Fun End-of-Year Gift Ideas and Our Week at Home — Cycle 2 Week 23
It is Cycle 2 Week 23, and we are getting so close to the end of our school year! This week I want to share what we have been learning at home, but I also want to talk about something that has been on my heart for the past few weeks — end-of-year gifts! If you are a tutor, a parent, or part of a homeschool community, I have some fun and meaningful gift ideas that tie right into what we have been learning this year in Cycle 2.
I have been quietly putting together little gift bags for the kids I tutor, and I am so excited about how they are turning out. I also rounded up some other gift ideas that would be perfect for your own children or for anyone in your Classical homeschooling community. Keep reading for all the details!
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Cycle 2 Week 22 Recap
Last week in Cycle 2 Week 22, I was so thrilled to officially share the Personalized Student Timeline Cards that I have been working on! These custom cards are designed in the same style as the timeline cards our kids already know and love, but they feature your child’s photo, name, and fun facts. I shared all about why I think they make the most meaningful end-of-year keepsake and how you can order one for your own kids or for the children in your tutor class. I also talked about the special pricing I offer for families, co-ops, and classes ordering multiple cards. If you missed that post, you can read all about the personalized timeline cards here!
We also continued working through our Cycle 2 memory work, learning about Oceania in geography, the fall of communism in history, and some ways light is observed in science. My girls enjoyed the book Inky’s Amazing Escape by Sy Montgomery, and we have been soaking up the warmer weather outside!
End-of-Year Gift Ideas for Cycle 2
As we get closer and closer to the end of our homeschool year, I always start thinking about how we can celebrate the hard work and growth that has happened over these past months. There is something so special about pausing at the end of a cycle and saying to your kids or the children you tutor, “You did it. You worked hard, you learned so much, and I am so proud of you.”
Last year during Cycle 1, I put together a whole list of end-of-year gift ideas that tied into what we learned that year. This year, I am doing the same thing but with a Cycle 2 twist! Whether you are thinking of a small surprise for your own kids or a thoughtful gift for the children in your tutor class or community, I hope this list gives you some great ideas.
What I Am Giving My Tutor Class This Year
This year in Cycle 2, we have been learning so much about astronomy and the solar system in science, and I wanted the end-of-year gifts for the kids I tutor to reflect that. I decided to put together little space-themed gift bags for each child, and I am so happy with how they are coming together!
Inside each bag, I am including a make-your-own solar system craft kit, a fun little space slide puzzle, and a planets sticker book. The solar system craft is such a sweet hands-on activity that the kids can do at home over the summer, and it connects right back to what they have been learning about the planets and our solar system this year. The slide puzzle is a fun little extra that ties into the space theme and gives them something they can play with on the go. Plus kids always love stickers, especially space themed ones!
I found the cutest space-themed gift bags to put everything in, and they really pull the whole thing together. If you are a tutor looking for an easy and affordable way to celebrate your students at the end of the year, I love the idea of picking a theme that connects to something you learned together and building a little gift around it. It does not have to be expensive or complicated. It just has to come from the heart, and the kids will love it.
More Gift Ideas for CC Students and Your Own Kids
Beyond what I am giving my tutor class, here are some other gift ideas that I love for this year. Some of these are Cycle 2 specific, and some work beautifully no matter what cycle you are in!
Personalized Student Timeline Cards
If you read last week’s post, you already know how much I love these! My Personalized Student Timeline Cards are designed in the same style as the timeline cards your kids already use and love, but they feature your child’s photo, name, and personalized fun facts. These work for any cycle and make such a meaningful keepsake. I truly believe this is one of the most special gifts you can give a child at the end of their school year. It tells them, “You are part of this story too.”
Each card is $9.99, and I offer special pricing for multiple orders. Use code BUY2SAVE for 15% off two or more cards, or BUY5SAVE for 25% off five or more cards — perfect for tutors ordering for a whole class! I also have a Customizable Canva template if you want to design your own. If you are planning to order, please do so soon so I have plenty of time to make each card beautiful!
Geo Puzzles — Europe and Asia
We have spent so much of this year in Cycle 2 learning about Europe and Asia in geography, and these Geo Puzzles are a fantastic way to reinforce all of that learning! Each puzzle piece is shaped like a country, so kids get to physically piece together the continents they have been studying all year. Last year I recommended the Africa puzzle for Cycle 1, and this year the Europe puzzle and the Asia puzzle are perfect for Cycle 2! They also have a set with ALL of the puzzles if you want the whole collection.
Memory Work Meadowland Game
This is one of my favorite games I have created, and it works for all three cycles! Memory Work Meadowland is a fun spring-themed board game (think Candy Land!) that reviews Classical memory work across every subject — timeline, math, English, Latin, science, history, and geography. It is such a fun way for kids to review everything they have learned this year, and it makes a wonderful gift because families can keep playing it all summer long.
Presidents Games
These THREE different U.S. President games are a great way to learn about the different presidents with your children! I have a Presidents Bingo game with 20 unique Bingo cards, a Presidents Showdown card game similar to the game “War” with 6 different important facts about each of the 47 presidents, and a Presidents Memory card game. Since we have been learning about so much American history this year in Cycle 2 — from the American Revolution all the way through modern times — these games are a perfect way for kids to connect the presidents to the historical events they have been memorizing. Check all three out in my shop below!
Cycle 2 Historyopoly!
If your family loved Historyopoly for Cycle 1, you are going to love the Cycle 2 version! This engaging, educational history-themed board game lets players buy, trade, and own famous historical events — just like the classic game we all know, but with all of the historical events from Cycle 2 history. From the Christ-centered Reformation to the Gulf War and everything in between, your kids will be reviewing the history they have been memorizing all year long while having an absolute blast. It is the perfect way to keep that history fresh over the summer! Check it out in my shop below!
Toniebox Audio Player
If I had to pick my favorite toy that my kids have ever been given, it would be their Toniebox! It is a screen-free audio player that is durable, kid-friendly, and perfect for young children. My girls will dance around for hours listening to songs and stories. The Maestro Tonie and the Peter and the Wolf Tonie tie in perfectly with the orchestra and fine arts we have been learning about this year. This is a bigger gift, so it is a great option for your own kids or as a family gift!
United States Activity Book, Patterns, and Cycle 3 Geography Passport
If you’re starting to think about planning for Cycle 3 next year, my United States Activity Book, United States and Great Lake Patterns and Cycle 3 Geography Passport are wonderful options! You can start using them with your kids this summer!
More Cycle 3 resources, including the Cycle 3 Memory Work Activity Book, are coming soon so stay tuned!
Our Week 23 Rhythm
While I have been busy putting together end-of-year gifts behind the scenes, we have of course been keeping up with our regular homeschool rhythm too! Here is a peek at our week.
Morning Time and Devotions
We are continuing to enjoy our morning devotional time together as a family. Spring has been such a sweet season to talk with the girls about new life, growth, and all the ways God is at work around us. Starting our day grounded in His word sets the tone for everything else we do.
Math and Language Arts
We are still going strong with The Good and the Beautiful for both math and language arts! My oldest is working through Level 2 math and Level 1 Language Arts and Literature, and my four-year-old is doing her Kindergarten Prep curriculum. We always do these lessons first thing after devotional time while everyone is fresh and focused.
Weekly Memory Work
We worked through all of our Cycle 2 Week 23 memory work this week! In geography, we learned about Central Asia, focusing on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. These are such fun country names to say, and my girls loved practicing them! I am continuing to review all of our geography with my oldest using her Cycle 2 Geography Passport as she works toward Geography Subject Master this year. We are getting so close to the end, and she is doing such a great job keeping all of those countries fresh in her memory!
In history, we learned about the Gulf War and how in 1990, President George H.W. Bush sent troops to the Persian Gulf to expel Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. We are getting into more modern history now, and it is fascinating to learn about events that happened in my own lifetime!
In science, we learned about how heat flows — radiation, conduction, and convection. My girls thought it was so interesting to think about the different ways heat moves and to notice examples of each one in our everyday life. We used our Cycle 2 Memory Work Activity Books, placemats, and songs throughout the week to review and practice all of our subjects.
We also enjoyed some wonderful read-alouds this week! Be sure to check out my Cycle 2 booklist for picture books that connect to every week of the memory work this cycle. We are also continuing to enjoy books about the orchestra and instruments, which has been such a lovely thread running through our year.
Tutor Ideas for Classical Homeschooling
If you are part of a Classical homeschooling community, are you tutoring? If you are, be sure to check out my posts with tutor ideas for each week here.
Also, I have a YouTube channel where I make videos with tutor and memory work ideas each week. Below is my tutor video for Cycle 2 Week 23. Visit my channel for tutor ideas for many other weeks and other videos with homeschooling tips and encouragement.
Cycle 2 Week 23 Memory Work Games
Here are some fun games you can play with your kids this week to practice the memory work. You can sign up below to receive these FREE games!
We are so close to the finish line of this beautiful year, and I hope you are feeling encouraged! Whether you are wrapping up gifts for your students, reviewing memory work with your kids at home, or just savoring these final weeks of learning together, know that the time and love you are pouring into your children matters so much. And if those personalized timeline cards caught your eye, please do not wait too long to get your order in, especially if you are ordering for a group. I want to make sure every card is perfect!
Please comment below with any questions, share your own end-of-year gift ideas, or tell me what has been working well for your family this year!
