End of the year activities should be fun and creative to keep your upper elementary and middle school students motivated until the very last day. You’ll love this list of 10 exciting ideas that are sure to create lasting memories & help end the year on a high note.
10 Fun and Creative End of the Year Activities
End of the Year Activities Time Capsule
End of the year activities must be engaging, and this one fits the bill because it encourages students to reflect on their experiences over the past school year. To get started, have each student bring in a small item that represents them or something they enjoyed doing throughout the year. Then, as a class, choose a container to hold all of the items and bury it somewhere on school grounds or take it home to open at the start of the next school year.
You can also pass it along to another teacher once this current group hits that grade level. Kids LOVE seeing things they’ve done in the past. They especially love reading about who they were in the earlier grades, so encourage students to write a note to their future selves.
If you’re looking for very low stress end of the year activities, check out this end of the year ideas blog post and don’t forget that coloring pages are the perfect activity for this high-energy time in the classroom.
End of the Year Activities Field Day
If you’re looking for something a little more active and outdoorsy, consider having a field day with your students. This classic end-of-year activity is always a hit and allows your students to blow off some steam while having fun.
Set up stations with different activities, such as relay races, tug-of-war, and water balloon tosses. To add a bit of competitiveness, divide your students into teams and award prizes for the winners. Not only will your students enjoy the day, but it will also create a fun and memorable bonding experience for all.
Minute-to-Win-It activities are great for field days because they’re short and easy for an adult to run the station.
Organize a Scavenger Hunt
If you’re looking for a fun and challenging activity that will engage your students’ minds and bodies, a scavenger hunt is a great choice. It’s also an excellent way to help them develop their problem-solving and teamwork skills in a fun and meaningful way.
To organize a scavenger hunt, you’ll need to create a list of clues and tasks that your students will need to solve and complete in order to find the hidden treasure. You can tailor the clues and tasks to fit your students’ interests and abilities, and even include some educational elements.
To make the scavenger hunt more exciting, you can divide your students into teams and offer prizes for the team that finishes first or completes the most tasks correctly. You can also add a time limit to make it more challenging. The scavenger hunt can take place both indoors and outdoors, depending on the weather and the availability of space.
Host a Game Show
Another exciting end-of-the-year activity that you can plan for your older students is hosting a game show. You can create your own game with questions related to the curriculum you taught throughout the year or choose a game show format such as Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. To make the game more engaging, you can encourage students to come up with their questions or categories, which will increase their involvement and excitement.
As the host, you can divide the students into teams and assign a team captain for each group. You can offer prizes for the winning team or give out small rewards such as candy or pencils to all participants.
To add a twist to the game, you can also have the students switch roles and become the host or the game show assistant. This will give them an opportunity to develop their public speaking skills and their ability to organize and manage a group.
Plan a Talent Show
One creative end-of-year activity that can engage students and build their confidence is to plan a talent show. Whether it’s singing, dancing, or showing off a unique skill, a talent show can provide a platform for students to showcase their abilities and express themselves.
Take several days to organize students and give them time to rehearse. Either use your classroom or a multi-purpose room. You can also invite other classes to watch your students’ acts.
You will have students who don’t want to perform. Give them jobs like researching jokes for the MC, painting signs and stage settings, and working sound and lights. They can also help you as the director, watching the skits while in rehearsal and giving feedback
Make Memory Books
After the talent show, students may want to take some time to reflect on the memories they’ve made throughout the year. One way to do this is by creating memory books. They can write down their favorite moments, draw pictures, and attach photos to create a keepsake they can treasure for years to come. Check out these digital memory books here or these printable memory brochures here or end of the year memories posters here.
Create a Classroom Museum
As the end of the school year approaches, students may have accumulated a lot of projects, essays, and experiments. Instead of throwing them all away, why not create a classroom museum? This activity not only provides a unique way for students to show off their work but also allows them to take a trip down memory lane and reflect on their progress.
To begin, set up a designated area in the classroom for the museum. Encourage students to bring in any projects or artifacts that they are proud of from the year, whether it be a science experiment, a piece of artwork, or a written assignment.
To make it even more interactive, consider having students write a short description of their project or artifact to display with it. This not only adds to the educational aspect of the activity but also allows visitors to the museum to learn more about the exhibited items.
The student stands by their project, like a wax museum display, and when museum customers come by, they touch the student’s shoulder to get them started talking.
To add in even more fun, have the class build a tunnel to the museum going from the door to the area where the projects are displayed.
Creating a classroom museum is a great way to celebrate and showcase the hard work and accomplishments of the students throughout the year.
End of the Year Activities Awards Ceremony
Another great way to celebrate the end of the school year is by hosting an awards ceremony. This is a fun and creative way to recognize the hard work and achievements of each student throughout the year. Some award ideas might include “Most Improved,” “Class Clown,” or “Best Team Player.” You can even have students vote for their peers for certain categories. Just make sure everyone receives an award.
To add a touch of glamour to the event, encourage students to dress up in their finest clothes. You can also decorate the classroom with balloons and streamers to make it feel like a true celebration. As you hand out the awards, take the time to say a few kind words about each student and their contributions throughout the year.
Take a Virtual Field Trip
After a year of hard work, it’s time to give your students a chance to explore the world beyond the classroom. While physical field trips may not be practical, virtual ones can be just as exciting.
With a wide range of videos and simulations available online, you can take your students on a journey to explore different parts of the world, from the depths of the ocean to the heights of space.
To add a touch of interactivity, you can create a scavenger hunt or quiz based on the virtual field trip. For example, challenge your students to find the name of a particular species of reptile or identify the location of a famous landmark from a virtual tour. This could be a location you’ve studied this year, like the Great Pyramid or the Nile River. This will help students engage with the material and make it a fun and educational experience.
Here’s a freebie to help you and your students master the valuable skill of close reading.
Play Escape Room Games
Escape rooms are a fun and interactive way for students to work together, use critical thinking skills, and problem-solve as a team. You can create your own escape room experience with puzzles and clues or find pre-made escape room kits online. Here’s a fun escape room with an ancient Egypt theme.
While escape room games can be challenging, they can also be a low-stress activity for teachers. Once you have set up the game, you can sit back and observe your students in action, watching as they work together and succeed in solving the puzzles. And if you need a break from the classroom, you can always join in on the fun and put your own problem-solving skills to the test.
Keeping students engaged and motivated at the end of the school year can be a challenge, but with these 10 fun and creative end of the year activities, it’s possible to end the year on a high note.
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