for classroom or home
End of Year Scavenger Hunt
preschool-kindergarten
The last week of school is its own special kind of chaos. You’re packing up the classroom, wrapping up assessments…
AND somehow trying to keep a roomful of preschoolers or kindergartners engaged when every single one of them has already mentally checked out for summer.
You need something that meets them where they are – high energy, low prep, and genuinely meaningful.
That’s exactly what this end-of-year scavenger hunt delivers.
Instead of counting down the minutes, your students will be following rhyming clues through the school – past the library, the cafeteria, the playground, and all the places where this year actually happened…
Before landing back in the classroom for a special treasure and crowns they’ll wear for the rest of the day.
It combines movement, memory-making, and is the kind of send-off that sticks with kids long after summer starts!
In this post, I’ll walk you through everything that’s included, how to set it up in minutes, and how it pairs beautifully with an end-of-year memory book for a complete last-week experience.
Why your students will love it
They get to be detectives for the day.
Following the clues turns them into problem-solving adventurers.
They’ll love the trip down memory lane!
Why You'll Love it
Following the clues will help your students remember all the special moments for the year.
Combines learning with movement, making it perfect for energetic little ones who love to explore!
You can start a cherished tradition that is sure to be a highlight of the year
what's included?
Step-by-Step Instructions
Clue Cheat Sheet
11 Rhyming Clues (numbered AND unnumbered)
Alternate Clues
Scavenger Hunt Recording Page
“Hooray, We Did it!” Letter
Assortment of CROWNS
4 Writing Prompt Pages (lined and unlined)
5 Half-Page Writing Craft Pages with Apple Toppers (lined and unlined)
5 Full Page Writing Craft Pages with Apple Toppers (lined and unlined)
Bonus At Home Version
COLOR and B&W versions
EDITABLE PowerPoint™️version included (only the text is editable)
directions
How to do the End of Year Scavenger Hunt
Our Class is a Family Pete the Cat by: Shannon Olsen
Memory Jars by: Vera Brosgol
Look-there was a clue in the back of the book!
Read the letter
Solve the first clue together
Read each clue
Students solve and follow the clues around the classroom/school in search of the hidden treasure
Hooray! Your students found the End of Year treasure.
Celebrate with a fun snack or another book!
Optional: Decorate and wear end of year crowns (included in the Scavenger Hunt)
After the Scavenger Hunt students can draw and or write about their experience
Choose from an assortment of writing page and writing crafts
Create a magical day in your classroom or home that your students and kiddos will never forget!
Pair it with the End of Year Memory Book
After the scavenger hunt excitement settles, give students a beautiful way to capture everything they just relived.
The End of Year Memory Book includes 28 no-prep activity pages favorites, friendships, what they learned, and a summer bucket list – plus a Google Slides companion to guide your whole class through it together. It’s the perfect follow-up to the hunt, and families will keep these books for years. Grab the memory book here.
