Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony and Celebration Prep

You don't need the traditional caps and gowns for this graduation, although it's an adorable look. Let the kids celebrate their individuality with a ceremony that's short, sweet, and enjoyable for a 5-year-old.

Teachers and parents can team up on preparations with these ideas:

• Send out invitations with the ceremony time, date, and location information. Make this a class project where the kids decorate a printed invitation page and write their name on it.

• Create a class party sign up sheet for families to bring food, drinks, party supplies, grad game items, and possibly a small donation for the diplomas. List the names and contact info for the parent party coordinators. Post the sheet by the classroom, include it in the invite, or send out an email.

• Prepare programs for the ceremony and the diplomas. Consider fancy diploma paper that you can personalize.

• Rehearse any group ceremony activities, such as a song, and run through the diploma presentation. Kids are at their best when they know what to expect.

• On graduation day, set up the ceremony space with a stage area in front and seating for the kids. Set up audience seating for the families. You may want to let the kids sit with their families until it's time for a group sing-along and the diploma presentation.

• Don't forget the music! Make sure that your sound system is ready to play the classic graduation song, "Pomp and Circumstance," for the diploma presentation or for music during the ceremony.

• Set up the party in the classroom or a common area before the ceremony so everyone can begin the celebration right after the ceremony.