Looking for graduation party ideas to celebrate your high school (or even college student). Here’s how to throw the best graduation party ever!
Can you believe that it’s already time to start thinking about your high schooler’s graduation? It feels like they just started high school yesterday, but here you are with a graduation cap and gown on order, senior pictures taken and a graduation party to plan!
There is no doubt it has been quite the journey to get to this graduation year for both you and your teen and such a grand accomplishment is worth a big celebration!!! If you’re looking for fun and unique high school graduation party ideas, look no further! From what party decorations you should use to what food you should serve, here are graduation party ideas that will give you the inspiration to host the best celebration ever.
(psst – if you haven’t gotten graduation party invites yet, then check out this post: Awesome and Unique Announcements, Gifts and More Ideas For Your Graduate.)
Do you have a high school graduate?
Graduation Backyard Party – College Theme
Wherever your teen’s next chapter is taking them, you can create a party all around this next exciting step. If they are headed off to the college of their dreams, decorate the party in their new school’s colors and you could even pull in the school mascot. Get bunches of balloons that match the theme or even a balloon arch. Put together an easy table centerpiece with the school logo and sprinkle confetti on the tables with the school colors. Hang school banners and you can even get university plates and napkins with matching utensils.
Have the fight song playing as people arrive and set up a photo booth with fun college themed props. You could even include a few tshirts from the college for party guests to put on for the pics. There are so many ways to bring this theme to life and really help your new graduate get into the school spirt for the coming year. While this could also be an indoor party, if you go for outdoors, it might be good to plan to borrow or rent a few tents for shade from the sun or if the weather isn’t cooperating.
Scavenger Hunt Graduation Party Theme
Think outside the box with your upcoming graduation party using this fun and unique theme idea! Create a fun way to keep your guests entertained at your party by having them “earn a diploma” using a scavenger hunt! This is a quick and easy idea that your guests will love to play, and is way better than just standing around mingling! Here is a great Graduation Photo Scavenger Hunt that your guests will love!
As far as decoration ideas, bring it all together with a more general graduation theme. Black, gold and silver balloons. Tassel garland on the tables, plenty of fun snacks that guests can take on the go as they complete the graduation scavenger hunt and then a dessert bar full of sweet treats to celebrate at the end. A few dessert bar ideas:
Food Graduation Party Ideas
A great party also has great food! Why not plan a graduation party around a particular food and make that your theme! A great idea for a party theme is a “She/He’s One Smart Cookie” idea. You can add some flare to your food and give it a theme that’s versatile and easy to workaround.
If you’re looking for some great cookie recipes to go with this idea, here are some top picks:
- General Graduation Themed Cookies
- Graduation Cap Cookies
- Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Simple Sugar Cookies (Use these as a base and then frost with your graduate’s college school colors)
- Sprinkle Cake Cookies
Other Food Themed Ideas:
- Pizza Party (This Graduate Has Pizzaz)
- Burger and French Fry Party (This Graduate Is All That And A Side of Fries)
- Nacho Party (Nacho Ordinary Graduate)
- BBQ Party (This Grad’s Got Sizzle)
- Pasta Party (A World of Pastabilities Ahead)
The World is Your Canvas Theme
If you have a young artist heading off to college, or they enjoy art at all, this is a great theme idea! From paintbrush centerpieces to a canvas guestbook, there are all types of directions you could take this party theme. Print off colorful sayings and make the colors the focus of all your designs and decor. This is a creative way to showcase your grad on their special day.
Here are some unique party ideas for a “paint” themed party:
- Paint Party Invitations
- Art Palette Plates
- Cupcake Paint Palette Serving Idea
- Rice Krispie Paint Brushes
Degree Graduation Party Themes
If you want to personalize your child’s graduation party, why not do a degree theme? An easy theme is based on their degree or a subject they are interested in studying! This is also a great conversation starter and the first celebration on their journey to learning their new field! There are so many different options here and perfect for those graduates who have their whole five-year plan laid out already!
Here are some degree ideas:
- Medical: Create a medical theme for your party! Include health and medicines throughout your party.
- Law: Go a little over the top here with gavels and other law-inspired decor items.
- Communication: Whether it’s journalism or another field of communication, you could have a newsroom or even a newspaper theme here.
- Fine Arts: If they’re aspiring dancers, actors, or something in the fine arts, use this as an easy theme for your party! You can create a movie set, a stage, and more!
- Business and Finance: A few math puns here and some briefcase cookies there can inspire them and wow your guests.
Graduation Garden Party
If you are looking for a classy and more elegant graduation party idea, try throwing a garden party! You can create a beautiful and rustic outdoor party that your guests will love with just a few planning pieces on your part! This is also perfect for summer graduations where you want your guests to spend most of their time outdoors.
Here are some great graduation garden party ideas that are just pinterest perfect:
Graduation Party Extras
No matter what theme you go with, you could include any of the following unique ideas as extras to make it that much more personal and special.
Graduation Guest Book
Graduation Memory Cards
Words of Wisdom Jar
Graduation Photo Booth Props
Graduation will be here before you know it, and if you’re looking for a way to make your grad’s graduation party special, consider one of these many graduation party ideas. These high school graduation party ideas are all super unique and special and you can even customize them to make them work for your special grad.
Popular Graduation Posts Other Parents Have Found Helpful
100 Of The Best Ever Gifts For High School Graduates
Graduation Gifts: 20 Of The Best Ever Books To Give High School Graduates
Over 100 of the Absolutely Best Gift Ideas for Your College Students
Dear Senior, There Are Five Things I Want You to Know Before You Go
Leave a Comment