Boosting school spirit is one of the smartest things a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) can do.
Because smiles are contagious and schools can’t possibly have enough of them.
Happy students and staff make for a happier school overall, and that’s a major goal of any school parent group!
Fostering school spirit means different things for students, teachers and staff.
For students, it’s getting them involved and excited.
For teachers and staff, it means making sure they feel seen and appreciated (and anything but taken for granted).
When staff feel appreciated and students feel excited, the whole energy of the school shifts.
The trick is creating events and perks that don’t just feel like “one more thing” on everyone’s to-do list.
Here are some fun school spirit week themes to add to your PTO and school’s calendar of events.
Use them to craft an entire school spirit week or an impromptu spirit day when the mood of the school needs lifting!
Combined School Spirit Week Boosters for Students & Staff Together
Some of the best community builders are the ones where students get to see their teachers letting their personalities shine, especially when it happens in unexpected ways.
The Teachers vs. Students Showdown
Host a kickball, dodgeball, or volleyball game pitting the adults against the students.
Seeing the Principal get tagged out in kickball is instant core-memory material for kids.
Talent Show
Host an after school assembly and invite all to attend an all-school talent show.
You’ll be surprised at the number of talents people have to share!
One year, my son’s Social Studies teacher busted out skateboard tricks, and another performed an original rap dedicated to the beloved Principal.
School-Wide Flash Mob or Video
Coordinate a simple, fun dance routine.
Have a PTO volunteer (Elementary schools) or an A/V club student (Middle and High School) record snippets of different classrooms and staff departments in action, then edit it together.
Post to your PTO’s social media accounts and watch the views rack up.
Spirit Days and School Spirit Weeks
A tried and true way to have some fun and instantly lighten moods.
Keep reading for a bunch of spirit day theme ideas!
The High-Five Tunnel
On Friday mornings, have PTO volunteers, the school mascot, and local high school athletes or band members line the entrance to high-five kids as they walk in.
This fabulous start of the day sets an incredible tone.
This concept works best for elementary school students.
Spirit Swag Cart
Instead of just selling hoodies, have a “pop-up” cart that visits classrooms or lunches.
Give out temporary tattoos, school-color hair scrunchies, or stickers for water bottles.
You can use these as rewards for good behavior or raffle prizes.
This spirit booster works best for elementary school students.
You can easily make this work in a middle or high school setting by setting up a table in the cafeteria so that all students get a chance to get a prize.
Custom Photo Backdrops
Set up a permanent or rotating photo-booth corner in the cafeteria or lobby with fun props and a school-branded backdrop.
Recruit some volunteers to create a balloon arch for an extra special touch.
Kids love taking pictures with their friends during lunch or transition times and teachers and staff are sure to get in on this activity too.
Spirit Boosters Just for School Staff: Making Them Feel Like Rockstars
Staff spirit directly impacts student spirit.
If the teachers and staff are burnt out, it’s hard to rally the kids.
The Room Service Cart
Roll a cart through the hallways during a planning period loaded with premium coffee, sparkling water, snacks, and maybe some chocolate. Let them pick a treat right from their door.
Cover Teacher Duties
Work with administration to have PTO volunteers take over the morning drop off line, recess, lunch duty afternoon pick up for a day.
Giving teachers an extra 30 minutes of uninterrupted time is better than any coffee mug you could ever buy them.
Caught You Being Awesome Raffle
Set up a station where parents and students can write quick shout-outs to specific staff members.
Drop them in a box, read a few over the morning announcements, and draw one each week for a gift card or other small prize.
School Spirit Day Theme Ideas
Here’s a curated list of school spirit week ideas, ranging from effortless classics to creative, modern themes that boost maximum participation for both students, teachers, and staff.
Classic & Low-Prep Spirit Day Theme Ideas
- School Colors: Students and staff show their school pride by wearing school colors or all of their school logo gear. This is a great way to encourage spirit wear fundraising sales! School colors spirit days give everyone a reason to wear their wares on a more frequent basis.
- Pajama Day: The undisputed champion of no-prep necessary spirit days. Roll out of bed, throw on a robe, and head to school.
- Inside-Out Day: Wear clothes entirely inside-out. It costs absolutely nothing and requires zero prep for busy parents.
- Backwards Day: Wear clothes backward. This is another spirit day that doesn’t require planning and kids who forgot can flip their hoodie or shirt around and not feel left out of the silliness.
- Hat Day: A simple, but massive hit, since most school dress codes don’t allow hats. Let kids wear their favorite ball caps, visors, beanies, or a wacky homemade creation.
- Wacky Hair Day: Wild hairstyles held together with temporary spray or gel.
- Pattern Day: The ultimate fashion crime day. Challenge students to wear stripes, polka dots, plaid, and camouflage all at the same time.
- Mismatched Shoe Day: Wear non-matching shoes.
- Wacky Socks Day: Mismatched, brightly colored socks make for a fun spirit day.
- Color Wars (Grade vs. Grade): Assign a specific color to each grade level (e.g., 6th grade wears red, 7th wears blue, 8th wears black) to create a fun, competitive energy.
Decades & Time Travel Spirit Day Theme Ideas
- Decades Day: Pick a classic era or let students choose their own—50s poodle skirts, 70s tie-dye and disco, 80s neon and big hair, or 90s grunge.
- Old vs. Young (Grandpas vs. Babies): Encourage students to dress like senior citizens (cardigans, fake gray hair, reading glasses) or toddlers.
- Career / College Day: Students and staff dress up as their future dream job (doctors, astronauts, chefs) or wear gear from a college they love.
- Eras Mash Up: Maximize creativity by mixing fashion elements from different eras into one outfit (like matching an ’80s neon windbreaker with a 1920s flapper headband).
Pop Culture, Books, & Characters Spirit Day Theme Ideas
- Dress Like a Teacher / Dress Like a Student: A crowd favorite. Students wear cardigans, lanyards, and carry coffee mugs, while teachers wear oversized hoodies, sneakers, and backpacks.
- Rhyme Without Reason: Students pair up and dress as two things that rhyme but have absolutely nothing else to do with each other (e.g., “A Ghost and a Toast,” “A Pig and a Wig,” or “Space and a Vase”).
- Fictional Character Day: Broad enough to include favorite book characters, movie icons, superheroes, or video game characters.
- Heroes vs. Villains: Pick a side! Students and staff can dress up as classic comic book protagonists or infamous pop-culture antagonists.
Dynamic Duos & Team Spirit Day Theme Ideas
- Twin Day: Find a best friend, a group of friends, or a favorite teacher and dress identically.
- Dynamic Duos: Coordinate with a partner to dress as famous pairs (e.g., Peanut Butter & Jelly, Mario & Luigi, or Salt & Pepper).
- Country vs. City: Cowboy boots, flannel, and overalls vs. sleek streetwear, trench coats, or “city tourist” cameras and sunglasses.
- Team Day: Dress up in a school jersey or professional sports or college gear
Creative Spirit Day Theme Ideas
- Neon / Glow Day: Brighten up the hallways with highlighter-colored clothes, neon socks, and glow sticks.
- Dress Like a Parent Day: Kids raid their parents’ closets to replicate their looks.
- Teacher Day Lookalike Day: Twin with a teacher or dress up as your favorite staff member.
- Hawaiian Day: Tropical floral shirts, bucket hats, sunglasses, and leis (especially fun during the gloomy winter months to boost morale).
- Anything But a Backpack Day: Challenge students to bring their school supplies in anything but the traditional backpack.
- Dress to Impress: Ask all to wear dressy clothing for a day.
- Meme Day: Dress up like a favorite meme or challenge students and staff to create their own
- Tacky Tourist Day: This theme can be interpreted in so many fun way.
- Holiday Day: Dress up like a favorite holiday.
Quick Tips for School Spirit Week Boosting Success
Keep it equitable
Ensure that any spirit gear or event is accessible to every student, regardless of financial background.
If you’re selling spirit shirts, organize a sponsor fund to give a stash of extras to the school counselor to hand out discreetly.
Ask, don’t guess
If you don’t know what will best resonate with the students, ask a teacher or staff member for the latest craze that has everyone talking and go from there.
For a home run teacher and staff appreciation activity, drop a 2-question anonymous Google Form to the staff asking them what actually makes them feel appreciated.
You might find out they prefer a quiet lunch over anything else!
Over to You!
The key to a good spirit week that gets a lot of participation is to pick a theme and activities that are tailored to the age set of your school community.
What works well for elementary school students may be utterly cringeworthy for the middle school students.
So keep that in mind, but don’t underestimate the fact that all school aged students are kids and enjoy doing something fun!
Resources You’ll Love
Create excitement for Homecoming week with this customizable spirit week flyer!
