Building confidence and self-esteem starts with recognizing student success. Having fun end-of-year assignments is a way to celebrate their success throughout the entire school year. Whether they struggled through the year or got straight A’s, completing a grade is a big accomplishment. We’ve created a list of 18 activities projects and more that your students will love and be engaged with! Celebrate your students at the end of this school year, and celebrate YOU!
1. End of the Year Writing
A favorite activity for the end of the year is this summer-themed writing activity. Students love creating their little avatar and writing in the sunglasses always adds a little extra pazazz!
Learn More: 2nd Grade Savvy
2. Plastic Wrapped Desks
This fun activity in the final days of school will remind students HOW MUCH FUN school really is. Have students help you make this super fun fort. Let them spend some class time in here.
Learn More: Flickr
3. End-of-Year Activities in Balloons
No matter which way you look at it, popping balloons is ALWAYS exciting. This activity is perfect for the last few weeks of school. Students will love the simple visual of this countdown.
Learn More: Miss Alexx in Wonderland
4. T-Shirt Painting
Creating t-shirts to hold students’ favorite memories can be so important. Sometimes it’s easier to just do a handprint and everyone’s name, making sure no individual student feels left out!
Learn More: Dr. Cortes Writes
5. Paper Plate Activity
An activity students of any age can participate in. Whether it’s words or pictures, showing students love for their teacher and classmates is always a great way to end the year!
Learn More: Hojo’s Teaching Adventures
6. End of Year Best Reads
End-of-year books are so great for students. Some kiddos might lose their reading love over the summer so it’s important to keep it going for as long as you can with books like Miss Maple’s Seeds & Cloudette.
Learn More: Kinder and Cactus
7. Teacher Likes & Dislikes Whole-class
This can be easily made on google slides/drawings and your students will love it! If you’re still practicing distance learning, put it up on google classroom and let your kiddos prove who knows you best.
Learn More: Kinder and Cactus
8. End of Year Countdown
Fun summer activities like this will not only serve as a countdown to the end of the year but also as a plan for the day. Each balloon will have something special for one or more of your students. Fun enrichment activities like this will keep students engaged and excited to keep coming!
Learn More: Kelcie’s Classroom
9. End-of-Year Whole-Class Poster
A puzzle poster is so much fun for your older students. This could be used as a writing assignment or one of your independent projects, just make sure to give a good assignment explanation so students understand the assignment details and expected outcome.
Learn More: Top Teaching Kids
10. Snapshots of My Year
Memory snapshots will be so much fun for your students to make! Use it as a writing assignment by having them write about their memories on the back of each picture!
Learn More: Loz Loves Prep
11. Wish I May, Wish I Might
Use a book like I Wish You More to help students picture and understand the assignment for these creative, hands-on projects!
Learn More: Coffee-Fueled Classroom
12. End of Year STEM Challenge
Using detailed project instructions students will absolutely love this activity! Archive class teams for this activity and see who can create the strongest or most elaborate treehouse using the materials given!
Learn More: Tumble Shine Gymnastics
13. Icosahedron Memory Share
An extension assignment for the end of the year like this is bound to have middle school students excited for the project. Have students watch a tutorial video on how to make this craft then decorate with their favorite memories.
Learn More: Teaching with Kindness
14. Summer Bucket List
Cute creative ideas like this summer bucket list are great for classes who just love coloring! This can also be made on google drawing if students are working distantly!
Learn More: KC Kindergarten
15. End of Year Scavenger Hunt
A game design that students will love! Have students complete this game with cardboard if you don’t have clipboards! They will love searching the classroom and answering the questions.
Learn More: From Math to Music
16. End of Year Bingo
Find game templates here for this awesome end-of-the-year Bingo game! Students will compete in active teams to complete all of the bingo pockets! This is an engaging game that will help your students talk about their summer plans!
Learn More: The Rigorous Owl
17. Compliment Scoot
Hands down an English class favorite, this compliment scoot allows students to give each other compliments! It’s so cute and fun students will love to create this for their assignment memory book.
Learn More: The Rigorous Owl
18. Pom Pom Poppers
Celebrate the last day in the most fun way students know how PARTY! Create these super exciting and fun pompom poppers for students to use when the bell rings or at the end of the day dance party! They will love it and you will love their excitement.
Learn More: Easy Kids Craft
19. This Year in Color
Have students make a picture highlighting all of their favorite things that happened in the past year. If your school allows candy, share skittles with students to give them some ideas of what colors to color their pictures.
Learn More: Digging Deeper Teaching Resources
20. Goodbye Stars
Create each student their own star, you can write their names yourself or have them write them! Once their names are on their star, have students go around and write little notes to each other. This is something simple that they can take home and keep for years to come.
Learn More: Proud to be Primary
21. Dear Future Students
Writing to the next students coming in will allow students to feel accomplished. Not only that they’ve finished the grade, but also that they’re ready to help the next ones in line. Keeping them humble and excited to share all of their great experiences.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
22. Rock, Paper Scissors Tournament
It’s not just for the little kids. Kids throughout all grades will love to play in this tournament. Let them play in teams or individually.
Pro tip: Have multiple activities going during the tournament to keep busy ones engaged
Learn More: Session Lab
23. Find Someone Who
A little foreshadowing activity so students can see what their friends will be doing over the summer. This is a fun way to engage students in continuing their learning and friendships.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
24. Coloring Page
Sometimes the most simple assignments are the best assignments. This free coloring page is great for almost any grade. Whether you have it as extra work or an actual assignment, students will be engaged while decorating and reflecting on their year.
Pro tip: Have students create one of these at the beginning of the year and one at the end!
Learn More: Crayola
25. Friendship Books
Friendship books are great because they help students to reflect on their peers, while also receiving feedback on how they were as a friend. This is helpful to both help kiddos grow and to have a keepsake!
Learn More: 18 Adorable Children’s Books About Friendship
26. End of the Year Bubbles
Making bubbles together as a class is a mix of science and fun! Take your kiddos outside in the last few days and whip up some bubbles. Not only will this be fun for students, but it will also send them home with a fun activity to do this summer.
Pro tip: Have students record the recipe used to make the bubbles in order to make them at home.
Learn More: Primarily Speaking
27. Goal Setting for the Summer
Summertime is full of excitement, warmth, and well, sometimes confusion. Taking kiddos out of their usual routine can have a pretty strong effect on their overall well-being. Help prepare your kiddos with some summer goal setting!
Pro tip: Easily create your own flip book by following this video.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
28. Sidewalk Scoot
Scoot is such a fun and engaging game, especially on a hot summer day at the end of the year. If you’re still trying to squeeze some standards in the last few days, bring in some sidewalk chalk and let the kids do the work.
Learn More: Apple for the Teach
29. Lemonade Tasting
If your school allows drinks and snacks, then a lemonade tasting is the perfect end to a long year. Simply make a pink and yellow lemonade and have students decide which is their favorite! Use different charts that have been taught throughout the year to keep track.
Learn More: Primarily Speaking
30. End of the Year Mix
Are you always searching for that perfect playlist to play during end-of-the-year activities? This music will give you and your kiddos a great vibe to get through the last few days of the school year.
Learn More: Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel
31. Read Aloud
If you’re behind on grading or need some time to get other activities ready, playing a read-aloud is the perfect way to keep your kiddos busy and still attentive. This book is perfect for exactly that and the narrator uses a great voice for students to follow along with!
Pro tip: You can choose to slow down the audio if the video is too fast for younger learners by clicking on the settings wheel and slowing down the speed of the video.
Learn More: Time 2 Read 2 Us
32. End of the Year Memory Video
Make your students their own little memory video! These videos are super easy to make and they make for an amazing keepsake both for the students, for you, and for parents.
Learn More: Mrs. Young’s Teaching Corner
33. Learn a New Song
Singing songs is really important in grades throughout elementary. This song was made for Kindergarten, but honestly, it can be used in any lower-elementary grade. Students will love to learn and sing this song in the last few days of school.
Learn More: Teacher Michael TV
34. Last Day Letters
Create little bags for students to keep all of their last-day letters in. Start this activity by listening to or reading A Letter From Your Teacher on the Last Day of School and then hand your letter to each student. Have students write each other letters.
Learn More: Life Between Summers
35. Last Day of School Brain Breaks
My students love these brain break activities. Usually, when they’re at lunch or recess I just move the desks out the way and then have the video ready for them when they get back. They’ll be super excited to follow along with the obstacles on the video.
Learn More: Now What? With Britt & Shawn
36. This or That
Playing this or that is so much fun in every class! This is great for any extra time you may find throughout the last few days. Rather than allowing students to just chat, play this video and even play along with them.
Pro tip: Follow this up with an activity about what students are most excited about this summer break!
Learn More: PE with Coach Shockley
37. Riddles
Who doesn’t love guessing riddles? There are so many times in those last few days where there’s just not much learning left to be had. Thankfully, your students will love building these words! Let them write them on whiteboards or notebooks.
Learn More: 50 Riddles To Keep Your Students Engaged and Entertained!
39. Hot Seat
Hot seat is a perfect game for the end of the year! Whether you play inside or outside, your students will absolutely love playing this game. You could even choose a brave student and play at the school assembly.
Learn More: Games 4 ESL
40. Freeze Dance
Freeze dance, the end of the year style is great for kids of all ages. With Spongebob cartoons, students will love laughing along, while also getting ready for an intense mode of Freeze Dance!
Learn More: Coach Corey Martin
41. Ceramic Tile Art
This is fun with upper elementary and even middle school students. This is a great project that can be done inside or outside in the last few days of school.
Pro tip: Check a local thrift shop for ceramic tiles!
Learn More: Jeff Tech Art
42. Why do We Have Summer Breaks?
Colossal questions are some of the best videos out there for answering simple questions asked by students! This one is dedicated to understanding summer breaks. Before watching, ask students what they think.
Learn More: Colossal Cranium
43. Good Ol’ Dance Party
Well, there’s no better time to break out the disco lights than the last few days of school. This is the perfect soundtrack for a full-on dance party with all of your students!
Learn More: Coach Corey Martin
44. Koo Koo Kanga Roo End of Day
By the end of the last day of the year, my kiddos are absolutely full of every single bean possible. They are ready to go and excited for the fun-filled summer ahead of them. This video helps everyone to get those sillies out at the end of the day!
Learn More: Steve Steve
45. End of the Year Discussion Wheel
Finding ways to keep the conversation school-focused can be challenging when kids are so excited about all of their summer plans. Keep your community tight with this end-of-the-year discussion wheel!
Learn More: Worldwall
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