Kindergarten Graduation Ideas

This post was written by Jeanne Benedict on May 17, 2009
Posted Under: graduation

Being 5 years old is great! You’re officially a big kid. You know most of your ABC’s. And, you get to go to kindergarten.

Parents and teachers know that a good early educational experience can pave the way for scholastic success.  So, to recognize the importance of this milestone school year, many celebrate the culmination of kindergarten with a graduation ceremony and party.

We have some expert tips to ensure that your little scholar will have a memorable time from the Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony to fun grad games and activities at a class party.


Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony and Celebration Prep
You don’t need the traditional caps and gowns for this graduation, although it’s an adorable look. Let the kids celebrate their individuality with a ceremony that’s short, sweet, and enjoyable for a 5-year-old.

Teachers and parents can team up on preparations with these ideas:

  • Send out invitations with the ceremony time, date, and location information. Make this a class project where the kids decorate a printed invitation page and write their name on it.
  • Create a class party sign up sheet for families to bring food, drinks, party supplies, grad game items, and possibly a small donation for the diplomas. List the names and contact info for the parent party coordinators. Post the sheet by the classroom, include it in the invite, or send out an email.
  • Prepare programs for the ceremony and the diplomas. Consider fancy diploma paper that you can personalize.
  • Rehearse any group ceremony activities, such as a song, and run through the diploma presentation. Kids are at their best when they know what to expect.
  • On graduation day, set up the ceremony space with a stage area in front and seating for the kids. Set up audience seating for the families. You may want to let the kids sit with their families until it’s time for a group sing-along and the diploma presentation.
  • Don’t forget the music! Make sure that your sound system is ready to play the classic graduation song, “Pomp and Circumstance,” for the diploma presentation or for music during the ceremony.
  • Set up the party in the classroom or a common area before the ceremony so everyone can begin the celebration right after the ceremony.

Kindergarten Graduation Gift:

  • Give your little graduate the Graduation Deluxe Sampler from The Popcorn Factory for a gift that they are guaranteed to love. The sampler, which is perfect to share with friends, comes with soft-baked chocolate chunk cookies, gummy frogs, Smarties, cheese and caramel popcorn. Plus it even includes a plush graduation bear, which tiny tots can carry around with them on their special day.
Graduation Deluxe Sampler -- $19.99

Graduation Deluxe Sampler -- $19.99

Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony Schedule
Brief is best for the little ones with a graduation ceremony time of around 30 minutes. Allow about a half hour for the kids and families to arrive and drop off their assigned party items, and then let the ceremony begin!

  • 30 Minute Arrival - Families arrive, drop off party items, and proceed to the ceremony area. Parent volunteers organize the party area, pass out ceremony programs, and show families to their seats.

Ceremony Begins:

  • :00 to :05 - Teacher asks everyone to settle and welcomes all with a poem.
  • :05 to :15 - Teacher calls the kids to the stage and they sing a group song. Afterwards, the teacher helps the kids take their assigned seats near the stage.
  • :15 to :25 - Teacher calls each child’s name to come up and receive their diploma.
  • :25 to :30 - Teacher thanks all for coming.

Celebration Begins!

Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony Songs and Poems
Open the graduation ceremony with a poem recited by the teacher, and then bring the kids on stage to for a group sing-along.

Kindergarten Graduation Poems

Kindergarten Graduation Songs

Kindergarten Graduation Celebration Ideas
Treat this celebration just like a child’s birthday party with thematic décor and party supplies.

Since the party will probably be in a classroom, ease and efficiency are key.

There are some great graduation party products available that are simple to set up and disposable — perfect for the kindergarten crowd.

  • Brighten up the party with colorful grad cap paper plates and napkins and a multi-color plastic table cover.
  • Go for a “Sky’s the Limit” theme with flying grad caps plates and napkins and a matching scene setter.
  • Decorate the classroom walls with a metallic graduation banner and welcome everyone with a Kiss My Class Goodbye door cover.

Kindergarten Grad Games and Activities
Engage the kids with some of these kindergarten grad games and activities like making a time capsule, busting open a graduation cap piñata, or decorating a piggy bank for their college savings!

  • Make kindergarten time capsules by asking the kids to bring a small photo or trendy trinket to put in their own decorated shoebox or a little treasure chest.  The teacher or parents should also enclose a special note expressing how proud they are of the graduate!
  • Play a game of “Duck, Duck, Goose!” substituting the words, “Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade!”
  • Get the college fund started by giving each child a piggy bank to decorate.
  • Print out graduation coloring pages to keep the kids entertained.
  • Liven up festivities with a grad hat piñata.
  • Send the kids home with a party favor pack of graduation duckies, grad happy face bubbles, graduation stickers, and rotating graduation pens.

Celebrate your child’s kindergarten teacher as well by giving her a gift certificate or a big bouquet of roses to thank her for a successful year!

Add a Comment

required, use real name
required, will not be published
optional, your blog address

Next Post: Fun Activities for Father’s Day
Previose Post: Stylish Touches for a Graduation Party