11 Fun End of the Year Activity Ideas for Homeschoolers

Year End Homeschool Celebrations

The countdown is on! If your kids have seen High School Musical 2, maybe they’re chanting, “summer, summer, summer!” I know us homeschool moms are ready for a break too, but let’s go out with a bang! I’ve got a big list of fun end of the year activity ideas for you to use in your homeschool as you wrap up the school year.

We’ll start with suggestions to reflect and celebrate, look at ideas to create lasting memories, and finish up with a few ways to give your kids a sneak peek at their summer fun.

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Reflect and Celebrate

I always want to include some way to reflect on the school year as we wind down. Even if it’s been a tough year, try to find something you and your kids can celebrate. If nothing else, celebrate sticking with it and making it to May or June!

1. Summer Countdown

First things first, set an end date and let your kids count down the days till summer break. You can use the short time frame left as motivation to finish strong.

• paper chain
• balloons: write the number of days left on balloons fastened to a bulletin board and let your kids pop them one by one
• gifts: start at 10 and give small treats or toys to count down (e.g. 10 M&Ms, 9 markers, 8 jelly beans, 7 sticks of gum, etc.)
• chalkboard countdown display
• numbers posted on a bulletin board or hung as a banner (remove one each day)
• countdown lists (Top 10 favorite memories, 9 things I learned this year, 8 things I want to do this summer, 7 movies I watched this year, 6 things I still want to learn, etc.)
• cross off the days on any calendar
• simple printable countdown (click the image below to visit my printables library and download a copy to use!)

2. Awards

Recognize your kids’ achievements with a fun award ceremony.

• certificate of completion: younger students especially might like an official certificate for completing the school year
• character awards: acknowledge your kids’ growth in areas like resourcefulness, perseverance, kindness, or creativity

Visit the Character Counts page for a list of character trait ideas

• medals or trophies: recognize significant accomplishments with a medal or trophy
• funny/silly awards: use candy or snack foods to give your kids awards that’ll make them laugh

Read: 40 Candy Saying Awards for Homeschool Students

3. Display Their Work

Show off your kids best work from the year by displaying and sharing it.

• invite grandparents or family friends to see examples of their work or hear presentations
• gather projects, books, and assignments into stacks and have kids talk about their favorite activities (make sure you take a picture!)
• create an end-of-year bulletin board display with artwork, writing samples, and pictures from the past year
• choose their best work for a binder or portfolio
• make a list of your kids’ accomplishments this year

4. Reminisce

Take some time to reflect back on the year and what you’ve experienced and learned together.

• make a time capsule: we like to jot a note about favorite memories, books, and activities, roll it up inside a cardboard toilet paper tube and wrap it in tissue paper
• fill out a memories journal

• write a note in a keepsake journal about what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown: keep a journal to record birthday messages and encouraging notes to each of your kids
• ask your kids what they liked, what they didn’t like, and get suggestions for next year (ask about schedules, paper vs. online, specific assignments, amount of work done together vs. independently)
• slideshow or movie presentation with pictures of the past year: you might have a child who would love to volunteer to take this project on

Make It Memorable

As you near the end of the school year, choose some fun activities to make great memories with your kids. They’ll be learning while you create solid bonding experiences for your family.

5. Year End Wishes

My kids had a first grade teacher who gave her class the opportunity to suggest “wishes” for the last few weeks of school, and she granted a wish from each child in her class. We all remembered this fondly, so my kids were ecstatic when I informed them that I would grant each of them a year-end wish during the final weeks of school.

The idea is for your child to list several things they’d love to do instead of “normal” school. To give yourself options, ask for around five suggestions from each child. Below, you can see the page I gave my kids to fill out their wishes. The ideas listed on the page are ideas they brainstormed, and just there to inspire your kids’ own ideas.

Click the image above to visit my printables library, where you’ll find this page available to download for free!

6. Go on a Field Trip

If you never got around to all those fun field trips you intended to take for the past 10 months, it’s not too late! Your kids will love a field trip or two as you near the end of the school year. Don’t worry about how “educational” it is. Make fun memories, start a tradition, and enjoy spending time with your kids.

• park
• movie theater
• zoo
• aquarium
• art museum
• farm
• garden
• historical site
• bookstore
• library (sign up for summer reading)
• factory tour
• beach
• hike
• see a play
• science museum
• musical performance
• art demonstration
• volunteer

7. Have Fun at Home

You don’t actually have to go anywhere to build lasting memories with your kids. Here are a few suggestions for changing up a regular old school day to make it memorable for your homeschoolers.

• take school outside: do messy science experiments, roll out paper and paint a big mural, and have a picnic
• movie day with popcorn party
• have special food: breakfast buffet, ice cream bar, fancy tea party, takeout
• outdoor games: croquet, lawn Jenga, field day, obstacle course, cornhole, badminton
• play video games, board games, or card games

Read: 25 Fun and Educational Card Games for Families

• have a dance party while you clean out desks and shelves (must have snacks, of course)
• take end of year pictures (compare with first day of school pics!)
• have a talent show
• plan a theme day or week

Read: How to Use Theme Ideas for a Fun Homeschool Week

Plan for Summer Fun

Start planning your summer fun before summer even starts by giving your kids specific activities and events to look forward to.

8. Summer Bucket List

Encourage your kids to make a summer bucket list of things they want to do over the summer. Our family’s tradition is to call it a summer fun list. We list tons of summer fun ideas without any pressure to check things off before the end of summer.

Read: 7 Resources to Help Create Your Summer Fun List

9. Set Summer Goals

Summer provides a perfect opportunity to set a short-term goal and work to accomplish a project or follow through on a specific plan for 30-60 days. Have your kids think about projects they might want to tackle, make a reading list, a movie watch list, or a physical fitness goal.

I have a few resources to help in this area, including goal-setting worksheets, a project planning template, 30-day challenge ideas, and summer reading logs.

10. Summer Fun Basket

One thing I love to do at the end of the school year is put together a basket of summer fun that I give to my kids on the last day of school. I include things that I would ordinarily get for them during the summer anyway, but it’s special and exciting for them to receive a gift basket of items all at once.

Keep your eyes open for sales throughout the year and save fun little treat items to add to your kids’ summer baskets.

• art supplies: sketchbook, markers, colored pencils, paint, pastels
• craft supplies: yarn, jewelry making supplies, models, paper crafts
• journals
• books
• coloring books
• sports supplies: balls, bats, rackets, frisbees
• summer gear: water balloons, squirt guns, goggles, sunglasses, pool noodles, floaties
• clothing: t-shirts, swimsuit, flip-flops, baseball caps
• toys: LEGO sets, putty, blocks, nerf guns
• games: puzzles, brain teasers, board games, outdoor games
• treats: trail mix, candy, chips, fruit leather, snack bars

11. Schedule Summer Activities

Get a few summer activities scheduled even before the end of the school year so your kids can look forward to specific dates for summer fun.

• set up playdates
• schedule a vacation or weekend getaway
• sign up for summer camps
• register for classes through parks and rec, community groups, museums, and other organizations
• choose a few activities off your kids’ summer bucket list and put them on the calendar

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End of Year Homeschool Activities