Activities and Games for the End of the School Year
As the end of the school year approaches, children are getting excited for the summer holidays, and teachers are trying to complete assessments and maximize learning time. What’s next?
📚 Here are 15 fun interactive games for primary kids and their teachers.
Language Arts End of the School Year Suggestions
1. Create an End-of-School-Year Story:
Write a story about what you liked best about this school year. Read your story to a friend. Read your friend’s story!
Learn More about this Write and Read Emergent Reader with BONUS Sequencing Activities
2. Simon Says:
Simon Says is a classic game in which the teacher acts as “Simon” and gives commands such as “Simon says hop on one foot.” NOTE: The teacher may say and do an action without saying “Simon says” (i.e., “Put your hands up.”). The kids must listen carefully and only follow the commands preceded by “Simon says.” If they follow a command without “Simon says,” they’re out… or everyone laughs because they were caught, and you simply start again, reminding the kids that this is tricky… “You have to use your ears to listen.”
3. Story Chain:
Start a story with a simple sentence, then have each student add a sentence to continue the story. Go around the class until the story comes to a satisfying conclusion, creating a unique and often hilarious narrative. Variation: You may want to start with part of a sentence, e.g., ” It’s the end of school and…”
4. Memory Book Signing:
Create memory books for each student to draw or write about highlights of the school year. Allow students to exchange and sign each other’s memory books with personalized messages and well-wishes. This end-of-the-school-year sentimental activity allows kids to reflect on their experiences together and create lasting memories.
More Language Games
5. Charades:
Children use their phonics skills to read words or phrases. Write down various actions, animals, or objects on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. Students take turns picking a slip and acting out what’s written on it without speaking, while the rest of the class tries to guess what it is.
6. Pictionary:
This game is similar to Charades, but instead of acting out words, students draw them on the board while their classmates guess what they are drawing.
7. Scavenger Hunt:
Create a list of items for the kids to find around the classroom or schoolyard. They must use their reading skills to decode the words. Divide them into teams and give each team a list. In this case, the first team to fill all of the items or the team with the most items found within a set time wins.
Math End of the School Year Activity
8. Math Relay Race:
A great end-of-the-school-year activity to utilize math skills that have been taught! Divide the class into teams and set up math problems on cards or the board. The first student in each team solves a problem and then passes the answer to the next student, who checks it before solving the following problem. The first team to complete all of the problems correctly wins. Create your own variation of the game!
Science
9. DIY Science Experiments:
Children are inquisitive and love to experiment! Conduct simple science experiments that allow students to explore concepts such as density, surface tension, or chemical reactions. Examples include making slime, creating a volcano with vinegar and baking soda, or experimenting with homemade lava lamps.
Arts and Crafts
10. Arts and Crafts Party:
Set up different arts and crafts stations where kids can unleash their creativity and make various crafts, such as friendship bracelets or painted rocks. Provide plenty of colorful material, and let their imaginations run wild! You can also incorporate a collaborative art project where everyone contributes to a larger piece of artwork.
Physical Activity
11. Balloon Keep-Up:
Have the students pair up and give each pair a balloon. They must work together to keep the balloon in the air using only their hands, feet, or other body parts besides their arms. See how long they can keep it up without letting it touch the ground.
12. Obstacle Course:
Set up a simple obstacle course in the classroom or playground using items like chairs, cones, and ropes. Time each student as they navigate through the course, and then challenge them to beat their own times.
Social / Emotional End of the School Activities
13 Classroom Talent Show:
Let the students showcase their talents by organizing a classroom talent show. Encourage them to sing, dance, perform skits, recite a poem, or share any other special skills they have. It’s a great way to celebrate their individuality and creativity while fostering a sense of community and support among classmates. (If someone lacks confidence, suggest that a friend join them… or they create a group.)
14. The Farewell Flip-Flop:
Dedicate a time period to “flipped instruction.” Students become the teachers, creating mini-lessons to review key concepts. Of course, laughter and (hopefully) some surprising, insightful lessons are guaranteed!
15. The “Teacher’s Choice” Award:
Let students nominate each other for silly, lighthearted awards, such as “Most Likely to Brighten Up the Classroom” or “Best at Helping Others.”
These end-of-school activities engage students and promote teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking skills in a fun and interactive way. They can be used at any time throughout the year!
Well, that’s a wrap!
If you have any ideas you would like to share, please add them to the comments below!
Suggestions are always welcome!
Wishing everyone a restful summer.
Laurie
P.S. Are you thinking about finding engaging activities for when school starts again? Check out…
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✅ Explore these Helpful Ways to Learn About Compound Words