60 Best Graduation Party Ideas to Impress Your Favorite Grad
Time to celebrate their special milestone!
It's officially graduation season, which means your grad will be decorating their cap and receiving their diploma very soon! Whether it's kindergarten, 8th grade, high school or college, graduating is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Steal one of these graduation party ideas to throw an epic bash, be it a fun outdoor gathering or a simple dinner party at home.
To make the event memorable, you'll want to plan entertaining activities, cook delicious appetizers and set up adorable decorations. Arrange a photo station, complete with a festive backdrop and funny props. Organize backyard activities for adults, like cornhole, or an interactive game of "Who Knows the Grad Best?" Decorate your front yard with a custom congratulations sign, display sweet photos of your grad at every age (if it's for a son or daughter) or frame inspirational messages. The options are endless!
If you haven't figured out the menu, we've included our recipes for easy desserts and light bites everyone will rave over — warm cheddar dip and lemon cupcakes are just a few. We've also got party theme suggestions, whether you draw inspiration from their future career or keep it simple with school colors. And if you're planning around a budget, we've got cheap ideas, like making your own confetti poppers. Now, all that's left is for your grad to collect their college graduation gift or high school grad gift.
Peanut Butter Cup Graduation Caps
These delicious treats are comprised of mini peanut butter cups and a square of chocolate, plus a red M&M and whimsical fruit roll-up tassel. Not only will they look adorable on the snack party, but guests will find them addicting.
Sprinkle Graduation Cap
Help your grad craft an adorable grad cap, which doubles as decor at your upcoming bash. This sweet design uses pieces of pipe cleaner as sprinkles, but you can really flex your creativity.
Donut Backdrop
For an Insta-worthy moment, build a beautiful backdrop for guests to show off their best poses. What's unique about this colorful setup: it's dotted with donuts that guests can pluck and eat throughout the party.
Snoopy Theme
If you're celebrating a kindergarten or 5th grade graduation, settle on a theme kids will love. Take inspiration from their favorite movie, color or cartoon character (like Snoopy).
Modern Table Setting
If the graduation party includes a sit-down dinner, craft a menu and print it out on card stock. After you set the table, add small tassels as a place setting and arrange flowers for the centerpiece.
Paper Flower Graduation Tassel
If she's planning to wear her graduation cap in photos, swap her traditional tassel for a prettier version. Made from card stock and wood beads, this pretty tassel is giving Elle Woods in the best way.
Backyard Games
A backyard graduation party isn't complete without at least one lawn game — cornhole, Jenga or pickleball are a few of our favorites. Both high school and college graduates will love getting in on the competition.
Warm Cheddar Dip
Made from only four ingredients, this melty cheese dip will be a hit at any grad party. Serve it up with some tortilla chips and you can't go wrong.
Not only will this classy graduation book help them stay in touch with classmates, friends and family, but it'll forever remind them who was there to celebrate the special day. Put it on a snack table or near a photo booth to encourage guests to leave a message.
Money Wreath
Rather than handing over cash to the graduate, build an adorable money wreath (which happens to double as party decor). Wrap one-dollar bills like diplomas, using glue dots to arrange them around a wreath form.
Set up a photo station complete with cute props and a photo booth frame. Guests and grads will love posing with the funny eyeglasses, beards and champagne, plus on-theme phrases like "Finally finished," "#Grad" and "Hire me."
Graduation Cap Gift Jar
Here's a unique way to gift your favorite grad money: turn an old spice jar into a tiny gift container. Roll a check up like a diploma and tie red ribbon around it, then use felt and embroidery floss to DIY a graduation cap for the top.
Elevate your party with festive decorations, like this LED 2024 sign to commemorate your grad year. The numbers are battery-powered, so you can display them wherever you'd like.
DIY Graduation Card
Skip the store-bought graduation card (they're overpriced anyway). Instead, use this blogger's cut file to make your own. The best part? It will only take 10 minutes if you have a Cricut.
Chicken Wings
Guests of all ages won't be able to get enough of these sticky-sweet chicken wings. They glaze is made from Coca-Cola, soy sauce, garlic and ginger — trust us: it's easy to make.
Science Theme
Turn your college grad's future career into a fun party theme. For a future chemist, create molecules using painted Styrofoam balls and put the periodic table on display.
Not only will this custom yard sign ensure party guests can find the right house, but your neighbors and passing drivers can honk their congratulations too. Make your own sign or order this custom one, which allows you to add the grad's photo and a personalized message.
Bounce House
There's no better way to celebrate a kindergarten graduate than with a fun bounce house, which can be pretty affordable to rent for the day. The whole class will love jumping and playing.
Ensure there's a picture-perfect backdrop by simply ordering one (this design is an impressive 7-feet wide and 5-feet tall). Pick a style in their school colors, whether it's red, blue, green or purple.
Chicken Taquitos
These appetizers are perf for the graduation party, especially since they require a few shortcut ingredients — rotisserie chicken, enchilada sauce — and a total cooking time of 30 minutes.
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