As the semester winds down, the art room buzzes with a mix of excitement, creativity, and a hint of exhaustion. You want to celebrate your students’ growth and hard work, but elaborate prep and glitter explosions aren’t on your wish list. The good news? You can end the year with cozy, creative art parties that feel like a celebration and a lesson. These low-prep ideas invite students to recognize and reflect on what they’ve learned without adding to your stress.
Keep reading for fun ideas to wrap up the semester, keep your sanity, and still teach art!
Note: Adhere to your district and school’s food and allergy guidelines. If you notice a student who appears hungry or is experiencing food insecurity, promptly reach out to your administrator and professional school counselor to ensure the student receives support and resources.
Art Movie + Sketch Party
If you covered figure drawing earlier in the semester, this party is a great review. Watch a school-appropriate winter movie and pause it at random points. Students do quick gesture sketches of the characters before continuing the movie. Share the Figure Drawing Guide from FLEX Curriculum for drawing reminders.
Art Lesson Topic: Figure Drawing
Low-Prep Tip: Keep it short (30 minutes max), and then share sketches and reflections.
Happy Little Painting Party
Channel the calm, cozy vibes of classic TV painting lessons! Play a relaxing landscape painting video (or lead your own step-by-step demo). Students will follow along and paint their own landscape. Encourage them to make it their own by swapping colors, adding details, or reimaging the scene in their own way. Play gentle background music, and set out cocoa or candy canes for a “paint-and-sip” vibe. Conclude with a “mini art show” where students display their works for a celebratory gallery walk.
Art Lesson Topic: Landscape Painting and Color Mixing
Low-Prep Tip: Stick with one scene or limited colors. Use paper plate palettes for fast cleanup!
Art Gallery Opening Reception
Student-led art shows are a great way to promote student agency. Turn your classroom into an art gallery for one class period. Students hang or display their favorite piece(s) from the semester. Then, students walk around and leave sticky notes with positive feedback for classmates. If your school allows, ask the students to dress up for their “opening day reception.” Invite other faculty to stop by, provide snacks, and celebrate how far your students have come!
Art Lesson Topic: Presenting & Critiquing Artwork
Low-Prep Tip: Print downloadable prompts to generate intentional positive feedback.
Paper Snowflake Snowstorm
Play relaxing winter vibes music, and give each student a piece of paper to create a paper snowflake. Combine into a hanging installation or mobile to transform the classroom or hallway into a winter wonderland. Use tape or string to hang. No prep, paint, or glitter required!
Art Lesson Topic: Paper Engineering & Symmetry
Low-Prep Tip: Use copy paper or magazine paper to save your budget.
“Snowball” Challenges
Games are a fun way to engage students who are already mentally on winter break. Roll up prompts inside paper “snowballs” made from crumpled white paper. Students catch the “snowballs” and draw the mini challenge within a specified timeframe. Give prizes for the most completed prompts, fan favorites, most original, and more.
Get started with these three chilly prompts:
- Draw the coldest thing you can imagine.
- Create an arctic creature using only shapes.
- Draw yourself in the Winter Olympics.
Art Lesson Topic: Creative Thinking
Low-Prep Tip: Use a silly winter-themed online timer to visually boost energy levels!
Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Challenge
Practice positive and negative shapes and space in a delicious way! Give each student a few chocolate sandwich cookies, a toothpick, and a napkin. Using the toothpick like a sculpting tool, students “carve” designs by removing parts of the white filling. Encourage them to explore the relationship between light and dark, as well as the contrast between positive and negative.
Art Lesson Topic: Positive and Negative Shapes and Space
Low-Prep Tip: Project or hand out the Understanding Positive and Negative Space Resource in FLEX Curriculum.
Cozy Art Exchange + Cocoa Bar
Students create one small artwork or an Artist Trading Card inspired by a winter prompt, such as Frosty, Peaceful, or Glistening. Roll dice or use a spinner for a compositional requirement to include, such as Rule of Thirds, Symmetrical, or Diagonal. Sip cocoa while making and exchanging work before heading to break!
Art Lesson Topic: Composition
Low-Prep Tip: Use index cards, leftover supplies, and instant cocoa packets for very minimal prep.
As you wrap up the semester and art room, remember that celebration can be simple and meaningful. With a little intentionality, you can end with laughter, artmaking, and reflection. Honor your students’ creativity, strengthen classroom community, and use up your miscellaneous art supplies with a few of the joy-filled art parties above. Turn a busy week in the art studio into something truly memorable and magical that your students will cherish for years to come!
How do you celebrate the end of the semester with your art students?
What is a low-prep art party idea that you would add to this list?
To chat about end-of-semester celebrations with other art teachers, join us in The Art of Ed Community!
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
