This last day of school activity lets students celebrate the end of the year while reflecting on their favorite school memories. The End of the Year Hat Craft is simple to prep and creates a fun keepsake students can wear home.
Last Day of School Activity
The last day of school always feels a little chaotic in the best possible way. Kids are excited, backpacks are half-empty, and the normal routine has pretty much gone out the window. By that point in the year, most teachers are just trying to find a last day of school activity that is simple, meaningful, and doesn’t require a ton of prep.
After months of teaching, planning, grading, and repeating directions approximately 4,000 times, the last thing anyone wants is a complicated project that takes forever to set up. Most teachers just want something that lets students celebrate the year, reflect a little, and leave with a smile on their faces.
That’s exactly why this End of the Year Hat Craft is such a great last day of school activity for primary classrooms. It gives students a chance to think about their favorite memories from the school year while creating something fun they can wear and take home.
Students decorate their hats with pictures or icons that represent what they learned and experienced during the year. It’s creative, reflective, and just the right level of fun for that final day when attention spans are… let’s just say “limited.”
Best of all, this last day of school craft is easy to prep and perfect for kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students.
Table of Contents
- Last Day of School Activity
- What Is the End of the Year Hat Craft?
- Two Hat Options Included in the Freebie
- How to Use the End of the Year Hat Craft in the Classroom
- Why Teachers Love This End of Year Craft
- Frequently Asked Questions About This Last Day of School Activity
- How long does this last day of school activity take?
- What grade levels is this last day of school activity best for?
- Do students need to write for this activity?
- Can this last day of school activity be used earlier in the last week of school?
- What supplies do I need for this activity?
- Can students take the hats home?
- Resources For The End of The School Year
- More End of Year Ideas/Activities
What Is the End of the Year Hat Craft?
If you’re looking for a last day of school activity that doesn’t require a huge explanation or complicated directions, this one checks all the boxes.
The End of the Year Hat Craft is a simple printable activity where students decorate a crown-style hat to celebrate the final day of school. It gives them a chance to reflect on their school year while also creating something fun they can proudly wear during the last day celebrations.
Primary students love any activity that lets them color, draw, and show off their work, and this craft does exactly that. It’s structured enough to keep everyone focused, but flexible enough for students to personalize their hats however they want.
Students can use their hats to:
- Choose icons that represent things they learned
- Reflect on their school year
- Share their favorite moments with classmates
Once students finish decorating, they cut out the crown shape and attach it to a strip of paper sized to fit their head. Then comes the best part, wearing their hats around the classroom on the final day of school.
It’s a simple last day of school activity, but it ends up being a really special moment for students.
Two Hat Options Included in the Freebie
One of the things teachers appreciate most about this last day of school activity is that it includes two different hat options. That means you can choose the version that best fits your classroom or even let students pick the one they want to complete.
Both options encourage conversation, reflection, and creativity, which are perfect goals for the last day of the year.
Last Day of School Reflection Hat
The first version focuses on reflecting on the school year. This option encourages students to think about everything they experienced, learned, and enjoyed during their time in the classroom.
Students can draw or select pictures that represent things like:
- making a new friend
- reading lots of books
- doing science experiments
- going on a field trip
- creating art projects
This last day of school activity works great as a reflection lesson. It naturally leads to conversations where students start sharing their favorite memories from the year, which is one of the sweetest parts of the final day.
Summer Excitement Hat
The second hat option focuses on something students are already thinking about: summer break.
Instead of reflecting on the past school year, this version lets students talk about what they’re excited to do over the summer. For many kids, thinking about summer plans is just as exciting as the last day itself.
Students can:
- Choose summer activity icons
- Talk about what they’re excited to do
Some popular ideas students include are:
- swimming
- camping
- visiting new places
- eating ice cream
- reading new books
This version of the last day of school activity helps build excitement while still giving students a structured activity to complete during those final hours.
How to Use the End of the Year Hat Craft in the Classroom
By the time the last week of school rolls around, teachers are juggling a million things like cleaning out desks, sending home supplies, finishing assessments, and trying to keep students engaged.
That’s why having a simple last day of school activity that is quick to prep and easy to manage can be a lifesaver.
The End of the Year Hat Craft only takes about 20–30 minutes to complete and requires very little preparation.
Step 1: Print the hat template.
Step 2: Have students color and decorate the crown.
Students can:
- draw pictures
- write words
- cut and glue icons
Some students will carefully plan their designs, while others will proudly add every color in the crayon box; both are completely acceptable on the last day of school.
Step 3: Cut out the crown shape.
Step 4: Attach a strip of paper to fit each student’s head.
Step 5: Staple the crown and let students wear their hats.
Once everyone has their hats on, the classroom instantly feels like a mini celebration. It’s a simple last day of school activity, but it creates a really fun and memorable moment for students.
Why Teachers Love This End of Year Craft
There are plenty of end-of-year activities out there, but teachers tend to love this last day of school activity because it checks so many practical boxes.
First, it gives students a chance to reflect on their school year without requiring a long writing assignment. Younger students often express their thoughts better through drawings, and this craft allows them to do exactly that.
Second, it creates a keepsake students can take home. Parents love seeing what their children remember about the school year, and the hats often spark great conversations once students get home.
Teachers also appreciate that this last day of school activity:
- Encourages students to reflect on their learning
- Provides a fun keepsake to take home
- Requires minimal prep for teachers
- Engages students on the last day of school
- Works well for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade
It also fits perfectly into several classroom routines during the final week of school.
Teachers often use it for:
- morning work
- centers
- early finishers
- after end of year read alouds
- end of year celebrations
In other words, it’s flexible enough to fit into whatever schedule your last day ends up looking like.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Last Day of School Activity
How long does this last day of school activity take?
This last day of school activity usually takes about 20–30 minutes to complete. Students spend most of the time coloring and decorating their hats with drawings or icons that represent their memories or summer plans.
Because it’s quick and simple, many teachers use it during the final afternoon or as a fun filler between other end-of-year events.
What grade levels is this last day of school activity best for?
This last day of school activity works especially well for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students. The craft is simple enough for younger learners while still allowing them to be creative.
Third grade students can also enjoy the activity by adding small written reflections along with their drawings.
Do students need to write for this activity?
No writing is required, which makes it perfect for younger learners. Students can simply draw pictures to represent their favorite memories or summer plans.
Teachers who want to include writing can encourage students to add labels or short words next to their drawings.
Can this last day of school activity be used earlier in the last week of school?
Yes! Even though it’s designed as a last day of school activity, many teachers use it earlier in the final week. It works well as students begin reflecting on the year and getting excited for summer.
Students can even wear their hats again on the actual last day during celebrations or classroom parties.
What supplies do I need for this activity?
This last day of school activity only requires a few basic supplies. Teachers will need the printable hat template, crayons or markers, scissors, and a stapler.
Optional supplies like stickers or printed icons can add extra fun, but they aren’t necessary.
Can students take the hats home?
Yes! The hats make a fun keepsake for students to bring home. Families often enjoy seeing the drawings and memories their child included.
It’s a simple last day of school activity, but it gives students something special to remember the school year.
Resources For The End of The School Year
Free End of Year Hat
Try the End of Year Hat Craft with this FREE resource! It is a fun, simple last-day-of-school activity that helps students celebrate everything they learned during the year. Students decorate their crowns with drawings or icons that represent their favorite memories or their excitement for summer.
Click the image below to grab a copy.
End of Year Fun Pack
If you’re looking for more ready-to-use ideas, you might love the End of Year Fun Pack by Proud to be Primary. It’s filled with engaging activities designed specifically for the final weeks of school when attention spans are shorter, and routines start to shift.
If you like this resource, you’ll love
More End of Year Ideas/Activities
PIN for Later
Leave a Comment