The end of the year is quickly approaching and you have worked too hard to let it pass by without a celebration!
We asked some veteran homeschool moms how they mark the end of the homeschool year and they had some great ideas!
If you’re looking for some ideas for end-of-year homeschool celebrations, check out their suggestions below!
Year-End Homeschool Celebration Ideas
Poetry Teatime
My boys and I love to wrap up our homeschool year with a special poetry teatime. We work together to pick out a yummy treat to make (and some fun snacks).
The decor is kept simple with some balloons, a DIY banner, and a few candles.
Then, each of us picks out a favorite poem or two that we enjoyed in the past year. It’s a fantastic way to relax as we look back on our year.
– Amy, Rock Your Homeschool
Let’s Talk
One of the best things you can do for your homeschool is to have an end-of-the-year check-in with each of your kids. Make it special by going for ice cream or taking a picnic to the park.
Talk to them about how they felt the school year went. What did they enjoy? What would they like to change? What do they want to try next year?
Really listen to what they have to say and work it into your planning for the next school year.
When kids have ownership of their learning, it makes a huge difference in their level of engagement!
– Dr. Melissa Felkins, It’s a Joyous Journey
Have Fun
The end of the homeschool year is coming, and we both can’t wait. Despite changing the idea each year as he gets older, the end-of-year tradition for us is always around the same theme. FUN.
The last day is always on a Friday, even if the school work is finished before, we spend the other days cleaning away the books, or planning for our end-of-year!
Everyone takes the day off work/school (including Dad!) and we always start the morning off with fresh bagels, and then we head off for a fun day out. This year we will be going to Drive Shack as he has started to show an interest in golf, much to his dad’s delight!
We always make sure the end of our year does not coincide with the public schools so it feels like the day is just for us. We finish the day with a fabulous meal out and look forward to the next year.
– Clare, Homeschool of One
Celebrate with Family
We homeschool year-round and my children work through their bookwork at their own pace, so don’t necessarily finish resources at a certain time. So it’s hard to see exactly where our year ends and where it begins.
In Australia, the school year follows the calendar year, so in December or January we have a few weeks off bookwork and kick it off with a feast. We plan it together, do a big shop, everyone makes their favorite dish, and we spend hours together in the kitchen with music playing, preparing food, and laughing.
We then have at least two big meals (because the children always cook a LOT of their favorite foods) where we all sit together at the table for a long time, talking and enjoying each other.
It’s simple but it’s our favorite way to mark occasions and milestones and connect with each other.
In the weeks off I’ll do a review of each child, where we look over their progress and talk about what they’ve done and what they’d like to do next. This is a positive session, a celebration of how far they’ve come (even if it’s not very far) while creating a bit of excitement and interest over what’s coming next.
– Kelly, Fearless Homeschool
Time to Explore
At the end of the year, my whole family piled into the car and headed out for a country drive day trip. The most fun of it all was deciding where to go!
We got out our local map, and the kids decided where to go. So far, we have explored more local counties and towns than I can count!
– Betsy, BJ’s Homeschool
Portfolio Time
At the end of the school year, we complete and submit our assessment portfolios. This is a great time for reflection about the school year and everything we’ve learned!
We take time to discuss, look at pictures, and write a summary about our school year. We try to focus on things we liked learning about, obstacles we overcame, and proud moments from throughout the year.
– Emily, Our Little Slice of Heaven
All That’s Left List
I don’t know how it is in your family, but my family starts to drag a little bit by the end of the school year. End-of-School-Year-Itis sets in, and it can be hard to find the enthusiasm to keep persevering to the end. One thing that helps keep us motivated is our “All That’s Left List.”
About a month before the planned end of school, I create a one-page list for each kid that rounds up everything they have left for all the subjects. Every math lesson number, books to be read, projects to complete is listed on there.
It’s amazing how motivating it is to cross items off this list and visibly see how close we are to being “done” for the year with our formal school work. In fact, kids have been known to push through and complete subjects ahead of schedule for the joy of finishing “early”!
– Amy, Humility and Doxology
Job Well Done
I love to celebrate everything my kids do during homeschooling. And reaching the end of the year is a big cause for celebration!
As my children are neurodiverse, learning can be a struggle for them. They tend towards reluctance and resistance, so I like to make a big deal about reaching goals. They choose something to work towards, usually LEGO, and then we have a party and a break once they’ve completed what needs to be done.
– Charlotte, My Little Home School
Destroying of the School Work
This might be my daughter’s favorite end-of-the-year tradition. I mean what kid doesn’t want to destroy their school work?
The night before our last day of school I scan all of Emily’s schoolwork into our digital homeschool portfolio so that our records are up to date which means I no longer need any of the paper.
That means Emily is free to destroy her school work from the year in any way she sees fit.
In past years she has thrown it in the garbage or shredded it. But, the one she’s loved the most and keeps returning to is burning it. She gets such a kick out of seeing her schoolwork literally go up in flames.
– Jessica, The Waldock Way
It’s Charming
I have been homeschooling my three girls for five years now. At the end of every year, I give them a charm for a charm bracelet that represents something they loved or excelled at during the school year.
The hope is that it will be much more meaningful than a class ring and something they will wear to college one day. I want them to look at it and know we’re rooting for them and that they are more than ready!
– Lauren Schmitz, The Simple Homeschooler
Gifting Goodness
Our homeschool year usually ends around my son’s birthday so we always double-celebrate with cake and a party. But he also gets to pick a gift of his choice within a certain budget for every successfully completed year of homeschooling. Last year he picked a shrimp tank that we still have running and he managed to breed shrimp. This year he already picked a set of electronic components he wanted for his project.
– Laura, Monkey and Mom
Breakfast Out
We like to celebrate the end-of-the-year by having breakfast at our favorite bistro!
– Alexis, Most Important Work
Head to the Zoo
We love to celebrate the beginning and end of the year with a field trip to our local zoo. We’ve done this with another homeschool family for years and look forward to it all year.
– Kelly, Curiosity Engaged
End-of-Year Meal of Choice
Usually, just being done with regular lessons and having a summer break is thrilling enough for my sons without too much other fanfare.
We typically celebrate with an End-of-Year Meal with our kids choosing the restaurant. We also talk to them about things they might want to focus on or change for the upcoming school year.
Getting their feedback and being willing to shift gears is vital for keeping them engaged and onboard with homeschooling.
– Michelle, Homeschool Your Boys
Ice Cream Date
On the last day of our homeschool year, we would head to our favorite dairy farm for the most delicious ice cream ever!
The local school district’s office was on the way, so we would pile in the car, drop off our year-end portfolios with the district, and then head straight to the farm. It was the most scrumptious day of the entire school year.
– Brandi, Mama Teaches
What are some of your favorite end-of-year homeschool celebrations? Share them with us below!
