Michelle My Bell Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 (edited) I have now planned, hosted, and paid for 3 graduation parties in my life. My 4th daughter is graduating this year and the theme that seems to be common is most graduation parties are a lot of work and BORING! If we are going to put in a lot of work... I'd like it to not be boring. We have 1/2 acre and I am planning an outside party for June. What are some of the best ideas you all can recommend to make the party FUN!? Have you ever gone to a FUN Graduation party? What made it that way? I need ideas that I am not finding in my google searches. Thank you! Edited March 20, 2021 by Michelle My Bell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 I went to a fun one in high school, but it involved no parents and a lot of alcohol. Not quite the party you want to throw, I’m sure. 1 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Well, I think that our graduation parties have been fun. We often have 150-200 people coming and we have food available all night. We do have a swimming pool, so that helps. We also set up volleyball, spike ball, corn hole, ladder ball and other outdoor games. Our kids would love a gaga pit, but so far we haven't done that. If you could find a way to rent or build a temporary one, that would be popular with the teens who hang around here. Right now, spike ball is the most popular game and they're not too expensive and you can set up several in a small space. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Here are two ideas from our wedding that were big hits. The centerpiece decoration at each table was a different flavor cake with a sign listing the flavor. This got everyone mingling as they went from table to table to see which flavor they wanted. I think we had 8-10 different flavors, including chocolate with peanut butter frosting, spice cake with some unexpected flavor frosting, etc. People loved it, and I had someone tell me they ate five different pieces. My dad's coworker made the cakes for about $10-12 each. We also hired a caricature artist. People who didn't like to dance sat and watched her draw. This was also a big hit. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusyMom5 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Following bci want a big homeschool graduation party this spring, too! Ours will be mostly family, but im looking for games and stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 We're planning to do a party/reception at a park. There's a particular one which has been a favorite hangout for our homeschool group and friends that has a creek that usually has frogs and tadpoles and a nice playground. By June, all adults should be vaccinated (as should older teens), but kids won't be, so it seems safest to do something outside. I'm also guessing that everyone is just going to want to socialize, since things have been so limited for the last year!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 I remember mine from high school being fun. It was a luau and it was for our whole graduating class (small school). I imagine a party focused on just one student requires more effort to make fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 59 minutes ago, mom@shiloh said: We also set up volleyball, spike ball, corn hole, ladder ball and other outdoor games. 46 minutes ago, JumpyTheFrog said: We also hired a caricature artist. People who didn't like to dance sat and watched her draw. This was also a big hit. These are activities we've really enjoyed at grad parties. Also, we went to one with a taco bar and a sundae bar and loved those. Music is good too! A friend of mine had a casino themed grad party. I don't remember all the details, but they had all kinds of tables set up with different casino games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 1 minute ago, Kassia said: These are activities we've really enjoyed at grad parties. Also, we went to one with a taco bar and a sundae bar and loved those. Music is good too! A friend of mine had a casino themed grad party. I don't remember all the details, but they had all kinds of tables set up with different casino games. L wants a taco/burrito bar. I'm just wondering if people will be comfortable with buffet-style food by June, given the past year? I'm also thinking cupcakes might be a better choice than a big cake, but it's a lot easier to personalize a big cake. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 20 minutes ago, Dmmetler said: L wants a taco/burrito bar. I'm just wondering if people will be comfortable with buffet-style food by June, given the past year? I'm also thinking cupcakes might be a better choice than a big cake, but it's a lot easier to personalize a big cake. Oh, good point about buffets - I forgot about the whole covid issue. Maybe being outside will help a bit, but you're right that could be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusyMom5 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 38 minutes ago, Dmmetler said: L wants a taco/burrito bar. I'm just wondering if people will be comfortable with buffet-style food by June, given the past year? I'm also thinking cupcakes might be a better choice than a big cake, but it's a lot easier to personalize a big cake. For the cupcakes, you can buy a cupcake stand- I have a really big one- and the top portion unscrews to leave a place big enough for a small cake to personalize. Or if you use cakevstands of varying height, make one small cake to write on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 The BEST I ever went to was a square dance in a barn. They hired the caller for the county fair, someone who was really good, and they danced for hours, first simpler stuff that novices could join in on and then line dancing, which is quite impressive! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAS in LA Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Buffet shouldn’t be a problem if you have a masked server or two. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 We held all of ours in an outdoor courtyard. A couple of times, because our kids were pretty involved in music and had a lot of musical friends, we set up a stage with a microphone and speakers and invited any of the guests (ahead of time -- it was in the invitation) to come and play or sing a song or two. It was so much fun! Even many adults (and teachers) got into it and had fun performing a song. It provided both entertainment and fun things for guests to participate it. At that age, several of the kids were in small teen bands, so they had fun playing a few songs too. We provided simple finger foods (including finger desserts) and an espresso bar. We didn't do the typical (at least in our community) display of photos, awards, etc., and our decorations were pretty minimal. I'm not sure how I'd handle the food part during Covid, but I'm sure you could come up with something. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 We’ve had fun graduation parties. We did water balloon tosses. At my oldest son’s party, a spontaneous water gun fight broke out. We also played some other games like New York Lemonade. It helped that many of the guests were also homeschoolers so they didn’t roll their eyes at playing games. But my daughter had mostly friends from public school at hers and she had the personality to lead up the games herself without mom being the push behind the games, and all the public school kids participated and enjoyed the games. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassia Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 34 minutes ago, Amethyst said: We’ve had fun graduation parties. We did water balloon tosses. At my oldest son’s party, a spontaneous water gun fight broke out. I forgot about these - we always did them at our parties and they were big hits! We even gave water guns as favors for our sons' bday parties one year at the beginning of the party and let them loose. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 I don't understand why a graduation party would be any more or less fun that parties held for other reasons 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, katilac said: I don't understand why a graduation party would be any more or less fun that parties held for other reasons 🤔 There tend to be a lot of them, all around the same time, with the same people. And with strange relatives hanging around. And the food is always the same. My kids would sometimes attend five parties in one weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, Amethyst said: There tend to be a lot of them, all around the same time, with the same people. And with strange relatives hanging around. And the food is always the same. My kids would sometimes attend five parties in one weekend. 😱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoraBora Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 (edited) If the party will take place after dark, what about showing an outdoor movie? Make a movie screen with a king-sized sheet attached to a fence, or to a pole supported by two ladders. You can borrow/rent an LCD projector, or buy a pocket projector (about $175, - give it to the graduate later as a gift. They are pretty useful.). Serve popcorn, boxed candy (the kind we used to buy at the movie theater - Walmart has them), sno-cones from a rented machine, ice cream in individual cups, whatever, and set up canvas chairs - borrow them from friends. Or rent folding chairs. If you have a pool, show water movies: Jaws(!), Nemo, Lilo and Stitch (set in HI), Water Horse, etc. Let guests float around while watching. If not, what about nostalgic movies from the grad's childhood, old movies, something fast and adventurous? I think a buffet is fine with masked servers. You can also buy those partitioned food containers and load them up, giving everyone the same thing. Amazon has them, and they also have plastic, individual cupcake holders. Edited March 21, 2021 by DoraBora Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 20 hours ago, Dmmetler said: L wants a taco/burrito bar. I'm just wondering if people will be comfortable with buffet-style food by June, given the past year? I'm also thinking cupcakes might be a better choice than a big cake, but it's a lot easier to personalize a big cake. I did a burrito bar last June. People who feel comfortable with that will come and eat. People who don't will either eat at home or not come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Before Covid it was typical to attend 5 graduation parties a weekend for a few weekends each spring. The memorable ones had a food truck and spent lots of money! But I think this year, just getting to see people will be fun. I have done an ice cream sundae bar (not an easy idea to manage in the heat of Georgia), the walking taco bar (really easy and fun) and then just a ton of appetizers. I always display pictures of the grad growing up and include a ton of pictures of the grad with her friends which is always fun to see. I get out their journals from elementary school (not their diary) and some old art work from then as well. The ones here are typically drop-ins so there is a steady stream of folks coming and going. It is nice to see old neighbors and Sunday school teachers, etc.. We don't host the FUN parties but they have been nice and enjoyable for the grad and their guests. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Another question-how do you do invitations? I really don't want to send the graduation announcement to everyone we've ever known both because we have very, very limited seating and for fear that it will be seen as a gift grab, but I would like everyone to feel comfortable dropping by the park to say Hi and hang out for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Dmmetler said: Another question-how do you do invitations? I really don't want to send the graduation announcement to everyone we've ever known both because we have very, very limited seating and for fear that it will be seen as a gift grab, but I would like everyone to feel comfortable dropping by the park to say Hi and hang out for awhile. For Ds, we just did an e-vite for the grad party. We just sent announcements to family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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