Today, on our calendar, there’s a big 13. Thirteen days until the end of school. Already the homework assigned to my first-grader has ceased, while Field Day, the Art Show, and end of the year parties have been scheduled. The kids are looking forward to the last day of school year and the summer of camp and vacation that will follow. But I’m a bit sad.
It feels too soon to have my kids move from kindergarten and first grade to first and second grade, yet I can tell each is ready for a new challenge. They are eager—especially my son, R—for something new. It always sounds trite to say “it’s gone by too fast!,” but trite as it may be, it’s a true sentiment. The days have flown by and my kids are growing far too fast.
To slow down time—as much as I can!—I have three ways to celebrate the last day of school, building upon traditions my son and I started last year. Now that my daughter, G, is saying good-bye to her first year of elementary school, the three of us will fulfill these traditions together:
- Take a picture! On the first day of school, I went “snap happy,” getting lots of photos of R and G holding signs that said “first day of kindergarten” and “first day of first grade.” I’ll do the same thing on June 23 with these “last day of school” printable signs I found on Pinterest. I’ll send the pictures to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends, and probably get a little teary-eyed while looking at them!
- Break bread – Last year, on R’s last day of kindergarten, I took him out for a lunch at a nice restaurant for some quality mommy and me time. This year, R, G, and I will have lunch together, someplace easy and kid-friendly, solidifying lunch together as our annual “hurrah for the last day” must-do event. Or, we may have a picnic in our backyard and invite friends over. I took the day off from work to note this milestone, so our meal can be as leisurely as possible. After lunch, we’ll head to the pool or library, or meet up with friends.
- Interview your kid – I’m adding a new tradition this year: one-on-one interviews with each child to capture this all-too fleeting time. I’ll ask them: name, age, favorite color, favorite thing to do, favorite book, favorite superhero, favorite game, favorite book, best memory from the school year, and what they want to be when they group up. I’ll keep the interviews in their not-yet-complete baby books, and ask them the same or similar questions next year. Hopefully, they’ll find these interviews entertaining when they look back—I know I will!
Happy last day of school!
Getting your child ready for the start of elementary school this fall? Check out my How to Transition Your Child to Kindergarten Pinterest board.
Hannah celebrated the end of kindergarten by getting her ears pierced. I don’t think any other ending since then has compared…though this year we’re all seeing Newsies the night before school ends, and dropping her off at camp (and Max at camp grandma) the afternoon school gets out!
Getting the ears pierced is a BIG DEAL! We’re going low-key which is good – I would cry too much otherwise!
Very cute ideas! I always love taking mine for ice cream and a chat on the last day.
I like the interview this year. Our big thing is talking with the kids about saying their goodbyes. They have friends they won’t see for two years and I want them to learn how to properly say goodbye.
We just finished Kindergarten and went out to eat to celebrate, and yes I took lots of photos.
I think the kid interview is a great idea. This time of year is so crazy, we never think of doing anything special when it’s all said and done, but we SHOULD!
I never did that first-and-last-day photo like I see everywhere now. I wish I had–it’s a great memory to have.