3 Easy Ways to Encourage Your Students to Plan a Healthy and Fulfilling Summer

Simple Strategies to End the School Year with Purpose

Students leaving school for the summer ready to go because they are set for summer success.
Help your students head into summer with purpose, positivity, and a plan that supports their growth beyond the classroom.

The end of the school year is approaching fast. That countdown in the corner of your whiteboard keeps shrinking, and your to-do list keeps growing. Testing is done. Grades are nearly in. And the admin is sending daily reminders that “the year isn’t over yet.”

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

But what if this time of year wasn’t just about wrapping up… what if it was about setting up your students for something more?

You’ve poured your heart into your classroom all year—guiding your students, cheering them on, and helping them grow in ways that aren’t always visible on a test score. Of course, you want that growth to continue. Of course, you want to send them off with care. Set your students up for summer success so they can look ahead with confidence instead of only looking back.

Here are three simple ways to help your students step into summer with purpose, confidence, and just a little structure—without adding more work for you.

1. Create a Summer Success Plan

Have you thought about helping your students build a simple, meaningful plan for their summer?

The Summer Success Plan invites them to reflect on how far they’ve come—and then make a plan for where they’d like to go. You might start with a class brainstorm: What’s something you’ve grown in this year? What’s something you’d love to keep working on? Then, invite them to choose just a few goals for summer—personal, academic, or emotional.

Maybe one student wants to try reading a new genre. Another might want to practice acts of kindness, journal each morning, or keep working on math fact fluency. The beauty is—it’s theirs.

✨ Bonus Idea: Let students share their Summer Success Plans during a final celebration, Open House, or as part of a family slideshow. It’s a lovely way to close out the year with intention and pride.

Want a step-by-step version that’s ready to go? [Check out my Summer Success Plan resource here.]

Student reading outdoors during summer as part of summer success plan.
This time of year is perfect for helping students reflect and create simple routines that support their summer success.

2. Help Students Track Healthy Habits

Summer can easily slip into “anything goes” mode. But what if students had a simple, fun way to stay connected to the good habits they’ve built all year long?

A Healthy Habits Tracker gives students a chance to check off things like drinking water, getting good sleep, playing outside, helping at home, or reading for fun. You could even let them create their own personalized checklist before the last day of school.

✨ Why it works: Students thrive when they feel like their choices matter. A tracker gives them structure and agency—and reminds them that taking care of themselves is powerful.

(Peek at the Healthy Habits Tracker here)

Child journaling outdoor during summer because he is proud of his use of his time and his goals.
A little reflection goes a long way—students thrive when given time and space to consider how they want to grow.

3. Make a Vision Board Together

You’ve helped your students imagine and write stories all year—what if you helped them imagine their own summer?

A simple vision board can help students reflect on what they hope to do, feel, or remember in the weeks ahead. You can give them a template with open-ended spaces to draw, write, or paste photos of things like:

  • People they want to spend time with
  • Books they want to read
  • New skills or hobbies to try
  • Ways they want to rest, move, or create

You might even host a mini “vision board party” in class or invite families to join in at home.

💡 Tip: Keep it fun, low-pressure, and open-ended. There’s no right or wrong way to imagine a summer that feels good.

Wrap-Up: A Gift That Keeps Giving

Your students have worked hard this year. You have worked hard this year. And as the final days tick by, it’s okay to want the transition into summer to feel just a little more thoughtful. A little more rooted in all the growth you’ve cultivated together.

These simple activities—vision boards, healthy habit tracking, and summer success planning—can help students walk into the break feeling empowered, seen, and supported.

Because when students leave your classroom feeling like they matter, the magic doesn’t end with the final bell.

Extend the Learning: Resources to Support a Strong Finish

If you’re looking for a few more ready-to-use tools to help set your students up for summer success and to finish the year feeling confident, reflective, and celebrated, here’s a curated list just for you:

Summer Growth Resources

  • Summer Success Plan – A meaningful way to help students reflect, set goals, and plan for their summer

  • Healthy Habits Tracker – Encourage personal growth and responsibility in a fun, student-friendly format

  • Summer Mindset Journal – Daily prompts and reflection pages to help students stay mindful all summer

  • Nature Journal – A peaceful, observation-based journal perfect for curious learners who love the outdoors

  • Summer Poetry Activities – Add creativity and expression to the final weeks of school with fun poetry formats

Students leaving school for summer ready for what is next because they have a plan to be successful over the summer.
Our job isn’t just to close out the school year—it’s to help them walk forward with confidence and clarity.

Celebrate Student Writing

  • My Teacher is a Superhero – A joyful end-of-year writing and publishing activity students can proudly share at awards, class parties, or in their final writing portfolio

Bonus: Self-Assessment Writing Survey (Free Download!)

Want to give your students one last opportunity to reflect on their writing growth?
Grab my free Student Writing Self-Assessment Survey—a quick, meaningful way to help students recognize their progress, strengths, and next steps.

You’re doing more than just closing out a school year. You’re helping set your students up for summer success AND to carry everything they’ve learned into their next chapter. Thank you for all you do.

Thank you for showing up day after day and giving so much of yourself. Keep sharing your sunshine. Keep spreading your magic. The world needs you.

With gratitude,

Kinla