We all have favorites traditions as we send our kids back to school at the end of the summer. Some of us might hold creative parties or make fun DIY crafts, while others keep it simple by packing a special note in their child’s lunchbox.
Me? I do simple.
But there’s one fun and easy thing we can all do: take photos of our kids holding first day of school signs!
I don’t know who first started this simple yet brilliant idea of having kids hold a sign saying “First Day of….their new grade”, but I love it. I’ve been doing this with my kids for the past several years now and it’s resulted in some of my favorite pictures.
I think my kids like it more than a regular photo shoot too because they get to hold something. Your kids too?
So in honor of heading back to school, I had some first day of school signs made just for us!
These are free printables so you can print as many as you’d like (and come back when your preschooler has promptly wrinkled his first day of school sign into a crinkled ball!)
My designer friend, Christine, made these lovely back to school printable signs with every grade from preschool all the way to 12th grade. I’m not sure if older teens will want to do this, but you never know.
My kids don’t go back to school for another month yet, but I wanted to get some photos with these new signs for this post. You should have seen the confused looks when I told them to change into school clothes! I think they thought mom was finally losing her mind. (It’s always a possibility, you know!)
My oldest, who is 13 and shooting up like a weed these days, couldn’t find a nice shirt that fit other than a wrinkled collared shirt crammed in his drawer so I gave him a pass. That would be my reminder to go clothes shopping for him very soon.
Emily is going into 4th grade:
Joshua is entering 2nd grade:
and Luke, my baby (though he scowls every time I say so out loud), is starting kindergarten:
Download your first day of school signs here:
Download your first day of school signs here:- Preschool
- Kindergarten
- First Grade
- Second Grade
- Third Grade
- Fourth Grade
- Fifth Grade
- Sixth Grade
- Seventh Grade
- Eight Grade
- Ninth Grade
- Tenth Grade
- Eleventh Grade
- Twelfth Grade
Tip: take your first day of school photos the day before school actually starts. It’s much easier than trying to squeeze a photo shoot into an already hectic first day of school!
Debra says
August 2, 2016 at 12:52 amThese signs are so adorable – I’ve pinned them! 🙂 I’ve definitely started taking special pictures like these since my daughter started elementary school – priceless!
Scott says
August 2, 2016 at 10:18 amWe get photos on the first day every year, but never thought of having them hold a sign. What a great idea!
Greta says
August 2, 2016 at 11:45 amCute signs. I don’t know who came up with the idea either, but in the past few years, it’s really exploded!
Cathi Crismon says
August 2, 2016 at 2:31 pmI can’t believe it’s that time of year again already! I’m going to print these out for my grandkids!!
Amber Edwards says
August 2, 2016 at 10:51 pmI am not ready for this! I am in denial! No School will NOT start. i won’t allow it! Can I tell them know nad have it work?
These are adorable signs though. and a great idea for the first day of school photos. I just don’t want to face that first day of school yet. I may be the only parent that feels that way. lol.
Erika says
August 3, 2016 at 12:17 pmYou’re not! I’m the same way too. I love having my kids around and not having to rush from one thing to another. The laid back summer routine is one of my favorite times of the year!
When do your kids start school?
Beverly says
August 8, 2016 at 11:22 amLove these! You might want to recheck the spell for 12th grade though. It should be twelfth.
Erika says
August 8, 2016 at 3:16 pmOh no, thanks for letting me know. I’m working on it!: )
Mama Heather says
August 16, 2018 at 10:56 amThank you so very much for these adorable simple printouts. This mama is getting ready for another tear filled morning watching my daughter level up in Elementary School. Third grade back in the day use to be fun and carefree, now its all about cramming in as much information as possible into their heads and getting prepared for STAR testing. But it is what it is. Again thank you for sharing.