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1. Throwing a Great Graduation Party
When you’re planning for a graduation party, you will probably have a hard time deciding on the best ideas for maximum enjoyment of all the guests. To celebrate with a really fun party, you need to create the right atmosphere to keep everyone in high spirits. Given how it took so much effort to graduate, it makes sense to work on an unforgettable event. It’s time to celebrate with various activities and games or special food items. Don’t forget some creative decorations to set the mood.
Graduation parties happen quite rarely so it’s essential to turn this occasion into something truly special. It doesn’t matter if you’re the graduate or someone else such as your child or an important friend. If you’re in charge of decorations and activities, check out the following ideas that should help you keep everyone entertained. Planning for a perfect graduation party requires adequate inspiration and this article should hopefully provide it.
2. Fun Slideshow
While some people might think of boring presentations when they hear the word “slideshow”, this represents a great method to relive some treasured memories through an exciting series of photos. If you add some special effects and funny captions, you can transform any photo presentation into an enjoyable slideshow.
Make sure that the main stars of the slideshow are the graduate and his friends. To capture the attention of the party audience more effectively, it’s strongly recommended to find a way to project the slideshow on a big screen.
3. Photo Booth
Photo booths are great things to have at lots of events and the graduation party is no exception. Setting up this kind of booth can help party members have fun with silly images that will be treasured for many years to come. While photo booths can be built without that much effort, you can also rent one if it’s more convenient.
For those who don’t want to go to the trouble of getting an actual photo booth, there’s also the alternative solution of crafting a photo-taking backdrop. This might be a superior choice when it comes to taking big group photos. Make sure you keep your booth stocked with fun props to create an exciting atmosphere.
4. Map Wall
Another fun activity idea to try is to add a map wall to your graduation party. Then you ask everyone at the party to place their photo directly on map locations. It could either be where they plan on studying next or where they have a strong desire to visit. It’s also a good idea to have them sign their names to create a cool map wall.
5. Unique Party Servers
Instead of handing out sweets on conventional platters, consider a DIY project that involves the crafting of unique alphabet letter party servers. This isn’t just a creative idea to offer various treats to graduates, but it’s also a nice solution if you want to keep the cost down.
These party servers come at a reasonable price while their visual impact is sure to take your guests by surprise. It’s not very difficult to craft glitzy letters by yourself and the result will most likely be more satisfying knowing that you’ve put in more effort compared to store-bought items.
6. School Colors
When planning for the graduation party’s color scheme try keeping a cohesive theme by focusing on the graduate’s school colors. Whether we’re talking about the decorations or the food, let the school colors stand out. Check out this recipe for school color Oreo popsicles. It will give you an idea about obtaining the perfect color scheme for your graduation party.
7. Balloons with Glitter
What kind of party is that without a little bit of glitter? There are lots of interesting balloon decoration ideas out there that enable you to boost everyone’s mood at the party. One important problem that you can often stumble upon is the cleanup process as you will have to deal with all that messy confetti.
Check out this DIY balloon décor idea that makes use of large glitter granules that will make it a breeze to clean up. You get to enjoy the same fun effect for your graduation party without worrying about making a difficult mess. Playing with glitter-filled balloons is a sure way to liven up the atmosphere.
8. Picnic Party
Most graduation party organizers will go for a traditional banquet hall with fancy tables, but you can break from the usual conventions and try something else. Consider a picnic party for example which has a much more laidback style and can often prove to be more exciting.
Hosting the party outdoors can provide a great opportunity for playing some fun games like relay races or potato sack. Forget about sitting at tables and find a nice area where you can place blankets on the ground for a picnic party. Each blanket needs to come with its own basket filled with food and drinks to satisfy all the graduates.
9. Superlative Photo Wall
Making some great memories is an important aspect of any graduation party. Set up a photo wall where people earn various superlatives such as Life Of The Party, Most Spirited, or Best Laugh. It’s fun to browse the yearbook and check out the superlatives. Assigning your own superlatives sounds exciting as well.
To do a superlative photo wall, you will need to make some preparations before the graduation party. Find the yearbook photos, enlarge them, and set up a wall full of them. The next step is to put up a table nearby where people can write on blank tagline cards. These will be added underneath the photos on the wall. Let the grads come up with their own silly superlatives to liven up the atmosphere.
10. Livestream
Broadcasting a portion of the graduation party to the entire world could be a fun idea to try. It’s safe to say that live streaming the entire event may not be ideal, but featuring just some highlights would be interesting. Focus on the exciting bits of the party such as the dances, games, or speeches.
11. Wish Tree
Making a wish tree can be helpful for guests to leave their most important wishes for the future. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to craft a similar DIY project given how you only need some twigs in a jar. Find some fancy paper for grads to write their best wishes and the result is a timeless memento.
12. Party Drinks
Regardless of the drinks served at the graduation party, you can maintain the ceremony atmosphere with some unique straws that will be able to enhance the look of any table setting. These quirky decorations can be crafted by yourself without the need to purchase lots of items.
The only slightly difficult part is the building of the graduation caps. You can check out all the details of the DIY project here. Make sure you wrap a matching band around the bottle that shows off the graduation year. While the glass bottles look fairly plain when empty, once you fill them up with some colorful drinks, the resulting contrast will be quite impressive.
13. Chalkboard Walls
With the help of removable vinyl decals in chalkboard style, you can transform the party walls allowing grads to doodle and write various inspiring messages. The good news about this idea is that you can customize the decals and create the right chalkboard size for your needs. While this idea is fairly simple, it can have a big impact considering how it will remind all the grads of their classroom days.
14. Floating Lanterns
Another lovely outdoor activity that you should try for a solid graduation party is a floating lantern send off. The magical effect of the illuminated lantern flying is sure to put anyone in a good mood. The enchanting release of floating lanterns provides a nice opportunity for adding some sentiment.
The bright lantern against the night sky will create a similar effect to a shooting star. Party guests can each say a wish before letting the floating lantern fly. There’s also a nostalgic effect created by the send-off which may help grads recall some of their favorite high school memories.
15. Colorful Party Sign
With a handful of supplies and a bit of effort, you can come up with a colorful party sign that can act as a central décor piece at your graduation event. This sign is built using only tissue paper, foamboard, and liquid glue. You will only need some empty glass bottles and to decide on the colors for the right mood of the party. All the instructions for this DIY crafting project can be found here.
16. Mini Cupcake Graduation Caps
If you’re not sure about the best dessert option for your graduation party, check out this simple recipe for little cupcakes with graduation caps. These can be fun to make and eat, and they will be especially appreciated by kids.
Thanks to this cool dessert idea, you can pay homage to the traditional graduation cap. Both tasty and festive, these cupcakes are also fairly versatile as desserts. For example, you can try inserting a stick underneath to turn them into popsicles.
17. Origami Money Graduation Caps
Here’s a creative idea that involves money as it uses bills to craft little graduation caps that can be offered as gifts. The caps come complete with tassels and are so much more fun to get instead of the usual cash in a card. To make the money hats check out these useful folding instructions. For crafting the DIY tassels, you’ll be required to get a few other supplies.
18. Party Bar
While high school grads will probably still have to wait to be able to drink legally, there are other fun options to create a party bar. You could come up with a certain theme to keep the atmosphere more exciting. For example, try setting up a taco bar or an ice cream bar. Don’t forget to include some non-alcoholic cocktails to contribute to the sweet mood of the party.
19. Life-Sized Party Games
As an alternative to the usual party games, consider going a step further for the graduation event and try out some life-sized games. One solid example is the human version of tic-tac-toe. Similarly, you could set up two-player teams and play checkerboard with humans acting as pieces. Give them red and black T-shirts to differentiate them more easily.
Another great life-sized party idea is to spray paint a huge Twister board if you have the available space in your backyard to play. Integrating some nostalgic games for grown-ups at the party can be fun considering the graduation theme of this event. Some nice examples include the pinata game, musical chairs, and freeze dance.
20. Clothesline Photo Timeline
An essential aspect of the graduation party is to allow participants to celebrate great memories that have accumulated over the years. While sitting around and reminiscing can be fun by itself, consider going the extra mile and set up a photo timeline with the help of a clothesline.
It can take a while to gather some old photos, but crafting this kind of sentimental party decoration makes for a meaningful and rewarding experience. This idea allows you to relive those initial moments, from the first day of school to the present day of graduation. A photo timeline gives you the opportunity to look back with fondness and realize how things have changed.
21. Tailgate Party
This could be a fitting idea to try if the graduate is into sports. Throwing a tailgate party has that kind of carefree vibe that many people prefer over more formal events. Even though tailgate parties occur after games and concerts traditionally, there’s nothing wrong with going for this festivity when celebrating graduation.
22. Soft Pretzel Graduation Caps
If you want to try out a homemade recipe that will be a huge hit at the graduation party, consider this soft pretzel that’s shaped like a graduation cap. Paired with your favorite dips such as nacho cheese or mustard, these fun-looking pretzels will be some of the most popular snacks at the party.
Another solid advantage of them is how you won’t have to worry about making a mess during serving. Check out the recipe for soft pretzels that can be shaped into anything, including in a classic cap that fits the style of a graduation party.
23. Graduation Confetti Cones
Confetti is a staple of any party and there are lots of creative ways to use it for a graduation event. If you feel like vacuuming the resulting mess is worth it, you might appreciate this DIY project that allows you to craft graduation confetti cones. Make a batch of these to hand over to guests and shower the graduate in sparkling confetti.
24. Diploma Cookies
There are many delicious dessert recipes for graduation parties that help you craft attractive snacks fitting for the event’s theme. The problem is that many of these will be quite difficult to prepare. If you’re short on time, you will probably love this easy recipe for diploma cookies.
The recipe doesn’t require baking and you’re going to have to make some compromises as the cookies are not completely homemade. There’s not a lot of effort involved to craft the diploma details so you can finish off this simple treat in a matter of minutes.
25. Guess the Baby Graduation Game
This is a fun graduation game that can be easily combined with a superlative photo wall. Once you have the wall full of yearbook photos of everyone, consider asking the graduating guests for old photos of them when they were little babies. Scatter these around the room at the party and challenge the grads to find out which baby pic matches the yearbook photo on the wall.
26. Donut Stand
A neatly arranged donut stand could be something great to have for a graduation party. Younger party guests will appreciate the colorful display of donuts that are sitting on cute platters and stands. To complete the overall look, don’t forget about some tassel decorations and a lovely backdrop that follow the same cheerful color scheme.
27. Hanging Lights
In case you prefer to organize the party outdoors, it’s highly recommended to hang strings of lights or lanterns to make the surroundings stand out even more. Hanging lights will look especially great at night and you can opt for Edison light bulbs if you prefer an ambient lighting effect. Soft light can enhance any party décor, including the details of a graduation party.
28. Graduation Cap Mason Jar
When simply handing out the graduation gift doesn’t seem exciting enough, you could try a DIY project such as this mason jar decorated with a graduation cap. It enables you to offer a gift in style and without relying on gift wrap or plain-looking cards.
Crafting the graduation cap can be a little tricky to pull off, but the good news is that you won’t need lots of special supplies. The mason jar can be used in flexible ways. For example, you can fill it with party favors.
29. Trophy Wall
If you’re the graduate that’s throwing the party, then you can safely brag a bit by creating a trophy wall. Displaying your accomplishments makes sense when you consider this kind of celebration, so don’t be afraid to show off some of the items that are meaningful to you.
30. Candy Buffet
We’ve already mentioned the idea of creating a food bar for your graduation party, but this dessert bar takes it a bit further by adding a nice graduation theme to it. This candy buffet allows everyone to take their pick according to the candy type.
Candies are separated into different categories. Some are for nerds or bookworms while others fit better for ‘kool kats’. It’s a silly idea, but it can be a huge hit for children graduation parties. Check out the full details of this graduation candy buffet.
31. Memory Jar
Graduation parties offer the best opportunity to remember great times of high school. A nice idea for a party favor is the memory jar that encapsulates this idea of celebrating the fun memories. It depends on the kind of school that you’re graduating from, but for high school, the items that you should include are pencils, paper strips, and similar accessories. Check out this great decorative mason jar from Amazon.
32. Festive Cookies
When it comes to party planning, desserts will usually occupy an important spot. Your guests will like it if you try your hand at a delicious cupcake recipe, but they will be particularly delighted by the presentation if it follows a graduation theme.
Instead of going for a big cake, it’s often more practical to stick to multiple cupcakes as it will make it easier to figure out how many you need to be enough for everyone. Add some festive graduation toppers and some congratulatory messages while keeping a color scheme that coordinates with the school’s colors. Take a look at the details of this idea to achieve a similar look.
33. Party Pretzel Pops
Pretzel pops are great treats for any parties and you can improve their popularity even more if you choose to give them a graduation twist. The pretzels here have been dipped into white chocolate and beautifully decorated with the year of the graduation and a fun chocolate cap to fit the overall theme.
You can serve this as a dessert or give it as a party favor. Graduation pretzel pops require a bit of DIY work, but they will certainly become a huge hit at any graduation party. They’re not just delicious, but also very attractive.
34. Geometric Cake
If you opt for a large cake to delight the guests at your graduation party, why not get inspiration from the geometry class? With so many colorful shapes, the design of this geometric cake stands out compared to traditional options. A graduation party deserves more attention than a regular event and one of the best ways to celebrate it is with the help of a stylish cake.
35. Graduation Gift Tag
Presenting your gift at the graduation party with a fun tag can make a solid impression. It shows that you put in some effort to honor the graduate for this important moment in his life. The tag can also be used for other purposes such as a nice little touch for the favor bags. The cheery yellow design can be downloaded for free to print it on cardstock yourself.
