Teachers’ guide: End-of-year activities to do with students

Classrooms can feel a little different as the year winds down. There’s excitement for the holidays, and maybe even a bit of restlessness or, for some students, loneliness or dread.

For teachers, the last few weeks of the year can be a time to pause a little bit and guide students to reflect on the year that’s been. They’ve grown, learned, and probably surprised themselves along the way. Below are some activities that you and your students might enjoy.

Fun and festive games

Light-hearted activities can help students relax and connect through shared laughter. These are especially useful for the last few school days when energy levels are high and class hours become more flexible.

1. End-of-year trivia

Create a quiz based on class events, fun facts, or pop culture moments from the year. You can run it as a paper-based activity or use an interactive tool like Kahoot.

2. Class awards

Run a fun award ceremony with categories that reflect your students’ personalities and quirks. For example:

• “Best Storyteller”

• “Most Helpful Classmate”

• “Quiet Achiever”

You and your co-teachers can choose who deserves which award, or you can let students nominate each other and cast votes.

3. Scavenger hunt

Design a scavenger hunt using clues related to the year’s subjects or shared class jokes. This is a great way to review lessons, recap fun moments from the year, and celebrate inside knowledge from the classroom.

4. Minute-to-win-it games

Organise short physical or mental challenges like stacking plastic cups, balancing a pencil, or naming as many animals as possible in one minute. These activities are quick to set up and great for small teams.

5. Holiday bingo

Create a bingo card filled with festive or gratitude-themed tasks, such as “Shared a kind word,” “Shared lunch with me,” or “Helped clean up.” Use it to encourage appreciation and positive behaviours during the final week.

Reflective and memory-focused activities

These activities encourage students to recognise how far they’ve come. You can use them to guide reflection, highlight key moments, and reinforce a sense of pride in the journey.

6. Memory jars

Ask students to write down their favourite moments from the year and place them in a class memory jar. This could include funny stories, proud achievements, or friendships. You can read a few together or let students pull one out at random to share.

7. Letter to your future self

Have students write a letter to themselves for next year. Encourage them to include what they’ve learned, what they’re proud of, and what they hope to achieve. You can hold onto the letters and return them mid-year or next December.

8. Year in review timelines

Invite your students to draw a timeline showing key events, learning milestones, or social highlights from the year. This helps them visualise their growth and see just how much they’ve experienced.

9. “This year I…” posters

Provide thought-provoking prompts like:

• “This year I discovered…”

• “This year I felt proud when…”

• “This year I laughed about…”

Let students decorate their posters and present them to the class or display them on the walls.

10. Gratitude circle

Gather in a circle and invite each student to share something they’re grateful for about the year. This could be a classmate, a specific lesson, or a personal win. It’s a gentle way to strengthen peer connections before saying goodbye.

Creative expression activities

These ideas give students a chance to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in unique ways. They also help make sense of the school year through creative exploration.

11. End-of-year zines

Provide students with paper templates to create a mini magazine, or zine, that reflects their year so far. They can include drawings, advice, personal stories, and goals.

12. Collage of the year

Using old magazines or printed photos, students can create a collage to represent what the year has meant to them. This might include images that reflect their friendships, identity, or aspirations.

13. What I’d tell my past self

Ask students to create a comic strip or letter addressed to their term one self. This activity helps them recognise personal growth and offers valuable insight into their learning journey.

14. Thank-you card station

Set up a space with cards and art supplies where students can write thank-you messages to classmates, staff, or teachers. Consider encouraging them to reflect on specific moments when someone helped or encouraged them.

15. Class mural or memory wall

Invite students to contribute a quote, drawing, or word that represents their experience this year. Put everything together into a mural or wall display, then let your students view and reflect on the experiences as one group.

You might also want to invite some students to share what thoughts and emotions they get from seeing their memory wall.

Looking ahead

These forward-focused activities help students set positive intentions and reduce anxiety about what’s coming next.

16. Goal clouds

Ask each student to write a personal or academic goal on a paper cloud and display them on a classroom wall. This can be a visual reminder of their hopes and motivation for the new year.

17. Future headlines

Encourage students to write a fictional newspaper headline about themselves, such as “Taylah Wins National Writing Award” or “Luca Opens His First Bakery.” It’s a fun way to visualise their future success.

18. Vision boards

Let students create vision boards using drawings, cut-outs, or digital tools. These boards can capture what they want to experience, learn, or become in the year ahead.

19. One-word intentions

Invite your students to choose one word to guide them into next year. These could be words like “brave,” “respect,” or “grow” – anything that feels important to them right now.

20. Advice for next year’s class

Ask your students to write letters or posters offering advice to next year’s students. This could include what helped them settle in, things they loved, or suggestions for making the most of the year.

Celebrations and feel-good moments

These activities give students a chance to connect, have fun, and end the year on a joyful note.

21. Class party or picnic

Plan a relaxed gathering with snacks, music, and maybe a few outdoor games. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. Shared moments matter more than perfect decorations.

22. Dress-up or theme day

Choose a theme like “Future Me,” “Book Characters,” or “Beach Day,” and let students get creative with their outfits.

23. Talent showcase

Invite students to share a skill, hobby, or performance. This could be music, art, comedy, or something more unexpected. It’s a great way to boost confidence and celebrate their individuality.

24. Dance party or silent disco

Set up a classroom playlist or let students vote on songs. For a quieter option, use headphones and rotate groups to enjoy the music while others do a calmer activity.

25. Kindness project

Use the final week to create something that benefits others. This might be writing cards for aged care residents, donating items to a local shelter, or making bookmarks for the school library.

As you wrap up the year, it’s worth remembering how much these final days can mean to your students. While the pace may be slower and the routines more relaxed, the emotional tone you set now can shape how your students (and yourself) reflect on the year they’ve had and how they want to start the next one.