Ah, May is here! The onset of the final stretch of the school year stirs up a whirlwind of emotions within me. It’s a bittersweet time, really. Every year brings its own blend of cherished moments I’ll miss dearly and aspects I’m eager to bid farewell to. But before the summer break, I want to share some of my favorite last days of school activities that make the end of the year a memorable and fun experience for my students.
Last Days Chain Countdown
Our last days of school chain countdown is a fun and simple activity that helps build excitement as we count down the final days of school. It’s easy to put together, and best of all—it’s FREE! Grab your free last days countdown chain here.
I usually start this countdown with about 10 days left. The chain is made from paper links, which makes it simple to create and manage. (Trust me, I would go crazy trying to keep balloons inflated during the last weeks of school!) Plus, the paper chain is great for busy teachers like me. If I forget to write down the order of the activities (which happens a lot!), I can just sneak a peek. Every day, we rip off a link to reveal the activity for the next day. Our last week typically includes a 2nd grade kickball tournament, a popcorn and movie day, an ice cream party, and of course, awards day.
You can read more about how to make this countdown a success here.
End of the Year Slideshow
One of the most meaningful last days of school activities is creating an end-of-year slideshow. If you’re like me, you might struggle with remembering to snap photos throughout the year (oops!), but adding a “Classroom Photographer” role as a reward in your classroom store can change that. With this role, students can take pictures throughout the year, and you’ll have plenty of material for a fantastic slideshow.
Class Awards Ceremony
One of my favorite last days of school activities is our class awards ceremony. After reading No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher’s Dirty Looks by Diane deGroat, we roll out the red carpet to hand out end of the year awards to celebrate all the achievements my students made. From academics to personal growth, these awards highlight everything students accomplished. These editable award certificates make it super easy to customize your own awards for your class!
End of the Year Games
Incorporating games into your end-of-year lesson plans is a fantastic way to make learning fun while winding down the school year. These last days of school activities can be both academic and fun, offering a great balance. Here are a few of my favorite end-of-year games:
- Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
- Blooket
- Memory Games
- Math Baseball
- Heads up, 7 up
- Sparkle
- Jeopardy
- “Who Wants to be a _____ Grader?” Trivia Game
- Connect 4
- Kickball
- Scavenger Hunt
- Escape Room
- Kahoot
No matter what you choose to do during the final days of school, I hope these last days of school activities help you and your students finish the year strong, with plenty of fun and memories to carry into summer. Sure, it’s a hectic time of year, but the reward of summer vacation is just around the corner.
Stay smart and sassy!
