Kids Late Night Extravaganza – The New Tradition

Afew months ago my friend Valerie began telling me of her plans to celebrate theend of the school year with her children by taking them on an all nighter offun.  Being a former Youth Pastorswife I had plenty if experience when it came to all nighters of fun.

Backin our youth Pastoring days an All Nighter meant loading onto a bus around 10pmand begin heading to the first of many activities such as bowling, skating,broom hokey, putt putt golf, with stops along the way for food. This activitylasted until the next morning – hours of fun for active teenagers and oneexhausting night for the youth pastor and his wife.

So,you would think I’d look at Valerie and say you are crazy but instead I said couldwe join in?  The planning began andwe soon realized that many places were not opened in the middle of the nightfor two moms and their kids like they were for 100 teens and their youthpastor.  So our all nighter of funquickly turned into a Late Night Extravaganza.

Webegan our late night extravaganza at 4:30 pm by giving our kids their firstclue- an oversized ticket that Valerie made using her handy dandy Cricutmachine.  We began driving to ourfirst destination only to have to hear “where are we going?  Give us more clues.” Until we enteredthe parking lot, then they knew it was time for dinner and our first stop atThe Old Spaghetti Factory.

Afterdinner we continued with a clue for each destination to add a little suspensealong the way.  Our stops includedBowling (using our kids bowl free coupons), Dairy queen for ice cream, a movie,a round of putt putt golf and we ended with mid night munchies at a local drivethru.

Ourschedule looked like this

4:30– Meet at Valerie’s house

5:00– Dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory

6:30 - Bowling

8:00 - Dairy Queen

9:00- Movie

11:00- Putt Putt Golf

12:00- Midnight Munchies

TheNovotny kids were home and in bed by 1:30am  (Valerie’s kids really did stay up most the night watchingmovies with their super mom)

Ourkids enjoyed their first late night extravaganza and are already wondering ifthese two moms will make this an annual end of the school year tradition.  I guess they will have to wait and see.

You could do this fun event anytime of year  - so why not add this to your Summer Bucket List of Fun to do with your kids this Summer

Classmate Favors For End Of The School Year

 End the school year off with one of these simple to make treats for your children's classmates:

 Smartie Pants
Create a simple favor for your child's classmates or just to tuck in their lunch as they end the school year with this Smartie Pants tag from it is what it is blog.  Click here to get your FREE printable tag.




Skittle Fun

Bright Colored Skittles go with summer and fun so create these fun end of the school year treats for your children's classmates.  We found these  over at Whinning and Dinning.  Click here for complete how to.

Summer FUN

Always a Party at the Parkers created a FREE fun set of Summer Fun printables to help create fun favors for your classmates or celebrations.  Click here to get your free printables

Kool Summer

What kid doesn't enjoy a glass of Koolaide during a hot summer day?  These simple and inexpensive classmate favors are a perfect way to celebrate the end of a school year and the beginning of Summer.  Complete instructions can be found over at B.Jane.  Click here to go there now.

Chalk it up Fun

Chalk it up to another great summer is a fun message to place on a set of sidewalk chalk or even take one piece of sidewalk chalk  wrap it in cellophane then tie each end with ribbon and add a tag to make a fun end of the school year favor for the students in your child's class.  Pink Peppermint Blogger has more summer fun favor ideas like this one.  Click here to see her Summer fun Goodie ideas.

Celebrate Schools Out With DIY Candy Leis

What student would not love a having a Candy Lei placed around their neck on the last day of school as a celebration gift?  These make great classmate gifts, party favors or Teacher appreciation gifts.  They are simple to make and you can fill with your choice of candy and treats.   We found easy to follow instructions  over at Oh Nuts.com.   Click here to go there now.

End Of The School Year Celebration Ideas

My Mom reputation has become the MOM who thinks school gets in her way for Family Fun  -which is why so I am so ready to begin celebrating the end of the school year and welcome my kids home to SUMMER VACATION. Last week on 24/7 MOMS Live webcast we shared the below ideas with our mom viewers to help them celebrate the end of the school year.

Remember these are IDEAS do not run out and overwhelm yourself trying to pull these all off. Try one or two of them and add some fun as your kids end their school year.

 Counting The Days

Countdown Calendar: Make a big calendar to hang on the wall for the last month of school. Have your child write down things she wants to do when school is over and then add some of those very things into the calendar and show her that school days and fun days don't have to be separate.

At School Celebrations

Decorated lunch bag – on the last day of school decorate a paper sack with markers saying things like "Last lunch of the year" - "Happy Last day of 4th grade" you could even use a colored handle gift bag and use ribbon to keep it closed.

T-Shirt fun - create a last day of school T-shirt that their friends can sign using fabric markers. You could even doll it up with iron on transfers that you place pictures from the year on or cute sayings.

Book Signing- Purchase either Dr. Seuss " oh, the places you will go" or Curious George " On your way" books and have your Children's teacher sign it each year until they graduate from high school then present it to them as a keepsake from their school years. ( You can start this tradition at any grade).

Letter From Teachers - Ask each of your children's teachers to write your child a letter at the end of the school year.  This is great for scrap booking or keeping for your child's graduation.

Picture Time: Give your children disposable cameras and allow them to take pictures of their last day of school activities and friends.

Pick-Up Fun:  Arrive at school with your car all decorated with balloons, fun messages written on your windows what a fun greeting as your kids arrive into the parking lot.

At The Bus Stop Celebrations

Celebrate by greeting kids with Balloons, Popsicles etc when they walk off the bus.

At Home Celebrations

1. Mom and Me
Take your daughters for Pedicures
Take kids out for ice cream either right after school or dinner
Go shopping for swim suits or even flip flops/sandals
Go out for a movie, or putt putt golf
SURPRISE – treat them each year to a fun “school’s out” activity. Give them clues before leaving home. (I.E.-Movie, putt golf, local activity part, laser tag, Chuckie Cheese) Change up each year for an added surprise, invite friends.

2. Kick off the Summer Party
Host a neighborhood or friend party (send out summer themed invites such as on beach balls or message in a bottle)
 - Water gun fight and balloons
- Rent a jumpy house and serve simple food
- Outdoor treasure hunt
- Musical beach blankets
- Limbo

Gi    3.  “Celebration” Gifts (stuff you will buy anyways)

Beach bag filled or beach towel with items tied to it
Reusable water bottle for summer
Flip flops
Sunglasses, sunscreen or lipstick with spf 15 or higher
Gift card to McDonalds or bookstore
Spa kits for DIY night (Do It Yourself)
Bubbles for younger ones or sidewalk chalk.

Beach towels

New swim suits

games

Water toys

Kiddie pools

Life vests

Beach bags / re-usable totes

Gift Card Bouquet – great for teens and put cards from places they will be going all summer  such as coffee shops, fast food, movies etc.

MOM I'm Bored Jar – Create a jar filled with ideas to do this summer that are free, fun and creative

4. Picnic Celebration

Picnic at local park
If all else fails –picnic in the backyard

5. HOME SWEET HOME

Have graduation theme music playing when they arrive home
Make a sign that says welcome home (grader); put the grade they will be entering in the fall
Family MOVIE night- bring TV outside and have a home “drive in”
Sleepover outside under the stars.

Kids Choice Dinner – What they want to eat and where to eat it


6. Summer Reading Fun
Take kids to library check out books for free and get them a card if they don’t have one
Go to half price books or thrift store to purchase used books
Take kids to local bookstore and purchase a NEW summer reading book
Don’t forget magazines, comic books or crossword puzzles for FUN reads.

7. Special Eats/Treats

Special Breakfast in the AM smoothies etc

Make homemade ice cream or Popsicles

Sno cones
Eat “grad hats”- mini peanut butter cup, top with chocolate graham cracker and add fruit leather as tassel
Make favorite summer lunch/dinner (hot dogs, hamburgers and s’mores)
Special dinner - decorate table (celebration style) and serve special dessert
Serve chocolate dipped strawberries, fresh fruit salad or fruit kabobs
Bake favorite cookies and serve fresh out of the oven.

8. Backyard Surprise
Create SPA experience, lounge chairs, water with lemons
Set up badminton, crochet or other favorite outdoor game
Set up slip and slide, squirt guns or water experience
Decorate party style with balloons, streamers and cake
Reorganize the backyard with new outdoor toys (check thrift stores).

9. Morning After- celebrate the first day off from school
PJ day- stay in jammies all day
Eat sugary cereal
Throw or put away all items that resemble school (papers, lunch boxes, school clothes)
Go out for a morning breakfast or brunch
Drag out summer clothes
Rearrange bedroom- give it a new feel
Celebrate “extended bedtime” (I.E. move bedtime 15 mins. to 1 hour).

How do you celebrate the end of the school year?