Get ideas for the end of year such as gifts, activities, videos, and more! These end of year activities will not only keep your students engaged, but will also help your sanity!
VIP Countdown
Who doesn’t love a good countdown?!
Add a special touch to your end of year countdown, by giving each student his or her own special day. I start with the amount of days left as students (you could always double up too!). Each day we pop a balloon. Inside the balloon is a name & that student becomes the VIP for the day! These adorable balloons are from Target- of course 🙂
The VIP gets all the perks. The student gets to take his or her shoes off in the classroom, pick the GoNoodle brain breaks, use the Special Supply Tub, sit at the VIP table, and chose a book buddy to sit with him or her all day. For special days like field trips or field day, I let the student wear a special VIP crown and try to find other special things throughout the day to make the student feel special. Other VIP ideas are line leader, teacher helper, chose where to sit for the day, chose his or her stations for the day, lunch with teacher, extra iPad time, and so many other things! It doesn’t have to cost you anything, which is one of the best parts!
At the end of the day, our VIP gets special words of affirmation from his or her classmates. I have each student write a special note to the VIP (I write one too!). I put each note on a poster and the VIP gets to take the poster home at the end of the day. It’s a special way students to remember their classmates and feel loved.
Over on Instagram, I received questions about the Special Supply Tub I let the VIP student use. I bought some fun smelly markers and crayons to add to the tub. I already had smelly Mr. Sketch markers, fun pencils, and colored pens in the tub. This tub is usually used as a Dojo Points reward, but that’s a post for another day 🙂 You can click the image to shop some Special Supply Tub items on Amazon.
Note: All Amazon links are an affiliate link, so I receive a small compensation for any purchase you might make at no extra cost to you.
Camping Day
Camping Day is one of my favorites! I love using this to review different concepts in a fun way. There are so many great camping activities to do:
- Reading in a Tent: I bought this fun tent from Amazon and it completely blows the kiddos minds to see a tent in their classroom. Click the picture to grab a tent for yourself!
- How to Make a Smore Writing Activity: Who doesn’t love an excuse to eat sweet treats in the classroom?
- Smores Sensory Poem: After writing about how to make a smore and tasting it, have students write a sensory poem about smores.
- Cactus Ring Toss: I love all things cactus, and couldn’t resist this cactus ring toss game from the Target Dollar Spot. Students had to throw all 3 rings and then add up their score and record it.
- Bugs in a Jar Graph: Toss some toy bugs in a jar and have students scoop and graph the different bugs.
- Build a Tent STEM activity: Gather felt, toothpicks, and mini marshmallows or play doh. Students will love figuring out how to build a tent!
- Measuring with Marshmallows: Review non-standard measurement with marshmallows! Students use marshmallows to measure camping images. Click here to download free from my TPT store!
There are so many other fun camping themed activities on TPT, so you could definitely do an entire camping week!
Reading Under the Sun
This a low-prep, yet engaging activity for the end of the year. Ask students to bring their beach towels to school, head outside, and read under the sun! It keeps them entertained for a long time. Maybe if they’re good, they could even earn a fun popsicle treat 😉
End of Year Gifts
Lastly, send them on their way with a fun gift. I like to get these sand buckets from Dollar Tree and fill them with both fun and educational things. I got each student a fun pencil, bubbles, & 3 books. You can get this FREE gift tag by clicking here to sign up for my email list!
