How to Throw a Summer Party at the End of the School Year

Instead of an End of the School Year Party, give your child something to look forward to this month as schools wrap up with a First Day of Summer Party.

Celebrate the End of the School Year with a First Day of Summer Party

After a school year of sports, homework, and projects, we are now ready for summer!

I love finding a reason to celebrate something each month, and now that it’s the end of the school year, I’m throwing a Summer Party! Want some ideas on how to kick off the season with your kiddos? I’ve got you covered:

Host a First Day of Summer Party at Home

Instead of an End of the School Year Party, give your child something to look forward to this month as schools wrap up with a First Day of Summer Party. For example:

1. Decorate the House the Night Before

Use streamers in the doorway, and set up some surfer-themed music. You can also lay out beach towels and activities in the living room. Then add a summery tablecloth and banner in the breakfast room.

2. Have a First Day of Summer Breakfast

Dress donuts up as pool floaties with little umbrellas, milk with silly straws, in addition to fresh fruit on skewers.

3. Give a First Day of Summer Gift

Find a few special goodies and place them in a beach bucket such as:

A new summer shirt
Brand new art supplies
Sidewalk chalk
Bubbles
Blow-up pool or sprinkler
Seeds for a garden

4. Start a Family Bucket List

Print a Summer Bucket List in order to kick off the fun of summer! Then pick one thing to do each day.

5. Play a Few Games Together

For example we love Limbo, Musical Chairs, Bingo, Charades, Go Fish, and Sorry.

6. Have a Picnic at the Park

Take the kids to a local park and bring a snack lunch from home (carrots in peanut butter, string cheese, trail mix, cut-up fruit and veggies with hummus, etc). Then spread out a blanket or set up some camping chairs. You can also toss a Frisbee around, fly a kite, or feed the ducks.

7. Take a Rest with a New Book

In order to get some downtime, I like to give each child a new book they can enjoy on their own in their room for an hour rest time. It could be the start of a series, or one of your favorites as a kid. We like “Choose Your Own Adventure” and anything by Mo Willems.

8. Play with Water

Here are a few examples:

Set up a kiddy pool
Run the sprinkler
Have a water balloon fight
Play with a water table
Simply fill a bucket with water and then get creative with toys, buckets, rocks, and plants

7. Watch a Summer-Themed Movie with Dinner

Wrap up the night with dinner outside and a movie under the stars. Exhausted and ready to turn in? That’s ok! Order pizza and watch a movie inside. Then at intermission, break out the ice cream sundaes or individual bowls of popcorn.