4th Grade End of Year Party

Four parents worked together to make a nice party for a group of 24 students.

We had two hours and it was filled perfectly. We didn't have everything planned out, just many ideas and materials to implement them. They had a quick pizza lunch during this time as well. 

First we had the whole group do an egg toss with hard boiled eggs. 

Then we broke up into three groups. We had three stations set up and the kids rotated through each station.

Station 1 Ice Excavating

A trip to the dollar store yielded 12 small rectangular containers and 24 plastic animals for $6. 

At home I added two animals, 4 shells and 6 pennies to each container. Then I added water a bit more than half way and froze overnight.

I brought the frozen containers in a cooler and students worked in pairs with play dough toys such as plastic knives, hammers, and also paint brushes, syringes for water, and coarse salt. The kids seemed to enjoy the activity and it was perfect to do outside in the grass. 

Station 2 Marshmallow and Toothpick 2D and 3D building

I provided mini marshmallows, toothpicks, paper plates, and sandwich baggies in case they wanted to bring them home. The kids built different things and some chose to eat their marshmallows up and others brought their structures home. This was done outside as well sitting on blankets. Marshmallows, toothpicks and dollar store baggies totaled $5.50

Station 3 Obstacle Course

When I was researching ideas for the party, I found many great resources for obstacle courses.  Seeing what we had around the house helped too. I decided to make two identical courses.  It was fun putting this together and also testing it out at home. I did buy a couple things at the dollar store:  two baskets, two bins for water, 4 pool noodles, 2 packs of bubbles and two sets of squishy water balls totaling $12.

The obstacle course:  6 hula hoops to jump in and out of, crawl under pool noodles on chairs, pogo stick 5 times,





walk heel to toe over rope, sit on hopper and hop to cone and back,

make a basket with a ball, using the squishy water balls, run and fill a cup 1/2 full, then dump back in bin,
hula hoop for 10 rotations, jump rope 5 times, jump or hop over hurdles (stakes with plastic tape), blow bubbles and pop five, then run back to the beginning. 

The next child in line was able to start after the first got a basket.  Nothing was too difficult for anyone to accomplish, some kids were just faster than others.  I think there was a nice mix of concentrating and just playing. 

We had time and more eggs and did another whole group egg toss. Popsicles were had. 

Finally we headed back inside to work on our postcards. I thought this was a neat idea when I saw it. Kids address two (or more ) postcards each with their own address. Then all the postcards are put in a basket. Each child pulls out two postcards checking they aren't their own and decorates the backs. Then over the summer the kids hopefully remember to send out their postcard to their classmate with a friendly summer message.