End-of-the-year parties at school

august06mom

What is typical for your grade schooler? DS is in kindergarten, and his EOY party seems crazy, although all I have to compare it with are memories of cupcakes and juice boxes from when I was a kid.

His is having a treasure hunt (with prizes), decorating t-shirts, other crafts and make your own ice cream sundaes with a dozen toppings. It's also a week and half before school actually ends, which also seems strange to me, but again, I have no frame of reference. Is this typical?

jlw2505

My DD is in PreK at the elementary school and their end of year party is on Wednesday and classes end on Friday.  They are doing a little presentation and then a pot-luck lunch.  Last year (she repeated) the kids sang a few songs and then each child got up in front of the class with one of the teachers and they asked them a cute question about what they want to be when they grow up and they got a little bag from the teachers with a certificate and I can't remember what else (some stuff to play with over the summer).  The parents all brought food to share.  The whole thing was an hour maybe an hour and a half.  I took DD home with me after the lunch as my parents were in town and this year, am thinking I will do the same even though its on a Wednesday and she will go back to school for the last 2 days before she has 3 days off and then she'll start her summer program.

MrsStubbs

My sister teaches 1st grade and before she had kids of her own, she did a large luau for her class party. 

When I was in school I remember watching a movie and having treats and that was about it.  

GinandTonic

DS is in first grade and I don't know that they'll have a last day party in their class (is it bad that I don't specifically remember Kindy?  But Kindy had parties for everything, first grade does not), but the whole school does have a Field Day at the end of May.

 DD is in PK3 and they'll have a little mini field day of their own (actually, I'm a class mom for her and it's going to be Luau-themed...).

 

Ms5586

It seems like a lot, but the kids will have a blast.  I think the activities vary based on the teacher and if they have an active room mom.

As for the timing, a school I worked at "scheduled" the end of year parties so they could use the playground and be outside too.  That way, the fifth graders weren't having their party outside at the same time as the first graders.

shouldbworkin

We don't do anything formal here.  There is field day about a week before school is over.  Most schools around here seem to do it.  The kids have relays and games outside for an hour or so and then the PTA provides a hot dog lunch.  The whole school does it, but not at one time. Other than that, sometimes some kids/parents get together the last day of school since it's a half day. 

mollynpatrick

When I taught (K,1 and 2 over the years) my room moms always planned my parties. The level of the activities always depended on how over-achieving the moms were :-) As far as doing the party a week and a half before the end of the year, I think that's pretty normal. There is a TON going on in schools at the end of the year. You do things when you can.