Some kids in the MetroKids area are already done with school, but my sons aren’t sprung for summer vacation until Thursday. It will a big day in our house, as my younger son is saying good-bye to elementary school and my older son nears high school, stepping up to 8th grade.
While there’s no formal graduation for 5th-graders in our district, we will still be celebrating with the rest of our ‘hood. It’s a tradition on our kid-filled block to get everyone together for an ice-cream party in rotating neighbors’ yards on the last day of school. This year, we’re toasting seven graduating 8th-graders who are off to high school, as well as six friends of my son’s who are heading with him to middle school. (I know, we live on a seriously great kid street.)
To lighten the load on the host family, the guests all bring a tub of ice cream, plus cones or a topping or two. It’s the easiest (if not most original) way to get some sweet treats into our already festive brood. Watermelon slices and fruit kebabs sometimes make an appearance. And we’re always careful about avoiding products with nuts, as we’re superaware and protective of our neighbor with severe food allergies.
Curious about how other moms mark the momentous last day of school, I trolled the Web to see what treats were served to kids not in my own neck of the woods. Here’s what I found:
One literacy-minded mom collected gummy worms in a baggie topped with a cute “summer reading bookworm.”
Another attached rolls of Smarties candies to a printout saying “Congratulations, Smartie Pants. (You did great this year.)"
Keeping cool is quite a theme, with packets of Kool-Aid (plus a Crazy Straw) and bouquets of Fla-Vor-Ice accompanying notes telling kids to “Stay Cool This Summer” and “I hope you have a super kool summer.”
Do you have pics of your kids’ last-day-of-school treats? Send them to [email protected] and we’ll share them on Pinterest.
