The summer holidays are almost over, which is good news for parents who need a breather but perhaps not so much for the kids who are used to riding their bikes and having water balloon battles every day.
Still, the start of a new school year is also an exciting time, as the children get to learn new topics, reconnect with their classmates, and move up a year. To give your kids a summer to remember, we’ve put together some ideas for a fun and creative back to school party. (If your kids are older, check out our graduation party ideas.)
It’s also a nice touch to give the kids one of our back to school cards for the new academic year, as this will inspire and motivate them ahead of their return to school.
Back to school party themes
Every party is more fun if there’s a theme, as it gives the kids an opportunity to dress up and any photos you take at the party will look fantastic. Our team put their heads together and came up with some interesting back to school party themes.
Science celebration
What better way to spark curiosity and get the old grey matter in full flow than with a science theme for your back to school party? Lab coats are an easy costume to make, and it also means the children’s regular clothes won’t get dirty. Add some safety goggles and they’ll feel like real scientists, which means they can carry out experiments using home science kits designed for children. You could also fill some plastic beakers and test tubes with fizzy pop and fruit juice, and maybe even build baking soda and vinegar volcanoes!
Bookworm bash
The joy of reading should always be encouraged and celebrated, so how about a back to school party where the kids bring their favourite books? This is a great way to get them talking about stories, especially if you set up a cosy reading corner with bean bags and have a story time session. This kind of back to school party is perfect for costumes too, as the kids can come dressed as their favourite book characters, just like on World Book Day.
School supply theme
Okay, this one may sound a bit weird, but hear us out. By making school itself the theme for your party, the kids will be much more in the mood for returning to lessons. The decorations are easy to organise, as they can be made from pencils, erasers, notebooks, and rulers – it’s a great opportunity to get creative and see what you can think up. The tablecloth could be decorated as the periodic table of elements, the kids can be given inflatable globes to play with in the garden, and you could also set aside a section of ground in the garden for chalk drawings.
DIY invitations
Once you’ve settled on your back to school party theme, get your kids involved in creating the invitations. They could be good old-fashioned written invitations or digital versions made using a free online platform such as Canva. Add all of the details that parents need to know, including the date, time, location, and any special instructions, such as the theme and costume details. It’s also a good idea to ask the parents to let you know about any dietary requirements.
Activities for your back to school party
Every party needs some games and activities to keep the kids busy and entertained, so here are a few fun suggestions.
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is always a good idea for a children’s party, as it brings the kids together for a shared activity and inspires a little healthy competition. It’s very easy to organise too, as you simply hide items around the house or garden before the party begins, then give everyone a list of clues so that they can find them. If there are quite a few guests, split them into teams and give out prizes afterwards.
Craft station
Why not invite the kids to unleash their imaginations through arts and crafts? They can draw pictures, build things out of dry pasta and pipe cleaners, and create zany characters using Play-Doh. If you want to make it a group activity where everyone is involved at the same time, the children could be put into pairs and draw each other’s portraits.
Outdoor games
If the weather is dry and sunny (fingers crossed), get everyone out into the garden for some outdoor games. Seeing how this is a back to school party, the games could give a nod to classic school competitions, such as hopscotch, tug-of-war, and a three-legged race. Physical activities are a brilliant way for the kids to enjoy the fresh air and burn off energy, which will also put you in the other parents’ good books.
Write out cards for their favourite teachers
Teachers do so much for young ones and it’s lovely when students show their appreciation. As a little back to school party activity, you could give the children a card each so that they can write thank you messages for their teachers. If your own child wants to get their favourite teacher or form tutor a present, we’ve also put together some teacher gift ideas.
Food and drink options
Whatever you do, don’t forget the food and drink for your back to school party! This can be anything you’d like to offer the kids, so we’ve come up with a couple of suggestions.
Healthy snacks
Chances are that all of the kids have probably been treated to some junk food during the summer holidays, in which case you might want to provide delicious healthy snacks. Vegetable sticks with houmous, mini bowls of trail mix, individual yoghurt pots, and brightly coloured fruit skewers are good options, but there’s nothing wrong with having a little cake afterwards too!
Themed treats
You can get creative with the food and drink by tying them in with your party theme. Homemade pencil-shaped cookies with icing, snack plates with food shaped as space rockets, and mini brownies decorated with numbers for maths games all work well. If you have time, get your own kids involved in the kitchen and see what you can whip up for your back to school party.
Whatever theme or style of back to school party you go for, we’re sure it will be a fantastic celebration for the kids and the perfect way for them to return to lessons.
If one of your child’s teachers is leaving the school this term, it’s a nice idea to get them a card to show how much you and your child appreciate them. To help you write the perfect card, here are some thoughtful leaving messages for teachers.
And that’s it from us, we hope you have an amazing back to school party and we hope you have just as much fun as the kids! For more fun celebration ideas and inspiration, be sure to check out the rest of the thortful blog.
