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Somewhere around mid-April, I always get the itch to just… call it. I mean, technically life is educational, right?
By my calculations, we have around six weeks left though, and ending the homeschool year strong is our goal. Not perfectly, not with fireworks and gold-star charts, but strong in a way that feels good, doable, and honest. If you’re curious about the curriculum we used this year you can check that out here and here.

Here’s what we’re doing (and maybe some ideas you can steal if you’re also feeling a little “we survived, that counts, right?” about now).

Celebrate the Learning You Can’t Test

This year, we’re high-fiving the stuff that doesn’t fit neatly into a grade book. Like:

• Perseverance (even when long division made someone cry)

• Problem-solving (epic Lego projects and multiple sewing challenges)

• Patience (this one is mostly on me. Trying to let new readers sound things out without Mom jumping in to “help” is HARD.)

I’m realizing the best parts of this year probably won’t show up on a standardized test — and honestly, I’m good with that.

Plan a “Finale” Day (Even if It’s Just Doughnuts For Breakfast)

Instead of dragging through the last worksheet, I’m planning a little “season finale” for our homeschool year. Nothing complicated.

Just something fun to say, “Hey, look at what we did together.” Maybe a backyard picnic. Maybe a homemade awards show with categories like “Best Attitude About Spelling” or “Most Creative Excuses for Why Science Isn’t Done Yet.” I even created a fun award template you can use for free!

Taking an end-of-year photo is a must (with my “Last Day” pennants, of course)!

Also, doughnuts for breakfast. Life is short.

Check out some end-of-year traditions we enjoyed in the early years of our homeschool!

Take Notes, Not Regrets

Every May, I think I’ll remember what worked and what didn’t for next year… and then August hits, and it’s like my brain was wiped clean. This time, I’m jotting down a few quick notes:

• Things that made our days smoother, like doing as many subjects as possible together as a group.

• Things the kids never want to do again (RIP, Latin)

• What surprised me (good and bad. I really liked Latin!)

No guilt. No dwelling. Just facts for future me to work with.

Talk About It With the Kids

Instead of rushing into summer mode, I’m sitting down with the kids for a little end-of-year chat.
Something simple, like:

• What was your favorite thing we did this year?

• What was the hardest thing you’re proud you finished?

• What’s one thing you wish we could do more of next year?

It’s always hilarious and humbling to hear what they think was a big deal. (Spoiler: it’s usually not the fancy project I spent hours prepping.)

Actually Take a Break

This one’s hard for me.
When we wrap up, I’m going to fight the urge to immediately start researching next year’s curriculum or alphabetizing my bookshelf.

Instead, I’m declaring an actual break:

• No school plans or field trips. We’re gonna lean into a nice solid healthy boredom.

• No curriculum shopping “just for fun.” This one will be genuinely hard for me to stick to.

• No guilt for doing absolutely nothing productive for a few days.

Because resting well is part of homeschooling well. (Preaching to myself here.)

Ending the Homeschool Year Strong (for Real)

Finishing strong doesn’t mean cramming everything into the last few weeks. It means choosing gratitude over perfection. It means laughing about the flops, celebrating the wins, and trusting that the slow, steady work we did matters — even on the days it didn’t feel like it.

So here’s to the messy, beautiful finish lines. Here’s to the moms still showing up, even when summer is calling.

As usual, I’ll do a review of the curriculum we enjoyed this year (and maybe some we didn’t) as we get closer to the end of school, plus a preview of what we have planned for next school year. Keep an eye out for those blog posts soon. Check out last year’s end-of-year curriculum review here.

Here’s to ending the homeschool year strong!