Graduating from high school is a momentous event in any teenagers life, so it makes sense that you would want to celebrate it with them in a way that is not only tons of fun, but that is also guaranteed to create plenty of beloved memories for everyone.
A party is a great way to go about doing this, as there are so many different activities, decorations and foods that you can serve up to incorporate the graduation theme.
In fact, the possibilities are so vast when it comes to ideas for a graduation party that it can be a little intimidating to make your final decision.
With this in mind, we are going to be narrowing down all the possible options into forty particularly fantastic graduation party ideas (see also “22 Ideas For Cute Graduation Nails“) that are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime. Let’s get started.
1. Photo Booth/Wall
Nothing says making memories like taking tons of pictures, but you can ramp this up even more so by creating a dedicated photo wall where guests can take pictures.
A particularly good idea for this is to use a chalkboard divider, or just use a plain board and paint it with chalk board paint.
You can even paint a wall with chalkboard paint if you are willing to sacrifice one of the walls in your home in your backyard.
Setting up a photo booth is an option too, though this might take a bit more time and money than a photo wall.
2. Graduation Cap Cupcakes
Graduation caps are a great design to incorporate into all aspects of a graduation party due to how easy it is to do so, as demonstrated with these cute and delicious graduation cap cupcakes!
Once your chosen cupcakes are baked, simply use an upside down mini Reese’s peanut butter cup to sit in the middle of the cake.
Next, grab a small square of any kind of chocolate and place it on the upturned peanut butter cup. Decorate the top with some candy for the tassel, and voilà!
This is a versatile option too, as you can easily swap out the ingredients if you need to according to dietary requirements or the taste preferences of your guests.
3. Graduation Goodie Bags
The great thing about goodie bags is that you can fill them with a range of tokens and keepsakes for your guests.
Graduation themed gift bags could include all manner of items, from high school related memorabilia to snacks and even small pictures, such as photo strips or Polaroids.
4. Custom Graduation Cake
Nothing says party time like a delicious, extravagant cake and there are all sorts of ideas to choose from when it comes to a custom, graduation themed cake.
If you are having a particularly large high school graduation party, consider either baking or ordering a few custom cakes with different graduation themed designs.
5. Custom Graduation Balloons
Much like the aforementioned cake, balloons are another staple of a great party, so why not consider some custom graduation themed balloons for your party?
6. Graduation Cap Bottle Toppers
Remember how we talked about incorporating the graduation cap into every little aspect of your party? That’s exactly what you get with this next fun DIY project!
These bottle toppers are a super cute addition to any bottles at your graduation party, such as soda bottles or even just water bottles.
They are also a fun crafting project for those looking for a way to get creative with their party decor.
7. Memory Lane Trip
For the nostalgic among you, a display that shows you or your teenager growing up through the years up until the high school days and graduation day could be the perfect decor for a high school graduation party.
As well as offering a sweet and nostalgic touch to a high school graduation party, it could also make for some good-natured, embarrassing memories to lighten the mood.
8. Inflatable Obstacle Course
If you have the budget for it, an inflatable obstacle course can significantly liven up a high school graduation party, allowing yourself and your guests a chance to let loose and become kids again!
9. Graduation Wishes Card
These wish cards are an excellent talking point for a high school graduation party, allowing for your guests and yourself- if you’re not the graduate yourself- to offer nuggets of wisdom to the guest of honor.
For parents thinking of ways to offer their advice to their graduating teenager without being too forceful, these wish cards are the perfect addition to your party.
10. Graduation Themed Invitations
The fun can begin before the party even starts with these cute graduation party invitations.
The only limits when it comes to the design of your invitations is your imagination, though some cool high cool themes include that aforementioned graduation cap design.
11. Memorabilia Display
Much like the memory board decoration idea, the memorabilia display is all about bringing the best memories from high school together to be remembered during the party.
The difference between the memorabilia display and the memory board is that the display will feature items as well as pictures.
For example, it could include medals from competitions, sports attire, items from various clubs and school events etc.
12. Graduation Cap Cupcake Toppers
We mentioned making your own cupcakes shaped like graduation caps earlier, but if you don’t have the time to do this, then simply using some cupcake toppers shaped like graduation caps.
These toppers are pretty simple to find, with various designs able to be downloaded and printed online. You can also purchase them from websites such as Etsy, or go about making them yourself.
To add them to your cupcakes, simply stick the toppers onto the end of a cocktail stick and slide them into the cupcake.
13. Savory Diploma Rolls
At a high school graduation party, you will want to have some delicious finger foods on offer.
This is another element that you can easily incorporate a graduation theme into, such as with these diploma themed rolls.
There are all sorts of ways that you can make your own take on this roll, depending on the tastes of you and your guests.
All you need to maintain that graduation theme is keep the fillings neatly packed within rolls- such as tortillas- to represent diplomas and tie them up.
They can be tied up to emphasize the diploma design, with chives being a great way to do so.
14. Graduation Wreaths
Who said that wreaths were just for Christmas?
Decorating your front door with a graduation themed wreath is an excellent way for party guests to start getting pumped, as well as a lovely sentiment for the graduate in question.
15. Graduation Quote Board
A chalkboard featuring various handwritten quotes are the perfect way to offer a personalized piece of party decor.
Make sure to include the name of the graduate on the board as well as a quote that is meaningful to them in order to create a truly memorable board.
16. Ultimate Frisbee Game
If you are thinking of a game that would be fun for your guests to play, ultimate Frisbee is an awesome and unique choice.
Ultimate Frisbee is particularly popular with teenagers and young adults, so if your party is due to have a fair amount of high school graduates, then this could be a super fun, team building game to get them ready for their college antics!
17. Ice Cream Sundae Bar
Ice cream sundae bars are relatively simple to set up for a party, as well as one that is sure to be a winner for ice cream fans.
All you need to do is grab some different ice cream flavors and a range of toppings- such as candy, sprinkles, whipped cream, hot fudge, cookies, chocolate and fruit to name a few options- along with some cones, and bowls, and you should be ready to go.
Make sure to put the ice cream tubs in a tray filled with ice to keep it cold when it is served, and don’t forget the spoons!
18. Graduation Themed Centerpieces
Centerpieces are another decor option for high school graduation that is highly versatile, in that the only limits are your imagination!
You can opt for a centerpiece with pictures of the graduate to make things more personal, or some simple graduation themed designs to make your table set up a little more interesting.
19. Personalized Graduation Confetti
Whilst we are on the subject of decorating the party tables, graduation confetti is another great way to do so.
It is easy to personalize confetti with the name of the graduate too, so for a simple and efficient way to jazz up the decorations at a high school graduation party then this is the perfect choice.
20. Customized Graduation Lawn Sign
Whether it is to celebrate their graduation, embarrass them a little bit or if you want to do both, then a customized sign for your front lawn to place during the party could be what you are looking for.
There are various sellers on websites such as Etsy that allow you to customize your sign with different kinds of information too.
21. Cake Roll Diplomas
Much like the savory diploma snacks that we mentioned earlier, these cake rolls are designed to look like miniature diplomas, making for delicious, perfectly themed desserts.
Whether they are store bought or homemade, all you need to do to create that diploma look is to tie a piece of ribbon around them.
22. Pirouette Cookie Diplomas
If cookies are more your thing, Pirouette cookies are the perfect shape and size to create some diploma themed desserts.
Just like with the cake rolls, the finishing touch to the cookie diploma is a ribbon tied around the middle.
23. Graduation Brownies
Perhaps brownies are the dessert of choice for your party guests, in which case, consider these delicious graduation themed brownies.
There are plenty of ways that you can decorate your brownies to give them a graduation feel, such as this particular example which puts emoji candies on the corner of the brownies and pairs them with a square of upside down chocolate to make it look as though the emoji is wearing a graduation cap (see also “What Does Wearing Cords Mean At A Highschool Graduation?“).
24. School Colors
Using a certain color scheme across your party is a great way to bring that school spirit to a graduation party.
The school colors can also be a nice way to commemorate those all important high school memories.
There are tons of ways you can do this, such as by coloring the decorations, the food or even setting a dress code that utilizes the right colors.
25. College Colors
College colors are also a great choice for a high school graduate party, as it can build anticipation for any upcoming college enrollment.
Much like with school colors, you can use the colors of the graduates chosen college in a range of ways, from balloons to cakes to streamers, confetti and more.
26. Chips And Dips Bar
Another option when it comes to snacks to serve at your high school graduation party, an epic chips and dips bar is a sure fire crowd pleaser.
From Doritos to Fritos, Cheetos and more, there are tons of options you can choose from when it comes to chips.
Remember to include some vegan friendly options as well as other kinds of chips for those with certain dietary restrictions.
A top tip if you are planning on serving your chips on a board is to use a board with a lip so that you know for sure that the chips won’t fall off.
27. Polaroid Guestbook
A fun way to get your guests involved with the memories that you plan to make with your party is via a Polaroid guestbook.
The idea with this is that you leave a Polaroid camera next to a guestbook to encourage your guests to take their picture and stick it in the book before they sign it.
This can lead to a ton of fun with your guests, as well as the perfect way to remember the party in the years to come.
28. Burger Bar
Nothing beats a classic burger when it comes to party food, so a burger bar is another excellent choice for a high school graduation party.
Burger bars are pretty easy to set up as well, but remember to opt for a wide variety of burger fillings and bun types to suit a range of diets.
29. Graduation Lanterns
Lanterns are a great way to decorate during any kind of party, and high school graduation parties are no exception!
There are different ways that you can incorporate the graduation theme with lanterns, whether it is lanterns in particular shapes or lanterns that reflect the school or college colors of your chosen color palette.
30. Photo Wreath
We mentioned wreathes themed around graduation earlier, but with this kind of wreath, the main event in question are pictures of the graduate.
You can use pictures of them growing up if you are going for a nostalgia theme, or use pictures purely from their time in high school.
31. Photo Table Runner
If you want to go all in with the pictures and memories at your party, then a photograph table runner is a great way to do so.
Much like with the wreath, you can use a range of different pictures such as childhood memories, high school moments and everything in between.
You might want to keep the table runner after the party ends, in which case make sure to keep in well protected so that no accidental stains or spillages.
32. Graduation Showcase Table
A showcase table brings together both a photo board with a memorabilia table, combining the two decoration options to create a table that is full of fun and memories.
Some particularly effective elements of a graduation showcase table includes pictures, sports gear, club memorabilia, confetti, balloons, and bunting.
33. Graduation Themed Yard Decorations
We talked about a graduation sign earlier, but there are tons of other options that are possible when it comes to yard decorations themed around graduation.
Congratulations signs, the graduate’s name and the year of their graduation are all particularly noteworthy options for graduation lawn decorations.
34. Balloon Arches
Balloon arches have become an incredibly popular decorative item to use at parties, including graduation celebrations.
A particular way to make a balloon arch stand out as a high school graduation decoration is to ensure that the colors match your chosen color palette- such as school colors or college colors- and incorporate balloons in the shape of the graduation year into the design.
35. Jenga Guestbook
Whilst this isn’t exactly a book per se, it is a creative and fun idea to make memories with party guests.
All you need to do is get yourself a Jenga block tower and then ask your guests to write their name along with a memory that the two of you have together.
You will end up with tons of blocks to symbolize your high school memories!
36. Hanging String Lights
Hanging lights are perfect for adding ambience to any party, and a high school graduation party is no exception.
Suitable for use both inside and outside (so long as the weather is good), hanging string lights can brighten the occasion in more ways than one.
37. Graduation Themed Games
There are all sorts of fun games that can be played at a graduation party, be it inside or outside games.
Have a discussion with your guests first to see what kind of games they might want to play, and make sure to take into account how many people are going to be there.
38. Candy Bar
For those with a sweet tooth, a candy bar (as in a bar filled with candy and not just the one candy bar!) is a super fun and tasty way to spruce up a graduation party.
Just make sure that there are some kind of guidelines if there are going to be younger kids around to avoid too many sugar rushed children running around!
39. Popcorn Bar
Another beloved snack for many, setting up a popcorn bar makes for a fun way to offer party guests a unique party snack.
Offer some sides to go along with your popcorn too, such as candy or nuts, as well as the option to enjoy sweet or salty popcorn depending on your guests preferences.
40. Cupcake Tower
We discussed graduation themed cupcakes earlier, but if you have enough cupcakes to do so, then why not consider creating a graduation cupcake tower?
Cupcake towers are aesthetically pleasing as well as highly delicious, making for a piece of party decor as well as a delightful selection of desserts.
Final Thoughts
So there you have forty different ideas that are sure to liven up a high school graduation party.
Whether you are looking for ideas for food, decorations, displays or games to play (see also “300+ Of The Funniest And Most Shocking Truth Or Dares For Teens“), you are sure to find something that takes your fancy from our extensive list, all of which are guaranteed to help create the best memories possible!
