to add? Please share them in the comments below!