25 School Spirit Week Ideas: Dress-Up Day Themes
Bring on the Spirit Week Shenanigans!
Get ready to rally the troops and turn your hallways into a high-energy, costume-filled celebration of school pride! Whether you’re a teacher, principal, PTA leader, or the unofficial Spirit Week coordinator, we’ve got fun school spirit day ideas that’ll have students and staff dressing up, showing off, and laughing all week long. From mustaches to mismatched socks, these creative dress-up themes are easy to pull off and guaranteed to spark smiles. Let’s make this Spirit Week one for the yearbook! 📸💫
Ideas for Showing School Spirit
🐯 Animal Day: Students can dress like their favorite animal or wear fun ears, tails, or animal print.
📚 Book Character Day: Sure there’ll be a bunch of Katniss Everdeens, but kids will love incorporating their favorite reads into costumes.
🦸 Superhero Day: Capes and iconic symbols like Batman’s bat, Thor’s hammer or Ironman’s core reactor might turn your student body into The Avengers.
🌟 Celebrity Day: Whether they channel a pop star, athlete, or movie icon, students will love pretending to be someone famous for the day.
🎀 Crazy Hair Day: Your school might end up looking like Whoville, but crazy hair gets parents engaged in spirit week and kids excited about showing off their ‘dos!
🪑 Dress Like a Household Object Day: From laundry baskets to loofahs, this quirky day is perfect for students who love thinking outside the (cereal) box!
🍎 Dress Like a Teacher Day: Let students dress like their favorite teacher or staff member — coffee mugs and clipboard props encouraged!
🗑 Garbage Day: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure when students deck themselves out in fashionable trash-bag outfits.
🌺 Hawaiian/Tropical Day: Hand out lei’s and encourage kids to wear bright colors and flowers.
🧦 Mismatch Madness Day: Polka dots and plaid? Yes, please! Students wear totally mismatched outfits — socks, shoes, patterns, everything. The wackier, the better!
🟥 Monochrome Monday: Students dress head to toe in one color. Assign different colors by grade for a vibrant school-wide photo op!
👨 Mustache Day: Have stick-on mustaches for kids or let them draw one on with washable marker.
🛌 Pajamas Day: Always a favorite, pajama day lets students lounge while they learn. Let them bring their favorite stuffed animal for the day too!
🎓 School Colors Day: The most important day to raise spirit — and it's easy!
🏈 Sports Day: Let students wear their favorite team jerseys, college team shirts or ball caps.
🧸 Stuffed Animal Sidekick Day: Invite students to bring a favorite stuffed animal along for the day — snuggles in the schoolhouse!
👔 Formal Fun Day: Sunday best is in order, suit & tie style with girls in their favorite dresses.
🌈 Fave Color Day: Students will love displaying their favorite colors head to toe.
🕺 Fave Decade Day: Think hippies from the 60s, bell bottoms from the 70s, big hair from the 80s or grunge flannel from the 90s. Teachers especially love this day!
🌮 Dress Like Your Favorite Food Day: From taco hats to donut tees, this one’s a recipe for laughs and creative costumes.
👵 Dress Like You're 100 Day: A classic! Break out the walkers, wigs, and suspenders for some over-the-hill fun.
✌️ Tie Dye Day: Groovy baby! Encourage students to rock their fave tie dye tees, shorts, even socks!
👯 Twins Day: Have students pick a buddy and plan a matching outfit for both to wear.
👒 Wacky Accessory Day: Think funky hats, sunglasses, feather boas, costume jewelry — anything goes!
🤠 Wild West Day: Bandannas, cowboy boots and cowgirl hats make this day a hoot & holler!
You May Also Like:
School Activities Planning Center
About the Author
Laura Greenberg
Brand Partnerships & Customer Champion, Content Contributor
Laura connects SignUp users with partner perks and writes parent- and teacher-friendly tips for SignUp’s School Planning Centers. More about Laura →
