20 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Day of School - Crystal Mencia (2024)

Blog, Holidays, Lesson Plans

January 22, 2023 17 min read

20 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Day of School - Crystal Mencia (1)

The 100th day of school is a milestone that both students and teachers look forward to celebrating. It marks not only a significant achievement in the school year but also a great opportunity to bring about some fun and excitement into the classroom! Here in the northern United States, the 100th day of school typically falls sometime in February. (Southern states are usually a few weeks ahead.) In this blog post, I’ll share a few ideas on how you can celebrate the 100th day of school with your students.

But first, some disclosures. This post contains affiliate links. You arenotobligated to make purchases using these links but when you do, it helps supportmy blog and small business at no additional cost to you. Now, let’s dive right in! Here’s a short list of ways to celebrate the 100th day of school:

1. Create a class project

Encourage your students to work together to create a class project that represents the number 100. This could be a giant poster made up of 100 individual drawings or a sculpture made from 100 objects. Be creative!

2. Dress up as 100-year-olds

This has to be one of my absolute favorite activities! Break out the walkers and the granny glasses. Encourage your students to dress up as if they were 100 years old, and have them walk around the school showing off their costumes.

3. Have a class parade

Coordinate with your building administrators for a schoolwide celebration! Plan a parade around the school, with your students dressing up and carrying signs or props that represent the number 100.

4. Do a 100th day art project

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Display student artwork that represents the number 100 or the theme of the 100th day of school. For the less crafty, 100th-day student posters can be purchased to decorate and doodle. No judgment here!

5. Do a 100th day math challenge

Use the number 100 as the focus of a math challenge. You can have students work on problems that involve the counting, addition, and subtraction of 100, or have a challenge where students need to make 100 of something, with varying levels of difficulty for differentiation. For older students, I have these 100th day of school color by code printables.

6. Make 100th day crowns

Have your students make their own 100th day crowns from crafting supplies, which they can wear during the day’s activities and take home as a keepsake. I staple/glue to bulletin board border for a custom fit. For already-done 100th day crown templates, click here.

7. Do a 100th day scavenger hunt

Create a scavenger hunt where students have to find 100 items around the school or the classroom.

8. Have a 100th day feast

Plan a special snack or lunch for your students to enjoy on the 100th day of school. Be mindful of and check for allergies. Have students bring in different snacks (i.e. Cheese Its, pretzel rods, chocolate candies, Cheerios, etc.). Students can then create their own 100 item snack!

9. Do a 100th day writing prompt

Have your students write about what they think they’ll be like or what they want to do when they are 100 years old. Another option is to let them be creative and come up with a 100th day of school story. Once they’ve finished, I like to have students take turns telling their stories (or summaries) in 100 seconds.

10. Create a time capsule to be opened on the last day of school

Have students bring in items to put in a time capsule to be opened on a future date, such as the 200th day of school.

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11. Have a “100 Days Smarter” ceremony where students share something they’ve learned in the past 100 days

Recognize and celebrate the progress and growth that students have made over the first 100 days of school. Students can make a list of all the things they’ve learned. I love giving kids the alphabet and challenging them to remember one thing from the last 100 days that starts with each letter!

12. Have a 100th day photo booth

Set up a photo booth with props and have students take pictures to commemorate the day! This is especially cute when they’re all dressed up in their 100-year-old garb. Absolutely precious… and hysterical.

13. Create a class book of “100 things we’ve learned”

Have each student contribute a page to a class book with a few things you’ve taught about this year. This requires a little math on your part. For example, if I have 20 students, I’d have each of them list 5 things learned (100 ÷ 20 = 5). Fill in gaps as needed and bind them into a book for display in your classroom library.

13. Read 100th day-themed books

For older grades with a longer attention span, choose a book with 100 chapters or pages. Read as a class over the 100th day of school. For younger grades, some 100th-day-themed book titles are:

14. Create a class mural

Have students work together to create a mural that represents the number 100 or a unifying theme for the 100th day of school. You might even have 100 students trace their hands on different colored paper to make a larger image.

15. Create a class song or rap about the 100th day of school

Let the creative juices flow! My students love Flocabulary so the idea of creating their own educational rap is highly enticing. Some kids are dropping the beat while others are writing bars or spitting lines. It’s truly a whole group effort! For younger kids, you can show this 4-minute song from Epic! for free.

16. Play games that involve counting to 100

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Plan fun games that incorporate the number 100! Younger students might go around the room counting up to 100. For a challenge, count back from 100! Other games might be rolling dice one at a time and adding (or subtracting) to 100.

17. Share a 100-item collection

Challenge students to bring in a collection of 100 items that fit a certain theme, such as 100 different types of leaves or 100 different colors of beads.

18. Write 100 things they are grateful for

Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter most. Always have an attitude of gratitude! Provide students with think time to write 100 things they are grateful for. This would make a great February bulletin board when finished! Sharing is caring.

19. Have a “100 seconds of silence” as a class mindfulness activity

Find a meditation video on GoNoodle or YouTube and encourage students to be fully present.

20. Do a 100th day of school math quiz

Set a timer for 100 seconds and challenge students to see how many math problems they can solve. Don’t teach math? See how many words they can spell in that time! Use spelling words, high-frequency lists, and word families to set the stage.

Memory Maker Sheet for the 100th Day of School

Whatever activity/activities you choose, make sure to take lots of pictures! Download this free scrapbook page for students to capture all the 100th day of school fun. Create a quick and easy keepsake for your classes to take home so they’ll always remember this special day of school. Remember that the important thing is to have tons of fun and make it a memorable day for your students!

ACTIONABLE STEPS: Pick an activity or two to celebrate the 100th day of school! Let students be creative and express themselves. Don’t hesitate to modify the activities above to meet the needs of your diverse learners.

Got any other ways to celebrate the 100th day of school? Don’t be shy; say hi! Let us know your 100th day of school activities in the comments below.

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100th Day 100th Day of School School Celebrations

20 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Day of School - Crystal Mencia (2024)

FAQs

Why is it important to celebrate the 100th day of school? ›

Why do we celebrate 100 days of school? This marks a point in the year where students are more than half-way through the 180 day school year. It is a time to reflect on all the learning that has taken place so far.

What day is 100 days of school? ›

For most schools, the 100th day falls sometime in February or early March. Many teachers use the countdown in their lessons by having children tally the days on a whiteboard or by filling a countdown chart with numbers or stickers. Many wear special t-shirts to celebrate the 100th day of school.

Who invented 100 days of school? ›

The First 100th Day of School

Back in 1979, Lynn Taylor, along with her colleagues David Cooper and Mary Hurdlow, celebrated their first 100th day of school. The idea grew from their experience with a program called Math Their Way and an activity called The Days of School Graph.

Who created the 100th day of school? ›

Who originated the idea of 100th day? Two possibilities have been suggested to me: 1) that Lynn Taylor introduced the celebration for kindergarten in the 1981-82 Newsletter of the Center for Innovation in Education; 2) that the idea came from Mary Baratta-Lorton, originator of Math Their Way.

Do you celebrate 100 days? ›

100 Days Celebration Customs And Traditions

While get-togethers are also common at the end of the baby's first month, the 100-day one is preferred because it marks the end of the most vulnerable period for new babies and mums or, in some cases, an end to confinement.

What does the 100th day of school mean? ›

The 100th Day of School is a symbolic celebration of students' achievements during the academic year, especially for those in elementary school. The event centers around the number 100, which helps develop learners' understanding and recognition of numbers up to 100.

How do I make my child look old for 100 days of school? ›

100th day of school - 100 year old costume idea. Baby powder in hair, scarf on head, glasses, cardigan, pearl necklaces, skirt, tights, dress shoes and cane.

What is the old person idea for 100 days of school? ›

Dressing as 100 years old. White hair spray, sunglasses with no lenses, pearl necklace, over sized purse, and house coat.

What is the 1000th day of school? ›

Celebrated in the same timeframe as the 100th Day of School, the 1000th Day of School is just for 5th graders. That is because fifth graders will be celebrating 1000 days in elementary school during the festivities. That's right, 1000 whole days! On average, children spend 180 days at school every year.

What is kindergarten 100s day? ›

The 100th Day of School is a monumental celebration in most all early grades, but especially in Kindergarten and 1st Grade! It's a day filled with counting, building number sense, reading, exercising and practicing fine motor skills.

How to make a 100 days of school shirt? ›

This shirt is so simple to create. Just grab some foam heart stickers, a permanent marker, and your favorite-color tee. Once your stickers are in place, just swap out kindergarten for any grade or keep it simple and just say “Loved 100 days of school”!

What should I wear for 100 days of school? ›

100th Day of School Costume Ideas and Outfits

Feathers! Pom-poms! Or use anything that can easily be counted out and attached to a shirt, such as googly eyes, puzzle pieces, or stickers. Put your relationships with your students first by wearing 100 of their favorite things.

What are the math activities for the 100 day of school? ›

100th day of school math activities

Ask students to divide 100 Cheerios (or another snack) into groups of 2, 4, 5, and 10. Work with a partner to come up with 100 addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equations that equal 100.

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