Kindergarten Graduation Gift Ideas

Few things are more adorable than seeing little kindergarten graduates make the big step up into first grade. You want to celebrate this milestone with your graduate, and a special gift is a great way to show that you’re so proud of her hard work. It can be tricky trying to figure out what to get for a 5 or 6 year old, so here are creative kindergarten graduation gift ideas that are both meaningful and memorable.

If there’s one thing almost every kid likes, it’s ice cream. Make a great memory with your kindergarten friend with a special trip to get a cone together. Let them choose whatever they want, even if it’s the sundae you wouldn’t normally let them order. You’ll both enjoy the special one-on-one time together celebrating the completion of kindergarten — and the ice cream is just a delicious bonus.

Kindergarten is a year full of changes. It’s amazing to look back and see how much kindergarteners grow over the course of the year. Create a photo flipbook so your kindergartener can look back at how much they’ve changed. They’ll love seeing the pictures of themselves and their friends and will cherish the memories for years to come.

The Dr. Seuss book “Oh the Places You’ll Go” is one of the most popular gift ideas for kindergarten graduation, but add a fun twist to the classic by asking your child’s teacher to sign the inside cover. Continue this tradition at the end of each school year. When your child graduates high school, not only will he have the keepsake book, but he’ll also really appreciate looking back at the messages from all his teachers throughout the years.

When kindergarten is over, it’s time for some summer fun. Create a summer fun pack with crayons, activity pads, sidewalk chalk, a jump rope, bubbles, and other activities to get their brain and body moving. Put these items in a brand-new backpack personalized with their name on the outside. This way, they’ll get to have fun in the summer and be ready for when school starts again in the fall.

Kindergarten is the perfect time to start a gift-giving tradition that you can continue through all the school years. Choose a book and write a special message to your kindergarten graduate on the inside cover and tape an end-of-the-year photo on the inside. Keep this tradition going through each grade, giving a brand-new book at the end of each year. When your child finishes high school, they’ll have 13 books, each with a special message from you inside.

Young kids love things with their name on it. Personalize a T-shirt so they can let the world know that they’re a kindergarten graduate. If you can get it to them a few days before graduation, they can bring it to school so that their friends can sign their names on it.

Graduation always marks a coming of age, so a good way to celebrate might be to bring the kindergarten graduate to their first theater show or first major sporting event. You’ll both enjoy the special time together, and they’ll always look back and remember that their very first ballgame was with you.

With the piles of paperwork that collect from week to week, sometimes it’s hard to remember that someday the artwork and ABC practice will become cherished mementos. Compile a few of these in a kindergarten treasure box, and gift it to your little kindergarten graduate so that they’ll always have memories of the year. Make sure to add a program and photo from the graduation celebration.

Sometimes the simplest things are the most meaningful. Planting a tree together is not only a great bonding experience, but it’s also a gift they’ll be able to look back on and remember for a lifetime. Every time they see it, they’ll remember that it’s their kindergarten tree.

Many places offer opportunities for adults and children to take classes together. If your kindergartener is a little artist, then sign up for a session, and enjoy tapping into your creative side while you make a shared memory. If you’ve got an active little one, then a dance class may be just the ticket for energizing fun.

If there’s one thing that all kindergarteners love, it’s fun, colorful wrapping paper and big, flashy bows, so make sure you include all the bells and whistles to make your gift extra-special. Add a cute or funny paper graduation card to let your kindergarten graduate know just how proud of them you are.