16 Low-Budget and Low-Stress Classroom Party Ideas

If you’re planning a classroom party, you’ve surely got something to celebrate. Maybe it’s near the last day of school, and you’re ready to end the year with a grand send-off. Maybe it’s Valentine’s Day, a time for hearts and all things pink and red. Maybe your students accomplished a big goal, and you want to celebrate their hard work.

We’re here to support your planning efforts with this list of classroom party ideas. We have plenty of fun themes, activities to keep students busy, and food to make it festive.

16 Classroom Party Ideas: Themes and Activities

Design: PrettyMeJoy | Bookworms Invitation

Classroom parties provide precious memories for your students and give everyone a break. The only challenge is making sure party planning doesn’t break you! Steal our low-lift ideas and get ready to party.

1. Book Character Dress-Up Day

Have students dress up like their favorite character from a book. They’ll have tons of fun picking out their character and sharing with their classmates. You can read excerpts from the stories or have students give mini-presentations on their character.

2. Restaurant Party

Set up a mock restaurant to enjoy food together while also teaching kids restaurant skills. Play host and have them wait in line to get sat at their desk by you, then take their order. Create a menu with options like applesauce, bananas, crackers, pretzels, and different juicebox flavors. They can practice interacting with you as their “server” and even learn some math skills if you give them a budget for what they can order!

3. Game Show

Transform your classroom into a favorite TV game show, like Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune. Not only are these games fun to play, they’re a great way to practice spelling words or review for a test. Instead of prize money, hand out trinkets like shaped erasers, stickers, or fidget toys. Perhaps let students win a favorite classroom job for a week, such as class pet keeper or kindness detector.

4. Pajama Party

This is a classic classroom party idea for a reason — it’s such a novelty to wear PJs to school! Have the kids wear their favorite pajamas, and pair it with another idea on this list like a reading party or movie day.

5. Camping Party

Set up tents inside the classroom, eat s’mores, and play animal-themed charades at a camping party! Send the students on a nature-themed scavenger hunt, decorate pinecones, make DIY binoculars from toilet paper rolls, and read books by flashlight.

6. Board Game Party

Have a game day where the students can play age-appropriate classics like Uno, Apples to Apples, Go Fish, Twister, Connect Four, Jenga, and Guess Who. Or have students make their own board game and then have a fun day playing each other’s games. This class party idea will teach students skills like logic, reasoning, math, and creativity.

7. Memory Book

Have students put together a memory book at the end of the school year. They can record their favorite subject, what they want to be when they grow up, what they’ll miss about their classroom, and what they learned this year. Find free printables like this one for preschoolers and this one for 1st-5th grade to make this classroom party idea super low-prep!

8. Science Lab Party

For a STEM-inspired classroom party, don your goggles and lab coat. Lead the kids through experiments like a volcano, elephant toothpaste, and a potato battery.

9. Talent Show

Set up a mock stage and have students perform a talent show for each other. Encourage instruments, singing, skits, raps, poems, or magic. If someone doesn’t want to participate, assign them the role of stage manager or sound person to keep the show running.

10. Around the World Party

Teach your students about different cultures around the globe by setting up stations for different cultures or countries. They can learn about the region at the station through printable activities, snacks, and crafts. It’s even better if your students with families from other countries can see themselves represented! Have students circle the room and get stamps in mock passports throughout the party.

11. Glow Party

Set up a blacklight and have students wear white for a glow party. Turn on their favorite songs, pass out glow sticks, and let them have a dance party!

12. Slime Party

Making slime is a fun activity that doubles as a science experiment. Have them mix their own slime or provide some pre-made. Add in dollar-store beads, googly eyes, or small erasers for a fun texture.

13. Picnic Party

Take your lunches and get some fresh air for this al fresco class party! Set up picnic blankets, and eat somewhere they normally wouldn’t, like an area on campus or even a neighboring park. Bring chalk, bubbles, and some kites or toys to make the picnic even more fun.

14. Plant Party

Get the whole class honing their green thumb with a plant potting party. Teach kids how to plant seeds in soil and watch them grow over the next few months. Or pot something like a (needle-free) succulent or a vegetable that is already growing. We love this hands-on idea for all ages and as a back-to-school party!

15. Book Swap

Have students bring 1-3 books and trade with one another so they take home something new. Embrace the book-ish vibe with a full read-a-thon: desks pushed to the side, bean bags in every corner, cozy pillows, tents, and fairy lights.

16. Movie Party

If you think we’d talk about classroom party ideas without including a movie day, you’re wrong! A movie is a quintessential end-of-year party activity to give yourself and students a break, and we’re here for that. You can make the movie something that ties into your curriculum as well.

Low-Budget Snack Ideas for a Classroom Party

Design: Mint Parcel | Wheels on the Bus Invitation

Whether you outsource the food to a volunteer parent or prep it yourself, these budget-friendly food ideas will add the finishing touch to your party:

• Popcorn bar: Pop some popcorn and put out toppings like M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, cheddar powder, and ranch seasoning.
• Cupcakes: Box mix cupcakes are affordable and easy to make. This could double as an activity for the kids if you let them decorate their own with frosting and sprinkles.
• Pizza: Need we wax poetic about the beauty of Costco pizza to feed a large group of hungry kids?
• Hot cocoa and cider: If it’s a holiday party or Halloween bash, set out a warm Crock-Pot of hot chocolate or apple cider. Include cocoa toppings like mini marshmallows and candy canes for stirring.
• Uncrustables: Put out a platter of the coveted lunch item, and watch the kids scarf it up.
• Veggies and ranch: Cut up carrots, celery, and cucumbers, and serve with every kids’ favorite condiment.
• Fruit platter: Use watermelon, cantaloupe, and bananas for an affordable fruit platter.
• Pouches: This isn’t the most affordable, but it will pack a huge punch. Pick up applesauce or fruit pouches in bulk, and watch your students swarm!
• Ice cream bar: Set up a few options of ice cream flavors and toppings. This is a good option for kids with dietary needs since you can grab a dairy-free flavor.

ABC, 123, Time to Party

From a kindergarten class all the way up to tweens, students love a break in the week to hang out with classmates, eat yummy food, and turn their brain off. These classroom party ideas will provide the reset everyone needs and make party planning easier on you.

If you’re ready to send out invitations, that’s our whole thing over here! Browse our library of beautiful digital invites, from back-to-school bashes to read-a-thons, and send them to families with just a few taps. Parents will be in the loop if they need to send anything along with their kid to school, and students will feel special that they got a cool invite!