Ideas for Spirit Days at School

Spirit days allow students to break out of the monotony of the school year by having some fun and dressing in a humorous fashion. Many schools have a spirit week, comprised of themed days, leading up to major sporting events or important high-stakes tests. When establishing spirit days, schools generally create a dress theme, and encourage students to come decked out in wacky and outlandish garb.

Students flip-flop their garments for this easy-to-implement spirit day. Students can flip around their shirts, pants or skirts, or even wear their glasses on the backs of their heads. This creates an interesting and unusual look as students walk down the hall in reversed garb.

Turn your school into a blast from the past. Ask students to select a decade, and dress as individuals did during that time period for this spirit day. Students can raid their parents' closets and brush the dust off of '60s, '70s and '80s garb, then wear the relics to school. This spirit day pairs well with an abridged lesson in American history, allowing students to see what America looked like in the decade being discussed.

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Students imitate their favorite teachers on this spirit day. Encourage students to integrate elements that are characteristic of their favorite teachers into their wardrobe. Girls may want to wear their hair pulled into a bun, like their favorite English teacher, or boys may come to school in shorts and wear a whistle around their neck, like their beloved football coach. At the end of the day, have an assembly and award a prize for the student who looks most like the teacher that he decided to imitate.

Students dress in comfort for this popular spirit day, attending school in their PJ pants and tops. Allow students to roll out of bed and come to school, without even changing clothes. Some students may even elect to wear slippers or carry a stuffed animal around throughout the day. Before implementing this spirit day, carefully explain what is and is not acceptable, as some night clothes are not appropriate for public consumption.

This spirit day is a wonderful choice for spirit week, or an ideal activity for the days leading up to a school career day. Ask students to select a future job, and dress as someone in that occupation might. Students can wear scrubs, show up in a business suit or dress as a professional athlete, showing their future career goals through their attire.