Get students active by letting them compete in a field day. Assemble a field day in which several classes compete against one another, or have the students in your class compete by dividing them up into teams. Arrange to have the field day outside in an open area and set up different activities, such as relay races, basketball shoot-outs, jump roping competitions and Frisbee tosses. You can award points and name a winning team once all of the activities have been completed, or simply have children compete for fun. Either way, kids will burn off their pent up energy and enjoy spending time with one another before the school year ends.
The temperatures are usually on the rise at the end of the school year; to keep your students cool, have an ice cream social. Bring in different types of ice cream, toppings and serving dishes and allow kids to build their own sundaes. After they've made their sundaes, invite them to gather around and dine on their treats while you read aloud a book about ice cream. Titles to consider reading include "The Good Humor Man" by Kathleen N. Daly, "Ice Cream Cones for Sale" by Elaine Greenstein and "The Sundae Scoop" by Stuart J. Murphy. You could even try to sneak in a little math by graphing students' favorite ice cream flavors and toppings.
Let your students know how much you've enjoyed having them in your class with a student appreciation day. Adorn the walls of your classroom with photos of your students doing different activities throughout the year and samples of their work. Create a yearbook to give each student that features pictures and quotes. Create a special award for every student in your class. Invite parents to come in on student appreciation day. Have them look at the displays on the wall; hold a ceremony to pass out the awards and read a speech that tells students just how much you've enjoyed having them in your class.
Hold class outside for a day. On a warm, sunny day, move your class outside. Set up blankets on the ground read books to your students. Allow them to blow bubbles, play with sidewalk chalk, create art with water and paintbrushes on the pavement, and play with hula-hoops. Take your students on a nature walk. Lay on the blankets and observe the shapes of the clouds in the sky. Have a picnic lunch. Your students will get geared up for summer and enjoy the break from being cooped up inside.