Balloon Countdown to the Last Day of School

You know how those last few weeks of school are, right? Excitement builds because summer is coming. I like to countdown the final ten days with ten activities so our school year ends with fireworks (well, not literally, though that would be fun). Our creative journal also reflected our countdown.

Our miniature chalkboard was worth its $1.00 at Dollar Tree. But more fun than that were the 10 balloons, each holding a slip of paper. We popped one balloon per day and did the activity listed within.

DAY 10's Balloon: Eat an ice cream bar at 9:47
Creative Notebook entry: Make a large 10 out of paper. Glue it on your page. Write 10 states/countries and capitals you memorized this year.

DAY 9's Balloon: Do your subjects in alphabetical order

Creative Notebook entry: Glue on a large 9. Write 9 people you studied about in history this year. 

DAY 8's Balloon: Watch "How Things are Made"

Creative Journal entry: Make a large 8. Write the names of 8 friends you made at co-op.

DAY 7's Balloon: Estimate how many items are in the container. Closest guess wins a prize. (I also offered a 2nd and 3rd prize, which was perfect, considering I only have 3 children.)

Creative Journal entry: Glue on a large 7. Using colored pencils, write 7 fun things we did or places we went this school year. 

DAY 6's Balloon: Lollipop Treat!

Creative Journal entry: Make a 6 with Roman numerals. Write six things that distracted you out of our classroom window.

DAY 5's Balloon: Write on your desk day. (After I covered it with a long roll of paper.) They used the paper for math computations, spelling words, a few notes and doodles. 

Creative Journal entry: Draw a clock and set it to 5:00. Write 5 formulas you learned in math.

DAY 4's Balloon:  National Apple Pie Day! Go to McDonald's and get a hot apple pie. 

Creative Journal entry: Draw a 4 using unusual objects to form your number. Write 4 of your favorite subjects.

DAY 3's Balloon: Drink chocolate milk at 10:42

Creative Journal entry: Make a giant 3 and add fireworks. Write 3 occupations that might interest you when you are an adult.

DAY 2's Balloon: Color Tag! Play tag with your friends, using squeeze bottles full of colored cornstarch like that which is used in Color Runs. 

Creative Journal entry: Make a large and colorful 2. Write 2 things you might like to do this summer.

 

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! Break our 180-link paper chain and open your Last Day of School present. 

Creative Journal entry: Write the words finished, done, and the end in several languages. 

The ideas you just saw were for our 2021-2022 year. With a baby in our house this year, I was low on time and inspiration, so I reviewed that list and mimicked those ideas. Instead of National Apple Pie Day, it was National Orange Juice Day, so we drank orange juice while watching how it is made commercially. Our highlight wasn't a Color Run but a Mexican Party, complete with fish tacos, a pinata, and friends. 

Fish tacos, chips & salsa, pineapple, and soft drinks in 
glass bottles. 

And with that, school is out for another year! 

Counting Down to Summer Vacation

Summer vacation begins next month, Lord willing. Between now and then are thirty school days, two children anxious to begin summer break, and one mom trying to keep their world interesting until that day arrives. Here are some of the things we have done recently. 

Celebrate Spring
On the first day of spring, we used our recess time to purchase and deliver daffodils for all of our neighbors. 

Observing National Days in April
April 1 is National One Cent Day. The children earned pennies through good scores, instant obedience, diligent studies, and other laudable behavior. At the end of the school day, they shopped from my rewards box. I put prices on everything in the box and had to make them higher than I thought I might lest they deplete the entire supply in one day. The children voted that we do One Cent Day every day. 

Brain Breaks
I found "Brain Breaks" on rockyourhomeschool.net. Part way through our morning, the children pick a slip of paper from a cup, and we all do the activity together. The slips say things like bake cookies, draw a house, do sit-ups, or play a board game. We have enough slips to do one per day until the end of school. I worked ahead to prepare the supplies I might need for some of them. (And I confess that I removed the slips that did not appeal to me, including Plan a Party. Another day, another time for that one.)

Postcrossing
We were introduced to postcrossing through my sister-in-law (thanks, Tamesha!) and fell in love with the idea of receiving postcards from around the world. The children and I wrote postcards and sent them to the addresses provided through postcrossing.com. Ours went to Luxembourg, Germany, New Zealand, Russia, and China. Mail time just got exciting! So far we have received cards from France and the Netherlands.

Local Tourism
We live in Amish country where buggy rides are advertised. It was a fun experience for the children and some of their cousins. Tyler's highlight was driving Charlie, the horse. 

Bonus Art Project
These little pocket pets were a fun and easy introduction to hand-sewing. 

Tell me. What ideas do you have to keep your children enthused about school?