While most parents consider college graduation to be a celebration-worthy occasion, a child graduating from kindergarten is also a momentous milestone. Like a baby’s first steps or first word, a child’s graduation from kindergarten marks an important step forward in development. Celebrate the occasion with a family party and make memories you will treasure long after your child has graduated college!
Invite Friends and Family
A kindergarten graduation party with friends and family is a perfect time to enjoy the warmer weather at the end of the school year, catch up with extended family members, and surround yourself with love and joy. Inviting some of your child’s classmates is also a way to help your child make friends, and plan playdates for the summer.
Prepare Food for Little Hands
Planning a party for kindergarteners means making food that little hands can grab and eat. Finger foods are perfect for energetic little ones to eat on the go, and we’ve provided some examples that are delicious and (mostly) mess free:
- Peanut butter-and-jelly bite-size finger sandwiches
- Mini pancakes on a toothpick skewer
- Sugar cookies topped with icing and fruit slices
- Mini corndogs
- Hummus on small pita bread triangles (Use olives to make a face, adding eyes and a mouth!)
- Mini Jell-O cups
- Tuna on crackers (Sprinkle with bacon bits or top with avocado for a tasty garnish!)
- Apple and cheese slices wrapped in slices of ham
- Frozen bananas covered in chocolate (A healthy dessert alternative!)
Plan Activities
At a kindergarten graduation party, activities help bring friends and family together! Here are some suggested activities, for indoors and outdoors, that both kids and adults will enjoy:
- Dance Party: Make a space in your house or use the backyard to play some kid-friendly tunes and dance the day away! Interactive songs like the “Chicken Dance” invite everyone to participate. Kids love to stay active, so dancing is an ideal way to have fun and release that endless energy!
- Game Time: Spread out some board games and card games around your house, so groups can play together. Game time gets kids away from the television for some face-to-face, collaborative fun!
- Bocce Ball Tournament: Play rounds of bocce ball around your yard. If your party is on the large side, you can form teams. Make sure the balls you are using are lighter than traditional bocce balls, so your kindergarteners can throw!
- Arts and Crafts: Spread out some string and beads, so party guests can make their own bracelets. Word beads are perfect to make a “congratulations” bracelet for the kindergarten graduate!
- Sponge Ball Water Fight: Instead of using water balloons—which can get everyone soaking wet—cut sponges into strips and tie them together in the center, forming a sponge ball. Soak these sponge balls in water and have a water fight that will only get you moderately wet! Perfect for party guests who may come wearing nicer clothes.
Give Gifts That Preserve Memories
Present your little graduate with educational and thoughtful gifts that will commemorate the occasion and make your child feel special. Here are some suggested kindergarten graduation gifts for this important milestone:
- Photo Album: Have every party guest sign the inside of the photo album and add photos from the party into the book.
- School Supplies Gift Set: A colorful new set of school supplies will prepare your child for the first grade and build her excitement about this new learning adventure.
- I Wish You More Personalized Storybook: Featuring your child’s name and photo, this keepsake kindergarten book is perfect for wishing your child the best in life as he or she enters the first grade!
- Instant Camera for Kids: Let your kids capture their own memories on film with an instant camera, small and portable to bring to every special occasion!
- Custom Shirt: Have all the guests at your graduation party dip their hand in paint and decorate the shirt with their handprints. You can also ask them to sign their hand print. Your child can wear the shirt as a paint shirt for art class at school or for outdoor playtime and remember all the party fun!
Resources
https://www.prettymyparty.com/toddler-birthday-party-finger-foods/
http://itsoverflowing.com/2012/05/how-to-make-sponge-ball-for-summer/
