Graduation Party Themes and Ideas for Preschool and Kindergarten

Written by
Christine Gauvreau
Christine Gauvreau is a professional party planner and freelance writer with over ten years of experience planning kids’ events.
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Christine Gauvreau
Updated 05/05/20
star themed graduation cookies

Karla Ferro / Getty Images 

A preschool or kindergarten moving-up ceremony and celebratory party are both valuable moments that can impart the message to children that they should be proud of their schooling. Whether you’re an educator in search of a theme for your class ceremony and party, or a parent planning your child’s graduation party, these sweet and fun ideas may be just what you need to show your kids the importance of this time in their lives.

  • 01 of 08

    ABC Theme Party

    Decorated cookies in letter shapes

    Brett Stevens / Getty Images

    Now that your little ones have learned their ABC’s, why not put those letters to good use with a fun alphabet party? By including party decorations and games that feature the alphabet, the ABC theme party provides a platform for preschoolers and kindergartners to show off their skills as they celebrate their achievements. In addition to decorated alphabet cookies, inflatable letter balloons, colorful cardboard letter cutouts, and candles for the cake in the shape of letters, find large inflatable pencils for photo props. Play a little game of alphabet bingo for extra fun and prizes.

  • 02 of 08

    Celebrating Kids as Shining Stars

    Stickers on a girls pinafore

    Image Source / Getty Images 

    This party theme treats young graduates like the shining stars they are. Use a star-shaped stencil to make homemade decorations a cinch and cut foods into star shapes for an easy-to-put-together party menu. Make the star theme shine with star favors, crafts, or games. Go the step further and turn the theme into a rock star party with stickers printed with sayings, such as "Rock Star Reader," "Rock Star at Math," and "Rock Star Friend." Every guest gets to go home with a sticker showing off their unique quality or talent, or keep it a level playing field and let every guest create their own "I'm a Rock Star Graduate" sticker to take home.

  • 03 of 08

    A Kinder-Garden Celebration

    Sweden, Skane, Portrait of girl (8-9) adjusting flower wreath
    Carolina Romare / Folio / Getty Images

    Throw a graduation party that emphasizes how the children have blossomed in preschool and “kinder-garden.” Combine elements from either a flower theme and bug theme party to create a cute, garden setting. Set out seeds and tiny plants for a flower-pot planting activity. It'll keep kids busy at the party and they'll be able to take home a meaningful favor that can grow with them.

  • 04 of 08

    Setting Sail on a Journey Theme

    settings Kids playing pirate adventure on wooden raft

    FamVeld / Getty Images 

    Help kids say bon voyage to preschool or kindergarten and launch into the next step of their schooling journey with a nautical party theme. Let graduates set sail with the ultimate pool party that transforms your yard into an ocean of nautical-themed pool toys and towels. Serve up nautical-inspired foods such as cookies and cake pops in the shapes of ship's wheels, boats, and shells. Or, go the pirate theme route to symbolize to your mini-swashbuckling buccaneers the adventures they've yet to have now that they're graduates.

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  • 05 of 08

    Good Luck Bugs

    settings little boy

     baobao ou / Getty Images

    Bugs can be symbolic and make a cute preschool or kindergarten graduation party theme. Honor June, graduation month, with a June bug-themed party that also celebrates all summertime bugs including lucky ladybugs, busy bumblebees, calm and still praying mantises, and illuminating fireflies. Or focus on a caterpillar and butterfly theme. Help kids understand how graduation is just like the caterpillar's journey where it emerges as a beautiful butterfly ready to spread its wings, just as they will next year in school.

  • 06 of 08

    Rhyme Time Theme

    Students learning alphabet with digital tablets

     Ariel Skelley / Getty Images

    From Mother Goose to Dr. Seuss, preschool and kindergarten is a place where rhymes rule the school. Make an entire graduation party a rhyming theme, beginning with invitations that thyme. Party activities can include writing poetry about the year in school, which can be a keepsake gift to take home. Choose a favorite book or two from the school year and serve food inspired by nursery rhymes. As an example, for "How the Cow Jumped Over the Moon," serve moon-shaped sandwiches, moon pies, and chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones.

  • 07 of 08

    Lasting Friendships Theme

    Portrait of smiling friends standing with holding hands against gray wall

    Liesel Bockl / Getty Images 

    A graduation party with a friendship theme celebrates the bonds kids formed with their first school pals. Invite the whole class, using a copy of the class photo and quotes on friendship for the invitations. For crafts and activities, kids can decorate frames that fit the class photo and make friendship bracelets. Have each child make their own custom handprint T-shirt where every guest traces one hand onto shirts, then signs their name with a fabric marker. What better item to serve at a friendship party than pizza, one of the most shared foods of all.

  • 08 of 08

    Vacation Celebration Party

    Multi-ethnic children with giant beach ball in pool

     kali9 / Getty Images

    If you just want to throw your little graduate a fun-and-games party to kick off the summer vacation, go for a pool party, beach, water park, carnival, or amusement park theme. Keep activities fun, such as renting a bouncy house, slip and slide water slide, sprinkler games, and game booths with prizes. Give them a bit more time to be a little kid before they mature and move up to the next grade.