First Day of School Picture Ideas
Please share!
One of my favorite traditions is taking photos of my boys on the first day of school. I’ve rounded up the best first-day-of-school picture ideas in case you need inspiration for props, signs, and composition. There are plenty of cute poses in here, along with some free printables and patterns for you to enjoy.
This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. For more information, please see my disclosures.
Taking Photos for the First Day of School
I’ve been using my DIY back-to-school sign ever since my twin boys entered pre-school. I love seeing how they’ve grown and changed over the years. The sign is a tradition I plan to keep until they finish their senior year of high school. Sorry, kids!
Whether you’re looking for simple printables or more intricate photo props, you’re bound to find something you love below.
Back to School Chalkboard Sign (Free SVG and Printable)
Back to School Chalkboard Sign (Free SVG and Printable)
Make a reusable chalkboard sign that you can customize for every grade level. Grab a free SVG file to cut the design with a Cricut machine and apply it to your chalkboard, or select the printable option to customize your sign using a home printer.
First Day of School Framed Pictures
First Day of School Framed Pictures
Create a unique “picture-in-picture” pose by framing your first-day-of-school photo each year. You'll be amazed to see how your child has grown looking back at pictures from prior years.
Letterboard First Day of School Pics
Letterboard First Day of School Pics
Use a classic letterboard to take pictures highlighting the year and grade level of your child. This is a great photo prop to use year after year on the first day of school.
Back to School Frame Prop
Back to School Frame Prop
Grab an oversized frame and add painted wood cutouts of crayons and apples to create your own back-to-school photo prop. You can easily swap out the “1st” number for “last” once the school year ends.
First Day of School Printable Signs
First Day of School Printable Signs
Photo credit: Making Frugal Fun
Print off a cute chalkboard-style sign to celebrate the first day of school. These printables are quick and easy to customize, so you can spend more time snapping photos of your kids as you send them off to school.
Personalized Dry Erase School Sign
Personalized Dry Erase School Sign
Photo credit: By Paris
Use a custom dry-erase board to fill in your child's year, grade level, and other details for the first day of school. As a bonus, you can swap out the words to take photos on the last day of school as well.
Sidewalk Chalk with Grade Level
Sidewalk Chalk with Grade Level
Sidewalk chalk makes a cute backdrop for photos. Draw a chalk outline of the grade level and have your child sit inside the drawing. For the best looking photos, grab a ladder to get an angled overhead shot of your child.
Check the Box Sidewalk Chalk Art
Check the Box Sidewalk Chalk Art
Here's another great option with sidewalk chalk. Draw a checklist of elementary school grade levels, and check the box each year on the first day of school. This is a fun tradition that can continue throughout grade school. Of course, you will need to recreate the checkboxes each year.
Back to School Photo Frame
Back to School Photo Frame
Design your own photo frame for pictures on the first day of school! Copy stores can enlarge your design and print it on foam board. Then, cut a hole in the middle to create a frame around your child. You could also make a DIY sign by using blank foam board and attaching foam letters or vinyl words cut with a Cricut machine.
First Day of School Flags
First Day of School Flags
Photo credit: Gina C. Creates
These back-to-school pennant flags look adorable, and you can grab the free pattern from Gina C. Creates after clicking the button below. You can choose from specific grade-level printables or a general “first day of school” flag for photo props.
DIY Polaroid Photo Prop
DIY Polaroid Photo Prop
Photo credit: The Savvy Sparrow
Make a DIY Polaroid photo prop with a chalkboard that you can reuse every year. This is a great first-day-of-school prop for multiple kids, too. Just wipe the chalkboard clean to fill in new details.
Vintage Desk Photo Prop
Vintage Desk Photo Prop
Photo credit: Megan Lappin Photography
How adorable is this vintage desk photo prop? If you don't have a rustic school desk handy, you can substitute a chair or crate and have your child hold the books and apple. The letterboard ties everything together.
Back to School Pose with Books
Back to School Pose with Books
Photo credit: Kari Davis Photography
You don't need fancy props to create a sweet first-day-of-school photo. A simple stack of books and an apple are enough to create a schoolhouse vibe for your child's photo shoot.
First Day of School Books
First Day of School Books
Use the spines of books to write your child's grade level and year on the first day of school. By wrapping ordinary books with brown craft paper, you can easily whip up the perfect school props.
Toy Story Back to School Farewell
Toy Story Back to School Farewell
Cue the tears! On the first day of school, have your child's stuffed animals wave “goodbye.” This is a very trendy and sentimental pose that makes a great keepsake.
Back to School Desk Pose
Back to School Desk Pose
Photo credit: Amanda Silva Photography
A simple desk pose is perfect for first-day-of-school photos! You can make a DIY t-shirt with the grade level for a special touch.
First Day of School Balloon Arch
First Day of School Balloon Arch
Photo credit: Smashed Peas and Carrots
A simple balloon arch can add a colorful touch to first-day-of-school photos. You can buy numbers and letters corresponding to your child's grade for an additional photo prop.
First Day of School Photo Backdrop
First Day of School Photo Backdrop
Photo credit: Cross Painted Co.
Use brown craft paper to paint a beautiful backdrop for the first day of school. Cross Painted Co. painted a beautiful backdrop with apples, a pencil, and a globe to mark the start of school.
Back to School Crate and Letters
Back to School Crate and Letters
Photo credit: KLH Photography
Creating a photo set doesn't need to be complicated. Use a crate as a stool and add school-themed accents to create a cute back-to-school vibe. The oversized letters work perfectly to balance the photo.
Back to School Wall Pose
Back to School Wall Pose
Leaving white space in a first-day-of-school picture will allow you to add details about your child, like her favorite food, favorite color, and career aspirations. You can easily use Canva or another editing program to add the text later.
Back to School Handprint Shirt
Back to School Handprint Shirt
Photo credit: Where the Smiles Have Been
Make a DIY shirt with placeholders for each year of grade school. Then, have your child leave a handprint for each year, from Pre-K through 12th grade. At the end, you'll have great photos and a shirt to wear for high school graduation. Brilliant picture idea and keepsake!
First and Last Day of School Pics
First and Last Day of School Pics
Photo credit: The Suburban Mom
Plan to take a photo on the first day of school and the last day of school to compare how much your child has grown. If the same outfit still fits, even better! It's fun to see the difference a school year makes.
I hope you enjoyed these first day of school picture ideas! I like saving each year’s photo as my mobile phone wallpaper. Just me?
Time always seems to fly as kids move through grade school, so having photos to capture the memories is meaningful. Let me know down in the comments which idea was your favorite, and don’t forget to pin this post for later!
If you want to get a head start on Halloween, be sure to check out my best Halloween costumes for kids next.
Pin it for later!
You Might Also Like…
Please share!