If you walk down a general education hallway in May, you’ll probably see movie days, pajama parties, and that end-of-year we made it energy.
But step into a self-contained classroom, and it usually feels…different.
For many of our students, the end of the year is not an exciting time. It’s unsettling. Routines start falling apart. Schedules change. Assemblies pop up out of nowhere. And all of that uncertainty often shows up as increased behaviors.
While the rest of the building is winding down, you’re likely ramping up your regulation strategies just to make it to the final bell.
If that sounds familiar, we hear you. Here are some end of the year activities that help students regulate and secretly help you clean, plus a few end-of-year prep hacks your future self will thank you for.
A Few End of the Year Activities
Pack it Up: Sensory Style
These require almost no verbal instruction, just visual modeling. They’re calming for students and productive for you. The hope is that they are a win-win for you and your team.
Shaving Cream Desk Scrub
This one’s a classic for a reason. Spray a nice glob of shaving cream right onto student desks and let them swirl, squish, and draw. Not only does it provide strong tactile input for sensory seekers, but it cleans. It removes pencil marks and grime like magic. Wipe it down after, and your desks will be spotless.
Toy Car Wash
Set up two bins. One with soapy water and sponges, one with clean rinse water. Toss in plastic manipulatives, toy cars, or sensory tools that can withstand water. Since water play is calming and highly engaging for many students, this could win you teacher of the week in your student’s eyes. On top of that, your materials get sanitized without you lifting a finger.
Bubble Wrap Stomp Road
Tape large bubble wrap to the floor and create a “road” students can walk or stomp on. Auditory feedback plus heavy work can add up to great regulation. If you are lucky, students have a chance to spend their energy on something fun while you enjoy watching the fun.
Flashlight Caves
Drape blankets over desks to make dark “caves.” Hand out flashlights and let students read a book or relax inside. If it works, it reduces visual overload and gives students a quiet reset space. Teachers get a quiet moment without students even realizing they are giving their teacher exactly the silence they need too.
Reflection and Celebration
End-of-year reflection is not usually something we think about. But it can make it fun, you just have to plan this early and not wait until the last minute. Physical keepsakes and awards are especially meaningful for students who benefit from concrete visuals.
A few ideas to try to get the recognition going:
- A progress chart showing growth
- Comparing September work to May work
- A simple class discussion or pictures to show the sentiment “Look how far you’ve come.”
After the recognition, move into celebration.
Awards
Recognize academic growth and social wins. “Never Gives Up,” “Ray of Sunshine,” “Independence Seeker.” Grab our End of the Year Awards for Special Education Classes award certificates on TPT to make it easy!
Sensory-friendly Party
Quiet corners, simple crafts or put-on activities, and sensory stations like Play-Doh, rice bins, or quiet sensory toys allow every student to participate at their comfort level.
Keepsakes
Memory books, handprint art, or “All About Me” pages give students something meaningful to take home. Get out your file fodders or envelopes to create a folder for pictures or ask families for extra copies of pictures you can use for crafts throughout the year so you’re not scrambling in May.
Prep For Your Future Self
Now for the part you’ll be grateful for in August.
Right now, it’s the end of the school year, and it can feel like a endless amounts of paperwork, parties, and goodbyes. But if you take a little time to pack and prep before you head out, it will make your fall setup 10x smoother. Get ready for a few steps you can take to get ready for next year:
- ESY (Extended School Year)- If someone else will be using your classroom during the summer, take any personal items with you. Or, store them in one big box, labeled VERY large with your name. Take any school related supplies, visuals, activities, that you need for your classroom and place them on a cart and shrink-wrap it all together. Not to be opened until you arrive back next year.
- Organize and Store Visuals: Collect and sort all visuals you used this year (labels, picture icons, token boards, mini schedules, etc). Toss outdated or damaged visuals, and laminate replacements now if you have time. Store them by category (classroom visuals, student visuals, communication visuals) in labeled zip bags or clear bins. Keep a “start-up visuals” bin just for the first week of school. This is a great place for student helpers, too. I’m sure you have one or two who love to organize! This can also let you know what you need for next year.
- Label Bins and Shelves: Before packing, label everything: toy bins, manipulatives, literacy materials, work tasks, and sensory tools. Use both text and icons if possible. Take photos of your organized setup. You will forget what’s in those bins by the end of summer. Or, have an artistic student draw some pictures as labels for you!
- Update Data Systems: Clean out data binders. If you have the same students, make fresh blank templates for fall. Can you imagine having your date system set up on day one?
- Refresh Staff Materials. On your computer, save rotation charts, schedules, and zone maps. Store everything in a folder titled “Start of Year Setup.”
- Prep Independent Work Tasks: With the help of a volunteer or your classroom team, fix broken bins and work tasks. Get that shrink-wrap back out and pack one tub labeled “Independent Work: Ready to Go.”
- Declutter Ruthlessly: If you didn’t touch it this year, you probably won’t next year. We don’t need to keep everything. Donate. Toss. Let it go. If you know there will be a new teacher in the building, make a box for them and I bet they would love it. We go over this and more about closing out the school year in our End of the Year Classroom Checkout Challenge which is part of our Autism Teacher Club.
The End of the Year Classroom Checkout Challenge will be held in the "classroom" section of our Autism Teacher Club Membership. The free trial lasts for 7-days, which is long enough to take the challenge if you just want to try it out. Try your free 7-day trial here. - Reflect and Reset: Write down what worked. Leave a “Note to Self for August.” Snap photos of your room layout. Then create a “Welcome Back Box” with a small tub with essentials for week one: scissors, tape, markers, Velcro, and reinforcers. Future-you will remember how genius past-you was.
May is a marathon. You’re juggling behaviors, emotions, paperwork, and end-of-year chaos all at once. But you’ve made it this far. Finish strong. Pack smart. And give yourself permission to actually rest this summer.
You’ve earned it.
