When planning a Graduation Party, there are a lot of emotions around the actual graduation day.
Joy for the graduate, of course, and maybe a little anxiety about what’s coming next. Joy for the parents, too, although also a little sadness (and disbelief) that their child is now old enough to graduate high school or college.
Graduation Party Tips
While the emotions might be mixed, one idea is straightforward: Now is a great time to throw a party!
If you’re preparing to put together a party for your child’s big day, considering some of the following ideas.
But First…
You’ll want to set a budget beforehand so that you don’t go overboard. You’ll also want to get help, because throwing a graduation party this big requires a lot of time and effort. You might even want to hire professionals who can do a lot of the work for you.
Now, onto the ideas!
Pick A Theme
Chances are there is something that your son or daughter loves from childhood or their teenage years. Whatever that is, make sure to weave it into the overall decorations. This could everything from their love of an old storybook (Dr. Seuss?) to their favorite team or their love of popcorn.
Pennants
Get pennants with the school logo or colors and decorate the driveway, front entrance and the backyard (if that’s where the bulk of the party will happen). Attach them to sticks and place them into the ground to greet everyone with a wave when they arrive.
Another idea along these same lines is to decorate with “balloon bouquets” in the school colors.
Contact Friends
A sweet idea is to contact all your graduate’s friends and have them send you some of their favorite photos with your son or daughter through the years. Use these photos to create a photobook or pin them on a board and put it up at the party.
Food
So much to choose from! One general idea is to set up food in a buffet style, whether it’s a taco bar or an ice cream station. That cuts out a lot of work for the hosts. You can also rent machines that make tropical drinks, cotton candy or warm up hot dogs & buns, if your graduate has a taste for carnival-type food.
Another cute food idea is to have “graduation cookies” in the school colors to hand out as a party favor when the big event is over.
Guest Messages
Put up a large board where guests can write messages to the graduate or use a guest book. Some also use a T-shirt (or two) that everyone can sign. It’s a great way to create a reminder for the graduate of all the well-wishers from their big day.
Entertainment
As party professionals, we of course have many ideas for entertainment you can provide for your parties. There are water slides, carnival games, thrill rides and plenty of other options just a click away. Look it over and decide what works best for your child’s graduation day party.
These ideas should help get the creative juices flowing. Whatever you decide, remember to take a moment to reflect on what’s happening. While the praise all goes to the graduate, as it should, it’s also a day to congratulate yourselves on a parenting job well done!
