We have an end of the school year tradition around here- it started back in 2012 when Ty surprised us by creating an invitation on the computer and handing it out to his entire class of 25 kids! We were so impressed by his initiative and marketing skills, that we decided to embrace this fun way to celebrate the end of the school year again last year too!
Fast forward to our 3rd Annual Water Fight and we reached out to our friends at Nerf who were more than happy to send us some of the new Nerf Super Soakers to test and give away as a prize! Of course, I wanted to try the new “Hunger Games”-inspired Rebelle Dolphina Bow of super soakers! We also got the new Barrage.
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| The arsenal was ready for this year’s fight |
I love that now Ty and two great friends from our street create this annual event with very little help from me. Sure I’m the one at the grocery store but they did the entire planning, invitations and even handed their parents the list of “to-dos”. I really tried to step back this year and help when I was asked. Ty is so incredibly excited and proud to create this water fight every year, that it’s a pleasure to watch him learn how to host a party and celebrate its success!
Here are some tips for an end of the year water fight party or even an end of the summer party:
- Plan it for the last day of school for the best turn out. Our school is let out at 11:30 on the last day, so kids are ready to have some fun and parents love that they have something planned for the rest of the day!
- Get the kids to create the invitation. Remind them of the important parts to include; date, time, what to bring, location, rsvp information, rain date, but let them run with it.
- Keep the numbers between 20-25 kids
- Consider one section for older kids and one for younger kids
- Schedule about 2-3 hours for the water fight and lunch/snacking
- Provide the main lunch (we just make hotdogs) and drinks, ask guests to bring one snack or treat for the party to supply the munchies!
- Ask a few parents to stay or ask neighbours to provide some supervision during the party- if parents are dropping their kids, ask for a phone number in case you need to reach them
- Keep the kids to one central area and explain the rules of where they are allowed to go
- Have buckets of water for refilling stations
- Provide lots of water and sunscreen for a really hot day
- Make a fun summer playlist and blast your favourite tunes
- Come up with some games, if the kids are slow to get involved…we played “Capture the Flag, Water Edition” and the kids had a blast!
- Buy a prizes for a raffle!
The kids really loved the new Barrage water guns because they were really easy to load and held tons of water! They had a great pumping action that the younger kids found simple to manipulate. Our winner didn’t have a super soaker at his house, so he was THRILLED to win the prize!
The girls absolutely LOVED the new Rebelle Dolphina Bow super soakers. They needed to be refilled a bit more often, but they loved how they squirted the water from the cross bow. The two hosts got to keep one and their older sister actually won one during our raffle! We know that this new, really reasonably priced line will be a huge hit this summer!
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| Armed and Ready to start (notice Jayden photobombing!) |
Erin McSweeney
July 2, 2014 at 4:45 pm (10 years ago)Erin McSweeney
erin2470@hotmail.com
our tradition isn’t anything so exciting thats for sure…but we go out for movie and dinner on the last day…and no early night to bed.
Amy Heffernan
July 3, 2014 at 11:46 pm (10 years ago)Email-> amyjaneheffernan@gmail.com
Our end of school year tradition has always been to take the kids out and get them something they will enjoy the summer. This year my oldest picked out a bike and my youngest picked out a scooter! They always enjoy this time of year.
Thanks 🙂
Brandee H
July 4, 2014 at 2:13 am (10 years ago)My son hasnt started school yet. We celebrate the end of school by going to see his cousins on their last day of school. This year it was spent on the trampoline.
@Brandeelh7
pinksuzanne
July 4, 2014 at 3:25 am (10 years ago)Our end of school year tradition was that we always had a bonfire and a weiner roast.
@pinksuzanne
Suzanne Giroux
Robyn Bellefleur
July 4, 2014 at 3:41 am (10 years ago)This comment has been removed by the author.
Robyn Bellefleur
July 4, 2014 at 3:43 am (10 years ago)Our end of school year tradition is going out for huge banana split sundaes.
sharklady71@hotmail.com
Tammy D
July 4, 2014 at 3:53 am (10 years ago)We always go camping and end up having a huge water balloon fight and some super soakers!!
tammykd@live.com
Kristine Ewald
July 4, 2014 at 4:16 am (10 years ago)Beach, BEACH BEACH 🙂 @fabfitandfrugal
Kristine Ewald
Jonnie (JB)
July 4, 2014 at 8:42 am (10 years ago)Our end of year tradition is to go shopping so the kids can pick out something special to celebrate passing.
Thanks,
Jonnie
Andrea
July 4, 2014 at 3:29 pm (10 years ago)We don’t have a end of school year tradition. They finish school, and the next day we sleep in lol. We don’t do anything special 🙂
andrea_hockeygirl at hotmail dot com
Nicolthe pickle
July 4, 2014 at 3:41 pm (10 years ago)When I was younger we used to camp out in the yard after the last day of school. We got to stay up late and have a campfire.
nicolthepickle(at)hotmail(dot)com
Aneta Alaei
July 4, 2014 at 3:52 pm (10 years ago)This comment has been removed by the author.
Aneta Alaei
July 4, 2014 at 3:53 pm (10 years ago)End of the year we try and let the kids plan a day each to do in the next couple of weeks. Their choice and we just make it come true
Aneta Alaei
homewithaneta@gmail.com @homewithaneta
Erica Seaman
July 5, 2014 at 2:06 pm (10 years ago)Erica Seaman
lavendare2003@yahoo.ca
our tradition is to walk to school the last day and then I pick up my daughter & son and we go for a pic-nic their choice of park 🙂
Annie-Claude Léveillé
July 5, 2014 at 2:54 pm (10 years ago)Annie-Claude Léveillé
annieclaudeleveille@gmail.com
I celebrate the end of school by working on my family dairy farm! When summer starts, it is hay time! There is so much to do! I enjoy working and keeping myself busy! 🙂
krystyl olson
July 5, 2014 at 4:22 pm (10 years ago)hmmm, signing up for the summer reading program at our local library!
krystylolson90@gmail.com
@darkkrystyl
flowerchild
July 5, 2014 at 5:49 pm (10 years ago)Angela Marriott
flower_child_23(at)hotmail(dot)com
Our tradition is to take the kids somewhere special, like the movies or amusement park
thanks
lisa neutel
July 6, 2014 at 10:27 pm (10 years ago)I celebrate end of school by heading to the beach with the kids before summer jobs start
Lisa Neutel
@neutkidz
neutkidz@gmail.com
Sharon Price
July 9, 2014 at 8:07 am (10 years ago)Narathip Wall
polo_wataga at yahoo dot com
@Canada_deal
We don’t really have traditional yet. Should start one though.
suzie
July 10, 2014 at 2:45 am (10 years ago)Our end of school year tradition was always to go camping
@suzquiz
Viv Sluys
July 16, 2014 at 2:58 pm (10 years ago)Twitter @vivsluys
vivi_bee@msn.com
Our tradition is going to the outdoor pool for Splash into Summer! It’s an event put on by our community. It includes (all for free) games, swimming, giant bouncy slide, hot dogs, drinks and music!
Juliee
July 17, 2014 at 12:58 am (10 years ago)jfitze@htmail.com
At the end of the school year I take the grandkids bowling.
Skees
July 19, 2014 at 2:26 am (10 years ago)Our end of year tradition is to go out for supper on the last day of school, then home for movie night. @SleegsSkees
Nancy Tch
July 29, 2014 at 2:26 pm (10 years ago)This comment has been removed by the author.
Nancy Tch
July 29, 2014 at 2:27 pm (10 years ago)Forgot to leave contact info….
@Momma2Loveys
We don’t really have an end of school year tradition but I think we may need to start! A waterfight sounds like lots of fun and it would definitely make the list of ideas.