Looking for fun last day of school traditions? Whether you’re celebrating preschool or kindergarten graduation, elementary school milestones, or just the end of another busy school year, these easy ideas will help your family create lasting memories and kick off summer in a meaningful way.
Let’s be honest, we’ve all been counting down to summer like it’s our own personal Super Bowl. Between packing lunches, dodging spirit week surprises, and pretending we remembered it was field day, us moms have earned this break. But before we toss those backpacks in the closet for three months (where they’ll definitely stay untouched and probably get moldy), it’s worth hitting pause to actually celebrate the end of the school year.
Your kids made it through months of homework, early mornings, and cafeteria mystery meals. And you? You survived it too, with only a moderate amount of tears and missed emails. Making it through “Maycember” mayhem alone deserves a gold star or at least a fun family tradition to mark the moment.
Whether you’re feeling Pinterest-level inspired or barely functional, we’ve rounded up 15 last day of school traditions that are easy, fun, and memory-making. Glitter, glue guns, or a therapist on speed dial not required. Check out the list below!
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1. Take the last day of school photo
We all know about the first day of school picture tradition, but the last day of school deserves some love, too. This is a super simple last day of school tradition that’s easy to stick to. Whether your tradition involves a Pinterest-worthy chalkboard sign, a front porch pose, or a sweet snap in front of your child’s school, seeing your kid’s growth throughout their years of schooling is something so nostalgic. And will be so fun to look back on down the line!
2. Capture the moment with a video
Pictures are great too, but another meaningful way to mark the moment is by taking a creative video. One fun way to make this special is by capturing the moment your little one walks into the front door of your home at the end of the last day of school. Do this each year and by the time they’re ready to graduate high school you’ll have a meaningful compilation.
3. Have them write letters
Having your kiddos write letters to their future selves is a sweet way to mark the end of the year. It can also come in handy years down the road when they celebrate their high school graduation. Each year they can write to their 18-year-old self with things like their interests, memories, and hopes for the future. Tears are guaranteed (mostly from you) on graduation day.
Things for kids to include in a letter to their future selves on the last day of school:
- A list of their interests from the past year
- Their favorite subjects in school this year (and why!)
- What they learned at school this year
- Who their favorite teacher was and why
- Memories of special moments during the school year with classmates, teachers, family, etc.
- Their hopes for the next school year (and beyond!)
- What they hope to learn in the next grade
4. Go out for ice cream
Summer is practically synonymous with ice cream. Celebrate their last day each year by having a standing ice cream date planned for after school. A simple idea, but definitely something they’ll look forward to!
5. Make a start of summer basket
Baskets filled with fun goodies (like a classic Easter basket) are a great way to get everyone excited. Build a last day of school basket for your little ones each year with some summer essentials. Things like new sandals, pool toys, a water bottle and more make a simple but meaningful gift. I also like to include a calendar with all of our summer plans laid out to make it easy for them to know their schedule.
Items to include in a last day of school basket:
- Swimsuit and goggles
- Pool floatie and small water toys
- Beach towel
- Summer sandals
- Sidewalk chalk
- Bubbles
- Card game(s) like UNO
- Coloring book and markers
- Water bottle or tumbler
- Summer reading book(s)
- Movie theater gift card
- Favorite snacks and candies
Looking for something a little more sentimental? Create a memory jar where everyone in the family can jot down their favorite moments from the school year (a fun project, making a new friend, doing well on a test, etc.). Then, read them aloud during a special end-of-year celebration over a pizza and ice cream dinner (or another kid-favorite meal) to reflect on the year’s highlights and reminisce on everything that made the year great.
7. Create an end-of-year scrapbook
Encourage your little one’s creativity by making an end-of-year scrapbook together. Collect photos, drawings, and mementos from the school year and let your child personalize each page with a super fun day of crafting and DIYs. It will serve as an adorable keepsake of their growth and accomplishments, and will be so heartwarming to look back on as they get older. Imagine comparing their kindergarten scrapbook to their senior year scrapbook (cue the tears).
8. Have a last day of school party
When they get home on that last day, greet them with their favorite snacks, decorations, activities, and upbeat music at an a last day of school party! Go as big or as simple as you want. Make it extra special by letting them invite friends over for the festivities.
9. Decorate their bedroom door
Simple but oh-so festive. Decorating your little one’s door for the last day of school is sure to put the biggest smile on their face. Think streamers and balloons in their school colors.
10. Make their favorite breakfast
While this idea is relatively simple, it could mean so much! Prepare their favorite breakfast and carve out time to share the meal together before the big day. Spark conversation about how they’re feeling about the last day, what they’re looking forward to about summer, and what they think next year will be like.
11. Create a summer bucket list
The last day of school means summertime, which is one of the most exciting times of the year. Make it an extra special moment by crafting a family summer bucket list together.
Think of fun activities and adventures you want to take together before school starts up again. Spend the next few months checking things off. If you need some ideas to get you started, check out The Everymom’s Summer Bucket List!
12. Get their teachers a thoughtful gift
Getting a special gift for their teacher is a thoughtful and meaningful way for children to express gratitude. It can be a personalized item, like a handwritten note, drawing or craft. My son likes to draw a picture of his whole class and put it in a frame for his teacher every year. Or, you can grab them something like books, school supplies, a plant, or even a classic Starbucks gift card.
13. Plan a weekend getaway
If you’re looking for a more extravagant means of marking the occasion, or are celebrating a big milestone like a kindergarten, middle school, or high school graduation, planning a weekend away may be the perfect option. Go big with flights to Disney, or more low-key with a road trip and vacation rental. Either way, you’ll create great family memories.
14. Go out to dinner
A classic option, nothing says “celebration” quite like going out to eat. Each year, you can head to the kids’ favorite spot in honor of another year in the books. Don’t forget to take a picture so you can look back on that special dinner every year.
15. Ask them how they want to celebrate the end of school
We we want to make each significant moment in our child’s life feel extra special. Kids might actually have some creative ideas of their own for ways they want to celebrate! By asking them what they want to do, you might be pleasantly surprised by the sweet simplicity in their requests.
Frequently Asked Questions About Last Day of School Traditions
How do you celebrate the last day of school?
There are many ways to commemorate the last day of school with your kids each year, but our favorite ideas are things you can do every year and make into a lasting family tradition. Go big by revealing a summer family trip or by throwing a class party. Or keep things simple (and just as memorable!) by taking pictures and videos, creating a memory jar, or going out for ice cream. However you chose to celebrate, any of these last day of school traditions are sure to put a smile on your kiddos’ faces.
What are simple last day of school traditions?
Some simple last day of school traditions include:
- Make their favorite breakfast to commemorate the last day of school
- Take a last day of school photo and video of your kids
- Decorate your kid’s bedroom door with streamers and balloons
- Have your kids write letters to their future selves
- Go out for ice cream or dinner as a family
- Make and share a memory jar of the school year
- Brainstorm and create a family summer bucket list
What can parents do on the last day of school?
Parents can do a lot to make their child’s last day of school feel extra special! For starters, talking about the excitement and importance of the day can help jumpstart your kiddo’s desire to celebrate this milestone. Then, commemorate the last day of school in big ways or small with some of the tradition ideas in the list above. From simple gestures like making their favorite breakfast and snapping a photo of them before the last day, to bigger markers like class parties and summer gift baskets, there are many fun ways parents can celebrate with their kids!
How do you make the last day of school special?
Making the last day of school special can be unique for each family depending on their individual budget, schedule, and students’ preferences. Some kids may want a bigger celebration to mark the end of the school year, while others might prefer to keep things low-key. That’s why the last idea in our list of last day of school traditions is “ask them how they want to celebrate the end of school.” Understanding your kids’ hopes and expectations for this milestone can help you determine the best way to celebrate and the most fun traditions to keep year after year!
The Best Last Day of School Traditions Are the Ones You Repeat
At the end of the day, the very best last day of school traditions are gestures or activities that you love to do as a family—and want to do together year after year! Traditions are special because they’re expected, exciting, memorable, and perfectly nostalgic. And remember: it’s never too late to start last day of school family traditions!
McKenna Pringle, Branded Content Editorial Assistant
Ever since she began her editorial work and interned for The Everymom during college, McKenna’s dedication to this field and drive to gain as much knowledge as possible has only continued to grow day by day. She draws from her experiences as a nanny and passion for topical conversations to write thoughtful pieces on news, entertainment, culture, and lifestyle.
Julia Poulter, Senior Managing Editor
With more than 10 years of editorial experience, Julia is passionate about bringing motherhood stories to life and providing moms with interesting and informative parenting content. Prior to joining The Everygirl Media Group in 2019, she served as Executive Editor at Closer Weekly. As The Everymom’s Senior Managing Editor, Julia helps manage the brand’s editorial calendar and content strategy.
