The school year’s starting to wind down, and summer break is on the horizon! We’ve teamed up with educators to bring you real, classroom-tested ideas to keep students engaged in those final weeks. From creative book report alternatives to unforgettable family share night activities, these Breakout EDU projects will spark critical thinking, collaboration, and lasting memories. No matter your grade level or subject, you’ll find inspiration to end the year on a high note.

Book Report Alternatives

1. Design Games for Vocabulary and Comprehension

4th Grade Teacher Jenna M. saw incredible student engagement when she challenged her students to design their own games as a project to wrap up their classroom book clubs. She shared the following:

“While reading, I have my students log any new vocabulary words they find. They used their vocabulary log to create Breakout EDU games, which are digital escape rooms, using Breakout EDU’s Game Design Studio. They LOVED all the creative aspects of the Game Design Studio! They got to be game designers and even create their own images with Adobe Express.

As a teacher, I love that they had to have a strong understanding of the vocabulary to construct the puzzles and clues. They had to plan, work together, and think deeply about their books to create a successful game.”

2. Design Games for Novel Study Wrap-Ups

Students created kit-based games to go along with their novel study of Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss.

“Breakout EDU is a lifesaver this time of year! It is awesome to use as a review for concepts taught, but my FAVORITE project is one my 5th graders create after finishing the novel, Book Scavenger, by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman.

They divide into groups of 3-5 students and create their own Breakouts using the book as a reference. They create clues, images, locks, game setup instructions, and answer keys. After all the boxes (or digital puzzles) are finished, we spend several days playing each game. It is an amazing review of the book and so fun for students to see their classmates working through something they’ve created.

As a teacher, I love that there is not a single repeat puzzle....I’ve been running this project for at least 5 years, and every time the puzzles are new and interesting twists on the story we’ve read in class. It is a great way to not only see how well students have read the book, but also a way to let their individual creativity shine!”

– Jennifer Van Wijk, Gifted Program Specialist

3. Design Games for Unit Wrap-Up

Fifth grade teacher Melissa’s class built their own Breakout EDU games about the 13 colonies. Using the Game Design Studio, students crafted stories, puzzles, and clues—turning history into an immersive learning adventure.

End-of-Year Testing

4. Play Breakout+ for Post-Test Brain Breaks

4th grade students celebrate successfully breaking out of a Breakout+ game!

Do your students need a brain break after testing? Try Breakout+ point-and-click adventure games!

That’s exactly what 4th grade teacher Christopher Knox does in his classroom. Here’s what he had to say:

“The end of the school year brings thoughts of summer, but for my students, it also brings state testing. After silently toiling away all morning, my students love to de-stress with Breakout+ because they can collaborate with their friends and let loose. I don’t want to further fatigue their brains on a testing day by teaching new content, but these games keep them thinking while having a fun afternoon.”

– Christopher Knox, 4th Grade Teacher

This transition from test-taking to a collaborative and fun activity offers the perfect balance to re-energize students while still engaging their minds.

5. Play Curriculum-Aligned Games for Content Review

How do you get your students actively involved during review time? With a library of over 1000+ curriculum-aligned games, Breakout EDU is a great way to turn content review into an engaging, fun experience.

Here’s what that looks in 4th Grade Teacher @Venture_Fourth’s classroom and for Library Media Specialist Emma Ziegler:

A student works on standards-aligned puzzles to get ready for state testing.

“We are in the midst of test review breakouts! After their "boot camps," our teachers like to end their test review with a fun breakout right before our state tests. I work closely with teachers to make sure the breakouts are really emphasizing the most-tested standards, and teachers are hands-on during the games to bridge any learning gaps while the kids break out.”

– Emma Ziegler, Library Media Specialist

Open House Showcases

6. Design Games for Student Portfolios

6th grade students design their own Breakout EDU games using the Game Design Studio.

"We use Breakout EDU to turn end-of-year review into a celebration of learning. My students design immersive, student-led puzzles—from math missions to storytelling adventures inspired by our curriculum—and then create digital game portfolios for Open House that invite families to experience their journey. It’s a dynamic blend of creativity, reflection, and community engagement."

– Lisa Moe, 6th Grade Teacher

6th grade students present their game creations at the school’s Open House event.

7. Design Games for Family Show-And-Tell Night

5th grade students share the games they designed as part of their ESTEAM project with their families and friends.

Fifth graders at Yorktown Central School District took their learning to the next level by designing their own Breakout EDU games!

As a culminating ESTEAM (Empathy, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) project, students researched environmental challenges within Earth’s spheres and created games to showcase solutions. Their creativity didn’t stop there—they even hosted a show-and-tell night where families, students from other classes, and district administrators played their games and watched a space-themed musical.

This hands-on, collaborative experience made science more engaging and memorable while reinforcing real-world problem-solving skills.

8. Hold a School-Wide Academic Competition

Students participate in the Academic Showcase, where all the schools come together to play Breakout EDU games.

“One of our favorite activities is hosting a district-wide event called the Academic Showcase, where all the schools come together to play Breakout games. This not only engages students in a fun and interactive way but also allows them to showcase their learning in an exciting format.

We organize the games by grade level bands: Kindergarten participates separately, followed by grades 1-3, 4-6, and 7-8. We also invite parents to come and watch, making it a community celebration of learning.”

– Nicoleta Tsapaliaris, Gifted Specialist Coach

More End-of-Year Inspiration

9. Reward Students and Celebrate the Last Weeks of School

Students collaborate to solve puzzles, decipher clues, and unlock a series of virtual locks.

“I love to use Breakout EDU at the end of the school year as I do all year and that is as a start up activity for my classes and as a reward. I use the puzzles that they solve and count them as points. 1 point for Lock of the Day, 3 for the monthly big puzzles that I assign and 5 for the Breakout +. At the end of the month, I tally up their points and they have a shopping event to buy small prizes.

Also, as the year comes to a close, I do all the Field Day breakouts to get them ready for the real field day in June!!”

– Annmarie Palumbo, Middle School Educator 

“I use BreakoutEDU at the end of the year to celebrate Poetry Month, School Librarian Month and also just as a stress reliever activity after state testing is over. My library aides also get to do it at their reward party at the end of the year.”

– Amanda Hunt, Library Media Specialist

10. Keep Students’ Skills Sharp Over the Summer

A math puzzle is displayed at the front of the classroom, encouraging whole class collaboration.

Soon school will be out, but learning is still IN! Keep your students learning all summer with Breakout EDU games. Your students can continue to log in to play Lock of the Day, Breakout+ Games, and assigned Digital Games during the summer.

Check out games handpicked by our team for summer learning fun.

Get Started for Free

Ready to bring this level of student engagement to your classroom? With a free 14-day trial of Breakout EDU, you can try out all of these activities and grow your students’ critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Sign up and start your free trial today!