Planning a Homeschool Co-op Kindergarten Graduation
Is there anything cuter than a Kindergarten graduation. Oh my word! The sweet tiny faces, the lispy words and the funny sayings. It’s adorable. If you are celebrating one of these cuties or were put in charge of coming up with a celebration plan for your group, this post on planning a homeschool co-op kindergarten graduation should get you off to the right start.
Planning the Perfect Kindergarten Graduation
The first thing that needs to be figured is out, is what are your venue options? Some places to consider are:
- Community centers: Spacious, affordable, and often offer amenities.
- Parks:Â Outdoor setting, potential for fun activities (weather permitting).
- Churches: May have halls or meeting rooms available, check with co-op families.
- Homes:Â A large backyard/home can be a cozy and intimate option if your group is small in nature.
Date and Time Considerations
- Survey families to gauge availability, majority always wins.
- Weekday afternoons or weekends offer flexibility, be sure to consider when dads are off of work.
- Consider the attention span of young children (shorter is better).
The Ceremony
- Keep it simple and meaningful. You are going to be trying to keep squirmy five- and six-year-olds still for however long you decide on.
- Welcome everyone to the graduation with a welcome message.
- Have children recite poems, sing songs, share a favorite memory or share what they want to be when they grow up.
- Present “diplomas” or certificates of completion.
Decorations
- If your co-op has a theme or specific colors, those can be used, otherwise decide as a group what colors you want to go with.
- Display some of the student’s artwork or photos.
- Decorating doesn’t have to be expensive, simple balloons, streamers, and confetti add a festive touch.
Food and Refreshments– If you decide that you want to serve food after the ceremony, make it simple and easy to clean up.
- Having a Potluck allows for variety and helps keep costs low.
- Serve simple snacks: Finger foods, fruit platters, mini cupcakes. –Again, remember… five-year-olds.
- Graduation-themed cake as a centerpiece.
Activities -There doesn’t actually have to be activities, but if you have the time and space available, no kindergartner is going to turn away from a fun game.
- Make the celebration fun with Music and dancing, put together a kid friendly play list and throw some balloons on the ground and let the kids go to town.
- Play easy games that are suitable for young children. Musical chairs, Red light green light, tag…
- Create easy and inexpensive photo booth areas, so that parents have a place to take those special pictures.
- Create a craft station for making graduation keepsakes that everyone can take home.
Capture those Memories
- Designate one or two parents as photographers/videographers.
- Create a group text message, evite or Facebook page and encourage parents to share photos afterward.
Related Post: Kindergarten Graduation Review
Additional Tips
- Budget: Set a realistic budget and involve co-op families in fundraising if needed.
- Volunteers: Delegate tasks, so everyone shares the workload.
- Find a way to celebrate each graduate.
Resources for planning and kindergarten graduation
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The most important thing to remember, is that while we organize diplomas and decorations, these brilliant kindergarteners are likely more excited about the cake and games! Embrace their enthusiasm and make this a celebration that truly reflects their joy and the remarkable spirit of our homeschool community.
Have you participated in a kindergarten graduation? What were some activities that you did or saw that made that day special?
Angela is the Homeschool Encourager for the Overwhelmed & Under-Caffeinated and the Chaos-to-Confidence Specialist behind Schooling with Grace. With a no-fluff approach, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of heart, she helps homeschool moms cut through the chaos, ditch unrealistic expectations, and teach with confidence.