Preschool graduation is a significant milestone that marks the transition from the early years of learning to the beginning of formal education!
For preschool teachers and daycare directors, organizing this event can be both exciting and overwhelming. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about hosting a memorable preschool graduation.
Should We Host a Daycare Graduation?
Hosting a daycare graduation is a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements of your little learners. It offers an opportunity to acknowledge their growth, build their confidence and create lasting memories for both the children and their families.
Celebrating milestones boosts children’s self-esteem and motivation and graduation ceremonies provide parents with a glimpse of their child’s progress and achievements.
Plus, preschool graduations are a great way to strengthen the bond between your child care center and families.
Let’s look at five tips to make this day successful!
1. When to Host Your Daycare Graduation
Timing is crucial for a successful preschool graduation. Consider the following tips:
- Avoid Overlapping with Local School District Graduations: Schedule your event a week or two before or after local school graduations to ensure maximum attendance.
- Consider the Weather: If planning an outdoor event, choose a date in late spring or early summer when the weather is more predictable.
- Parent Availability: Opt for a weekend or an early evening during the week to accommodate working families.
2. Preschool Graduation Ideas
Creating a memorable preschool graduation involves creativity and planning. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Themed celebrations are always fun. Choose a theme that resonates with preschoolers, such as “Under the Sea,” “Superheroes” or “Wild West.”
Have children create personalized crafts such as handprint art or decorated photo frames to take home.
Teach the children simple graduation songs to perform for their families. Popular choices include “The Alphabet Song” or “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Or take a twist on a popular pop song, like this one with fun lyrics such as, “Cause I told you once, now I told you twice, we will graduate, cause we’re dynamite!”
3. Preschool Graduation Decorations
Decorations set the tone for the celebration and make the event visually appealing. Consider these tips:
When choosing color schemes, use bright and cheerful colors that are appealing to young children.
Create banners that say “Congratulations Graduates!” and display posters featuring the children’s artwork. And a balloon arch at the entrance can make the event feel festive.
4. Preschool Graduation Announcements and Invitations
Getting the word out is essential to ensure everyone can attend. Give plenty of notice – today’s families are very busy and they’ll want to attend the graduation!
Here’s how to handle announcements and invitations:
Digital invitations are an easy and fast way to spread the word. Use email or social media to send invitations and announcements to parents. Websites like Canva offer customizable templates.
If you’d like more of a personal touch, send out printed invitations that match your event theme.
And definitely request RSVPs to get an accurate headcount for your planning purposes!
5. Preschool Graduation Certificates
Your little graduates will be so proud and happy to receive their own special certificate!
Make sure each certificate is customized. Include the child’s name, date of the graduation and a special note of congratulations. Websites like Certificate Magic offer free templates.
Make sure each certificate is signed by the child’s preschool teacher or daycare director.
Present the certificates during the ceremony, calling each child up individually to make him or her feel special.
Use a Child Care App to Keep Families Informed!
A well-organized preschool graduation can be a joyful and memorable experience for families, children and the teachers in your child care center!
By using the Procare child care mobile app, you can share newsletters and upcoming events – like graduation ceremonies! – with parents easily through the calendar function.
The Procare child care mobile app allows families to be immersed in their children’s day-to-day activities – that includes tracking developmental milestones, sharing photos and videos as well as enabling two-way communication.
Teachers can send photos and videos to parents with one tap! Families can see their child’s activities that are shared from school and easily message staff. They also can send reports on daily activities for infants and toddlers, as well as record activities such as diaper changes, bottle feedings and naps.
Your center can record custom student activities and attach development skills like fine motor, social behavior, language and more as your younger learners prepare for their big preschool graduation!
The Procare child care mobile app gives you the ability to: ​
- Get information quickly via an app​
- Take the hassle out of check-in/out​
- Have a direct mass communication channel​
- Keep parents engaged​
- Go digital​
- Empower your staff​
- Collect tuition and payments effortlessly
It saves child care programs time and money by streamlining core administrative functions while raising the bar for the parent experience with professional communications, easy-to-access portals and the ability for real-time updates from the classroom.
Check out this on-demand webinar to learn more about the app and see for yourself what it can do!
