Summer is just around the corner: the countdown summer is on! Make the most of the last days of school with these exciting ways to celebrate the end of the year.
Are you counting down the days until summer? With the end of the school year approaching, it’s time to start planning some fun ways to celebrate. But first, let’s answer the question on everyone’s mind: how many days until summer officially begins?
But seriously… when is summer?
Unpopular opinion alert: I’m not the biggest fan of countdowns. I have it stuck in my head that if I’m focused on “how many days left?!” and the future then I’m not able to enjoy the present. I also get a little bummed thinking about my beloved elementary teachers counting down the days until… I’m never in their class again?! It can send a strange message.
Also: I’ve often don’t actually have the last day of school memorized. My first grade son asked me how many days we had left the other day and… I didn’t know. I told him it seemed like a good question for a teacher… or a parent. A+ for me.
That said, the end of the school year is definitely something to be celebrated! It’s inevitable that your elementary students will begin at least whispering about beach days and popsicle parties when the weather warms. I fully advocate for using this excited energy to celebrate the end of a great academic year. Below, I’ve written about some of my favorite end of the school year activities!
Summer countdown: Get outside often!
What better way to celebrate the end of the school year than with time outside to enjoy the increasingly beautiful weather? I love to celebrate the end of the school year by getting creative with opportunities to get outside. Bring our book bins to sit in the school garden? Lovely! Write personal narratives underneath the trees on campus? Let’s do it. Science experiments on the playground? I’m in. Your students will love getting outdoors as much as possible as they count down to summer!
ABC Countdown to Summer: A theme a day!
Most elementary teachers have heard of a good old ABC Countdown: one in which each of the final 26 days of school are assigned a letter & a corresponding theme. Think A is for “athlete day” where students wear the jersey/hat of their favorite athlete, etc.
There are so many ready-made options available online, but I love using our ABC Countdown as a time to work together to collaboratively create each day’s theme. Students in past classes have come up with some very creative ideas that have now turned into classroom tradition! If co-creating all 26 days feels overwhelming, incorporate student choice on just a couple days. For W day, for example, students could vote for “Water Day” or “Welcome, new students!”
Be sure to share out a calendar with students and caregivers ahead of time so everyone knows what is coming up!
Countdown to Summer: Remember & Reflect
Another fun and meaningful way to celebrate the end of the school year is to create a memory book or time capsule with your students. There are so many ways to do this well!
Idea 1: Time Capsule
Have each student bring in a small item or photo that represents their favorite memory from the school year. Then, have them write a short reflection on what they learned or enjoyed about the year. Compile all of the items and reflections into a book or container that can be opened in the future for a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
Idea 2: Letters to Future Students
Invite students to write letters to the future occupants of your classroom. Invite them to tell something they enjoyed learning or advice for making it a successful year. My former students have also loved telling future students silly facts about their silly teacher! I love to compile these letters into a class book that I can make copies of to send home with students – and keep a classroom copy!
Idea 3: Create a collaborative classroom scrapbook.
Using pictures taken throughout the year as well as artifacts, create a scrapbook together! You provide the pictures (it’s OK if they’re just black and white copies from your XEROX!) and students provide the captions. I love this idea because students have such a great time reminiscing AND we can incorporate some writing skills.
Another take: make a digital scrapbook! Use Google Slides to create a digital scrapbook that’s easily shareable with parents & loved ones. It’s sure to be a hit.
Idea 4: Create individual memory books
Students can also create their own memory books! Once again, there are many templates available for this online, but most have common components:
- A “me now” page: Students record their current age and favorites as a snapshot of their end of the school year selves!
- A place to reflect on learning: Students can write, draw, or caption pictures that show they’re learning for the year!
- A page to appreciate friends: Students can write and draw about their classmates and their favorite things to do together!
- A spot to document highlights: Students can tell the story of their amazing field trip to the zoo or recount the tale of when they saw a magic show at an assembly!
Countdown Summer Idea: We Teach Wednesdays
If your elementary students are anything like mine, they DREAM of the day when they could be the teacher and “be in charge.” Introducing… We Teach Wednesdays! For the final 5-6 weeks of the school year, students are invited to sign up for a time to teach their classmates anything. I surrender the last 45 minutes of our academic day just on Wednesdays to let students take center stage as they teach classmates to fly a paper airplane, write their names in bubble letters, or create a craft. Students are welcome to share whatever they’re passionate about! To ensure that everyone has a turn, multiple students teach each Wednesday and their classmates can choose which “class” to attend.
I can’t tell you how much joy this tradition brings into our classroom in the final weeks of school. Students eagerly await their own turn and brainstorm how they’ll design their lesson. Their creativity shines and it is incredible to witness their transformation from the beginning of the school year to the final countdown days.
Make a special keepsake!
I love the idea of gifts to celebrate the end of the academic year AND I no longer think it’s sustainable to use personal funds for school presents. My first few years of teaching, I was swiping my card at the dollar store like crazy come June, but I just don’t believe in it anymore.
I’ve found that a few small keepsakes from our year mean much more than a plastic-y gift. Here are some ideas for end of the year keepsakes!
Keepsake Idea 1: A photo with the teacher
Elementary students LOVE their teachers and can often scarcely imagine school life without them. How special to get a photo with their superhero?! I love to take photos with a simple paper backdrop & a fun printed sign: something like “First Grade was Awesome!” (but you’ll think of a catchier phrase).
Want to get a little fancier? Invite students to craft a frame out of cardboard, paper, or popsicle sticks to make their keepsake photo even more special!
Keepsake Idea 2: A Memorable Bookmark!
We make… maybe too many bookmarks in my class. I just love how they’re easy, functional – and meaningful to students! Make an end of the school bookmark that students can color themselves; then finish them off by laminating and adding a fun tassel at the top!
Ideas of what to include on your class’s bookmarks:
- Their photo with the teacher!: Guaranteed to be a hit.
- Photos of their classmates: Think a yearbook-style collage of faces of their classmates. Bonus: take pictures especially for this, perhaps prompting students to wear silly sunglasses or something similar.
- A note from you: A sweet note telling them how glad you were to be their teacher will warm students’ hearts.
- A meaningful quote or phrase: In my classroom, we say a daily end of the day affirmation that I’ll include on their end of the year book marks. I also love the idea of quoting a read-aloud or poem that holds special significance to this year’s class.
Countdown Summer: More ideas!
Looking to read more about how to spend the final days of the school year? Check out these articles!
- Edutopia: 8 Epic Ideas for Ending the School Year
- We Are Teachers: 17 Awesome Ways to Celebrate the End of the School Year
Now that I’ve shared my ideas for a fun end of the school year, I’d love to hear yours! Comment below your favorite countdown to summer activities – I can’t wait to try them out!
Read more from Kate!
If you enjoyed this blog post, make sure to check out others by Kate, founder of Lit By Learning:
