Graduation season is almost upon us, and as you’re getting ready to close out one chapter with your grad and begin a new one, it’s a good time to start thinking about a gift to congratulate them on their incredible accomplishments. Whether you know a student finishing high school or college, these gift ideas will carry them from one journey to the next. See our graduation gift guide below.

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

1. Noise-cancelling headphones will help block out loud roommates, chatty coworkers, or anything else that distracts them from getting *ish* done.

2. A wireless charging station for all of their techy gadgets will be the gift they use time and time again. Why does everything always need to be charged?!

3. Jewelry is a sentimental way to celebrate the grad. This compass necklace or bracelet will serve as a reminder to follow their own path.

4. A book of lessons, wise words, and funny anecdotes will inspire, instill joy, and provide a little motivation.

5. This inspirational makeup bag, filled with all her favorites and maybe a gift card or two, would make a great gift!

6. A weighted blanket will keep them warm, help reduce anxiety, and replicate a warm hug from mom when she’s miles away.

7. The tassel was worth the hassle! These funny socks would make the perfect addition to a DIY graduation gift basket.

8. And if they’re a coffee lover, this mug is another basket filler that will get tons of use.

9. A tool kit is a must!! This is one of those gifts that they don’t know they want but will be grateful they have when they’re in a pinch.

10. This phone wallet is super convenient. Pop it on the back of your phone, tuck your cards and cash in, and boom…out the door you go.

11. This themed gift box comes with an “adult merit badge” coffee mug, 400 different fun facts, and a motivational book—a little bit of everything!

12. A 3-piece luggage set will get a bunch of mileage. While they make think it will be for all of their exotic adventures, their broke selves will really be using it for all their trips back home so they can do laundry for free.

13. Who doesn’t love a sweet treat?? This tin of delicious cookies will be gone in the blink of an eye, but the sugar high will keep them going for hours.

Shop Graduation Gifts

Luggage Set
Gift Set
Book
Cookies
Weighted Blanket
Tool Kit
Phone Wallet
Headphones
Charging Station
Bracelet
Necklace
Makeup Bag
Socks
Mug
a graduation themed illustration

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

Rainy days don’t have to be a bore! When the world outside is dreary and gray, it’s the perfect time to stay indoors and find a creative craft or fun game to play. We’ve rounded up some great indoor activities for kids of all ages so rainy days can be just as enjoyable as the rest of them. See our favorites below.

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Arts & Crafts

Get creative with these arts and crafts! This Rainy Day Bag is filled with games, toys, magic tricks, and more. These suncatchers are a fun project to do on rainy day and then hang in the windows when the sun finally peeks back out, and these make-your-own wind chimes are great for those breezy spring days. If they want to play princess for a day, this princess kit has everything needed to make their own cape, tiara, and magic wand, and this DIY quilt kit lets them make their very own blanket that’s perfect for snuggling under during a rainy-day movie marathon. Or take a trip under the sea with these ocean-inspired water globes!

Shop Arts & Crafts

Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag
Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag
Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag

Educational Toys

These educational toys make learning fun! A marble run set or magnetic tiles will have them using their brains to build their own creations they can spend hours playing with. This matching pegboard toy is perfect for youngsters learning colors and comprehension, while this garden building kit will teach them all about flowers and help them practice hand-eye coordination. A slime kit will allow them to experiment like the mad scientists they are.

Shop Educational Toys

Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set
Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set
Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set

Games & Activities

These games and activities are easily enjoyed solo or with the whole family! These hidden picture books with stickers are great for a quiet afternoon alone, while this Kids Against Maturity game is fun for everyone to get in on. These busy idea cards, indoor scavenger hunt, and treasure hunt game can be played with one player or multiple people.

Shop Games & Activities

Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books
Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books
Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books

If you’re looking for even more indoor activities for kids, see our roundup of boredom busters here. And if you need wet weather apparel for the whole family, we’ve got you covered with these rainy day essentials.

green red and yellow lego blocks

Rainy days don’t have to be a bore! When the world outside is dreary and gray, it’s the perfect time to stay indoors and find a creative craft or fun game to play. We’ve rounded up some great indoor activities for kids of all ages so rainy days can be just as enjoyable as the rest of them. See our favorites below.

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Arts & Crafts

Get creative with these arts and crafts! This Rainy Day Bag is filled with games, toys, magic tricks, and more. These suncatchers are a fun project to do on rainy day and then hang in the windows when the sun finally peeks back out, and these make-your-own wind chimes are great for those breezy spring days. If they want to play princess for a day, this princess kit has everything needed to make their own cape, tiara, and magic wand, and this DIY quilt kit lets them make their very own blanket that’s perfect for snuggling under during a rainy-day movie marathon. Or take a trip under the sea with these ocean-inspired water globes!

Shop Arts & Crafts

Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag
Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag
Water Globes
Water Globes
Quilt Kit
Quilt Kit
Princess Kit
Princess Kit
Wind Chimes
Wind Chimes
Suncatchers
Suncatchers
Rainy Day Bag
Rainy Day Bag

Educational Toys

These educational toys make learning fun! A marble run set or magnetic tiles will have them using their brains to build their own creations they can spend hours playing with. This matching pegboard toy is perfect for youngsters learning colors and comprehension, while this garden building kit will teach them all about flowers and help them practice hand-eye coordination. A slime kit will allow them to experiment like the mad scientists they are.

Shop Educational Toys

Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set
Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set
Slime Kit
Slime Kit
Flower Garden
Flower Garden
Pegboard Toy
Pegboard Toy
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run Set
Marble Run Set

Games & Activities

These games and activities are easily enjoyed solo or with the whole family! These hidden picture books with stickers are great for a quiet afternoon alone, while this Kids Against Maturity game is fun for everyone to get in on. These busy idea cards, indoor scavenger hunt, and treasure hunt game can be played with one player or multiple people.

Shop Games & Activities

Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books
Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books
Treasure Hunt Game
Treasure Hunt Game
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Busy Idea Cards
Busy Idea Cards
Kids Against Maturity
Kids Against Maturity
Hidden Picture Books
Hidden Picture Books

If you’re looking for even more indoor activities for kids, see our roundup of boredom busters here. And if you need wet weather apparel for the whole family, we’ve got you covered with these rainy day essentials.