33 Kindergarten Graduation Gifts That Keep Fun and Learning Going All Summer

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For years, “kindergarten” was an early childhood benchmark. When your child is an infant or toddler, the idea that they’ll be going to kindergarten one day, much less graduating from kindergarten, feels so far in the future, it may as well be a plot point out of Star Trek. Surely, this small child who’s constantly putting things in their mouth won’t be in kindergarten any time soon, right? But then it comes, you take first-day-of-school pictures, stand in amazement as they learn to read… And now it’s over.

Yes, that tiny baby who just couldn’t help eating literally anything they found on the floor has just graduated kindergarten and is now thrust into the wilds of elementary school. “Big kid” school awaits! (Pro-tip: If you find yourself thinking something like “If kindergarten came and went like that, what does that say about the rest of their childhood?” Well, it’s best not to think about it.) Still, this calls for celebration, and celebration calls for gifts. So we’ve come up with kindergarten graduation gifts that mark the day, reinforce their academic skills over the summer, and will keep them entertained until they start first grade in the fall.

Personalized Graduation Elephant

The school year is over, but they can make one more friend in kindergarten. This cuddly elephant can be customized with their name and graduation year, serving as a cute new toy and a sweet memento — the perfect combination for a kindergarten graduation gift.

More: 30 Creative, Crafty, and Just Plain Fun Gifts for 7-Year-Old Girls

Teacher Barbie

Even though your little kid isn’t so little anymore, they’re still going to do a lot of their learning the way they always have: through play. As your rising first grader prepares for the big leagues, playing school with dolls like Barbie can be a fun way to act it out in miniature.

Grow N’ Glow Terrarium

As kids graduate from kindergarten, maybe they’re developing their little green thumb. With this set, they can create a little ecosystem in the mason jar, planting chia and wheatgrass and arranging the sand, stones, and figurines how they please. And there are enough seeds included to plant a second batch.

Flying Saucer Tree Swing

With graduation comes summer and more time for playing outside. This flying saucer swing can hold up to 330 pounds (read: your little one can swing with friends). Setup is easy via the rings and adjustable rope.

Googly Toss

Cornhole is a classic yard game, but it might still be too challenging for kids to be fun. Enter Googly Toss. With more holes in the board, it’s easier for a child to score, which will encourage them and develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills.

Basketball Set

They may not be ready for the (W)NBA — or even a standard driveway-sized hoop — but they can prepare with this one from Little Tikes. You can adjust it for them between four and six feet.

Ultra Rocket Launcher

This toy is a classic for a reason: Even though they’re pretty simple, Stomp Rockets are so much fun. Your kindy grad will love seeing how high they can make their rocket soar. And the setup is entirely kid-powered: no batteries required.

Bluey Playset

If your child loves Bluey, Australia’s most adorable export, they’re going to love this playset too. It’s a recreation of the Heeler’s Brisbane home. It comes with Bluey, Bingo, and Chattermax figures.

Mini-Builds

The great thing about Lego is that you can build anything at all, but sometimes your imagination needs a little bit of a kickstart. That’s why we love this set, which comes with 5 “mini-builds” to get your kiddo thinking on what they can create.

Playhouse

We’re sort of bummed this adorable cottage doesn’t come in adult sizes. Your child can while away the time playing make-believe in this charming little house, complete with working doorbell, a clock with moveable hands, and double-sided chalkboard walls.

Scented Marker Set

Admit it: as soon as we said “Scented Markers,” your mind went back to your own childhood. This case comes with 10 of them, plus pens, crayons, and other art supplies in a handy, roll-up carry case with an adorable unicorn theme.

Hopper Ball

Kids this age are balls of energy as it is, but when you give them a ball to bounce on? They’re unstoppable. This is an ideal kindergarten graduation gift for bouncy kids everywhere (and for the parents who want them to get good and tired for bedtime).

Kindergarten Graduate 2023 T-Shirt

Help your little one celebrate by dressing them in this commemorative tee acknowledging the year they graduate. It’s available in an array of colors and sizes, so you can make sure they are looking and feeling their best on the big day. (The shirt also comes in adult sizes if you want to match.)

Graduation Bear

Gift them this adorable and soft stuffed bear so that they can remember their accomplishments while cuddling up next to their new favorite animal. The bear is wearing a graduation cap and holding a diploma to remind them of this special day.

Matching Letter Game

The game includes 30 double-sided cards with three- and four-letter words on them. Place the card in the slot and see if the child can spell the word with the letter cubes, or place them so the words show if you’re just working on letter recognition.

Summer Brain Quest Activity Book

Help beat the “summer slide” with this book of interactive games and quests. It’s an ideal kindergarten graduation gift to keep them up on phonics, reading, writing, counting, shapes, map skills, habitats, and the seasons. And best of all, it’s fun, so they won’t feel like they’re studying as they sharpen their minds and learn.

Lil Readers Book Club Subscription

This kindergarten graduation gift is a monthly subscription for ages 5 to 7. Each month your scholar will receive three books, crafts, and more to foster their love of reading and literature. It’s a new theme every month, so it stays fresh for summertime learning.

Backyard Obstacle Course

Is this an over-the-top kindergarten graduation gift? Absolutely it is. Will it keep this kid busy from now until first grade and leave them happily exhausted, maybe leading to some good night’s sleep for everyone? Also yes.

Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids by Kim Andrews

This is a great kindergarten graduation gift to encourage young nature lovers to get outside. The book includes 50 outdoor projects that will help them explore, discover, get curious, and learn outdoor skills as they observe animals, plants, and the sky, make bird feeders from fruit, press flowers, create a sundial, and much more.

Fantasy Fort Panels

This kit comes with 16 connectable wood-pattern panels made from heavy-duty cardboard. Arrange and rearrange them in any shape you want — even stack them — for a fort that’s uniquely their own.

Counting Sticks

Math can be hard, but it can be a little easier when they can see the numbers. These counting sticks allow kids to work on their skills by looking at the equations in front of them.

It’s the ideal kindergarten graduation gift for the kids who love numbers — and the kids who would love them if it were a game.

Paddington by Michael Bond

Whether your kindergartener knows the story of the little bear found at a London train station or they have yet to enjoy it, this book is a good read for even third graders. It’s a great graduation gift as your little one steps up their reading.

Graduate Medal

Graduating from kindergarten is a big accomplishment. Yes, just about everyone does it, but still: Look at it from the perspective of a kid who couldn’t sit in a chair for more than 2 seconds in August and is now reading full sentences. This kindergarten graduation gift acknowledges that growth.

Paper Crafts For Kids by Stefania Luca

From an origami cat to a clothespin pirate puppet, there are plenty of cool crafts for your rising first grader. All they’ll need to make them are scissors and a few simple things they can find around the house. These ready-to-cut templates come paired with easy-to-follow instructions.

City Mars Shuttle Build

This Mars Research Shuttle playset features a shuttle, storage drone, and rover (all articulated), plus two mini-figure astronauts. It promises to be as much fun to build as it is to play with when it’s done.

Art Out of The Box Solo Drawing Game

This solo game (though there are no rules that say you can’t play with a friend) offers 80 prompts. Your recipient just chooses a “subject” and a “technique” and you can see what art they can come up with.

Gravity Maze Marble Board Game

You and your kindergarten graduate can play your way through the falling marble challenges with this fun logic game. They will learn spatial reasoning and planning skills as they go through 60 different challenges.

Live Butterfly Garden Kit

If watching the life cycle of a caterpillar fascinates your grad, get them this kit. It includes net and a voucher for five caterpillars (which ship separately).

A word of warning: Butterflies do best when the temperature is between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, so be mindful of what the weather will be like near you when they hatch three weeks after you get them.

Beginner Skateboard

Your kid will learn the fundamentals on this sturdy beginner's board that, at 22 inches long, is just their size. This is a great gift to let your little one feel like a big, cool, grown-up kid.

T. Rex Terror Mondo Sprinkler

This inflatable T. Rex hooks up to any garden hose and “spits” water out of its mouth, keeping kids cool (and entertained) for hours. And it’s quite tall when inflated — 6.5 feet.

Flower Power Mini-Guitar

Get this for the kid whose idea of summer fun is learning to play an instrument. This adorable 1960s-themed one is a cross between a classical guitar (six strings) and a ukulele (perfect size for little hands). Even Hendrix had to start somewhere.

Mancala

Mancala may be nearly 2,000 years old (yes really, Google it), but that doesn’t mean your soon-to-be-first-grader won’t love it.

The game is easy to learn, but hard to master — move “seeds” through a series of spaces to try to get the biggest haul. The person with the most in their bank wins.

Create A Story Cards

This pack of 36 cards is the gift to provide your little Hemingway with the spark they need to write the great elementary school novel (or at least come up with a fun, creative fairy tale). Draw three cards — ranging from scenes to settings to objects — and help them craft a story that incorporates all of them.

Mega Boxing Gloves

They’ve gotten along with their friends all year. Now it’s time to safely and painlessly wail on their friends, neighbors, and siblings with these huge inflatable boxing gloves. The kids will think this is absolutely hilarious, and you’ll enjoy a few minutes not having to entertain them.

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