Making it until the end of the school year deserves to be celebrated!
You can make your child’s last day of school extra special with a “Last day of school” tailgate party.
Learn tips and what to prep to help create a Last Day of School Tailgate Party at your school.
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Countdown Until Summer!
My friend Lisa is EXTREMELY creative. She is a great photographer, artist, thrifter, re-purposer, and cook. She created an awesome end-of-school event and I asked her to share more about how she did it.
Every kid knows the BEST day of summer is when it all begins…..the last day of school!!
We have already begun our countdown.
Every morning I wake my kids they ask, “How many are left?” and I say, “TOO MANY!!
Now get up!”
We love summer.
We live 30 minutes from the shore of Lake Michigan and spend at least 3 full days a week at the beach.
It is glorious, and I would not trade that time with my family for anything and I wish summer break could last forever sometimes.
So how do you celebrate the last day of school, the entrance into this sun-filled beach bliss?
A “Last Day of School Tailgate Party” of course.
How the Last Day of School Tailgate Party Works
The idea just came to me.
I love it when those things happen.
I naturally called 2 of my friends and told them to meet me in the back of the school parking lot to block off an area with our trunks.
We decorated the backs of our vans + SUV’s and bought all that junk food that kids love and can’t have at *school* and introduced our kids to their first tailgate party.
Last Day of School Tailgate Party- End Of School Yearly Tradition
The next year we did it again but felt bad as the other kids they knew were walking by and wishing they were invited to our party
…so the next year, we opened it up to all of our Facebook friends, and this year the whole school is invited.
Every parent fills and decorates their trunk and the kids celebrate.
Even the teachers come over to join us!
It has really become a tradition, this will be our 4th year…even kids who have since switched schools have been asking if they can come back to join in the festivities.
I am always looking for ways to make things memorable and more importantly…FUN for my kids, because the best thing I can give them on ANY day is a smile!
Thanks so much to Lisa for sharing your fun idea with us today. This is such a great idea!
Snack Ideas for the Last Day of School Tailgate Party
For easy sharing and to avoid any allergies, you might want to opt for individualized prepackaged food to share.
- Juice Boxes
- Gatorade or other Sports Drink
- Mini Bottled water
- Oreos
- Bags of Chips
- Goldfish
- Pretzels
- Twizzlers
- Fruit Snacks
- Granola Bars
- Mini candy bars
- Freezer Popsicles
Last Day of School Tailgate Games and Activity Ideas
The following games and activities are fun for kids to use in the parking lot.
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Ladder Ball
- Ring Toss
- Bubbles
- Cornhole
- Reusable water balloons
- Mini Water Guns
- Orange Traffic Cones
- Spikeball
Tailgate Decorations Ideas for the Last Day of School
- Window Chalk
- Streamers
- Balloons
- Fun Car Magnets
- Pennant Flags and Banners
- Noisemakers
- Colorful Mini Gift Bags
- Outdoor Table Cloths
Looking for More Fun Ideas For Summer?
- What to Bring to a Drive-in Movie
- Tips for an Awesome Drive-in Experience
- 25 Summer Bucket List Ideas
- Create Your Own Summer Bucket List- Free Printables
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