The VPK and kindergarten graduation is just around the corner, and this can be a stressful time for parents, especially in the midst of a pandemic. As one of your child’s first celebrated milestones, we recommend you prepare so you can have a smooth day. Plan ahead with this guide, and before you know it, your little one will be walking across the stage right into elementary school!
Cap and Gown
Be sure to order your cap and gown as soon as possible so they arrive early. A fun craft project to get into the graduation mood is to have your child make their own homemade graduation cap! All you need are construction paper for the hat and yarn for the tassel, and decorative items like glitter and beads. Then, in just a few simple steps, your child is dressed to walk the stage. Your child making their own graduation hat encourages creativity and adds a sentimental touch to a special moment!
Create a Keepsake
Celebrate this special event in your child’s life with a sentimental token that you can cherish for years to come. Examples of special keepsakes include a customized certificate or a special frame for their diploma. Depending on your family’s style, you can get one engraved and personalized at a store, or DIY one at home for a personal touch. For a homemade certificate, choose a design, fill it out, and then have your child add their handprint to it. Both of you will love holding onto to this special time with a heartfelt reminder.
Write Thank You Letters
Teach your child how to show gratitude and appreciation by writing sweet “thank you” letters to their teachers, or anyone else that helped them advance through this phase of life. By giving thanks, you are inspiring your child’s social-emotional learning, all while leaving a lasting impact.
Getting Gifts
Let your little grad know you’re proud by buying them a special gift for the occasion! You can get something related to their graduation, such as a graduation T-shirt or a graduation bear. A great way to kick off the start of a new beginning is with a present that will help move forward in the next grade. Ideas include a new backpack or a school supply kit with all the essentials, from notebooks to crayons. This will help make your child feel comfortable and confident that they’re going to a “big kid” school now.
Cook a Special Breakfast
Show your child you’re proud of them by making her favorite breakfast! This is considered the most important meal of the day, making it a great way to kick off all the festivities that will honor your child. Bond by cooking a sweet treat together. Add some more color to the day with this rainbow waffle recipe!
Make a Slideshow
A longstanding graduation tradition is making a slideshow! Gather images of your child growing up, from the time they were born to now. Get the family together to watch it, and send it to relatives and friends to view so they can celebrate your child, too!
Say a Prayer
Prayer is what gets us through all the motions of life. This remarkable time is perfect for practicing prayer. Bless your child and their achievements as they move on to a new phase in their life. This graduation prayer is suitable and perfect for you to recite with your child for their momentous achievement.
Graduation and receiving a diploma is a special milestone in your child’s life. As we move through unprecedented times, we will keep you informed on how we will move forward with the graduation ceremony. At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.