Make the PERFECT Pre-K Keepsake for the End of the Year in 6 EASY Steps
A Memory Bag is the perfect Pre-K keepsake to send home with your students at the end of the year. It only takes 6 easy steps too! Win, win!
The end of the year is (already?…finally!?) upon us! Your students have learned and grown SO much under your care and teaching, and it’s time to show it all off! A memory bag is the perfect “bow” to wrap up this year for your students and their families before they head on to a summer full of fun.
My friend, Angie from Glitter and Glue and Pre-K Too, and I created this super fun activity for our students, and we’re excited to share it with you too!
What is a Pre-K Memory Bag?
A memory bag is a cute way to send home special student work, certificates, trinkets, and more for families to cherish forever.
It’s a great way to instill self-confidence in little ones while showcasing each student’s unique, special abilities at the end of the year. It’s great for preschool, Pre-K, transitional kindergarten, or kindergarten!
And I know you’re a PRO teacher so you can definitely differentiate this activity for older elementary grades too if needed!
A memory bag is also way more fun than stuffing all these things into a folder and calling it a day. Your families will remember the extra effort you put into creating such a special treasured piece for years and years to come. It’s worth it!
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What You Need:
To make this memory bag happen, you just need a few things:
- Paper bag (grocery bags work great!!)
- Scissors
- Duct tape
- Crayons or markers like these tempera paint pens
- Special items to send home (read below for specific recommendations!)
6 EASY Steps to DIY a Pre-K Memory Bag:
- Cut the front and back sides out of your paper bag
- Put the sides of the bag with words on the inside
- Duct tape the sides and bottom of the bag
- Add the bag label (get your FREEBIE here!)
- Let students decorate their bags… these tempera markers are so fun and dry super quickly!
- Fill it up with all the goodies you want to send home to parents
Voila! You’re done! That was easy enough, right?
What to Include in a Pre-K Memory Bag:
Add sweet memories and each child’s best work to the Pre-K memory bags:
- Assessments
- Certificates
- Journals
- Special work
- Self-Portraits
- Autograph books
- Pictures
- Note and gift from you
Assessments
Add an end-of-year assessment page to highlight your students’ knowledge of letter identification, number sense, colors and shapes, and more.
This is a reassuring piece to include in the bag for families before their little one heads to kindergarten.
Certificates
Jessica at The Primary Parade created these super cute free preschool graduation
A certificate is a perfect way to highlight the big accomplishment of finishing a year of school (possibly the child’s first!) and congratulate them on all their hard work.
Journals
You know how much your little ones’ writing skills have progressed over the year.
It’s nice for families to have a cohesive look at this altogether too!
Special Work
Add any special pieces of work your students have worked on throughout the year.
A fun favorite is Angie’s Bag Packing activity. Little learners will have fun while showcasing fine motor skills like colors, cutting, and gluing. Practice communication skills too while discussing what’s needed for a big year in kindergarten next year!
Self-Portraits
These self-portrait pages are a fun way to display the growth of your children throughout the year.
Take a picture of your students each month, or have your students draw self-portraits every month.
Don’t worry, if you haven’t done this activity throughout the year, just have your little ones complete the last month of school. Families will love it no matter what!
Autograph Books
Autograph books are a precious momento from classmates and so fun for your littles to create!
Use notebooks from Target Dollar Spot or make your own by stapling paper together.
Print, cut, and attach these FREE labels from @glitterandglueandprektoo to books, and you’re set!
Students write their own names on the label, then send the autograph books around the room to get all the autographs. You can also have each student come up to your desk during small group or independent work times to add their signature to everyone’s book.
With this freebie, you’ll find two different sizes included– both in color and black and white. Choose from labels with or without lines depending on your preference!
Pictures
It can be challenging for families to get snapshots of all the sweet moments during their child’s Pre-K year.
Add some of these precious moments to each child’s bag so parents can relive these memories you got to witness first-hand.
Some favorite pictures to add:
- First day of school
- Field trips
- Dress up days
- Graduation
- You and the student
Note and Gift from the Teacher
Send your favorite little kiddos off thinking of you fondly with a fun gift and personalized note. Keep it simple and cost-effective! It’s truly the thought that counts with preschoolers.
Gift Ideas:
- Sunglasses
- Glowsticks
- Stickers
- Bubble wands
Check out this reel we made for the cutest video demonstration, and don’t forget to grab the FREE editable Pre-K Memory Bag label!
We LOVE sending our students (and their families) home with a bag full of memories at the end of the year, and we know you will too!! Send us pictures of your kiddos’ bags on IG to me or Angie!
You might also be interested in:
11 BEST Brown Bear, Brown Bear Preschool Activities
HOW TO Teach the Alphabet to Preschoolers
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