11 Creative First Day of School Picture Ideas for Parents

Capturing the first day of school is a cherished tradition for many parents, but staying creative isn’t always easy.

In this article, I’ll give you 11 ideas – some with variations so that you can keep the activity fun and exciting year after year.

Whether your kid is just starting school for the first time or going back to a new year after the summer break, these ideas will make beautiful memories to look back on.

So, grab your phone or camera and let’s get started.

11 Creative First Day of School Picture Ideas for Parents

Chalkboard

This is a classic first-day-of-school photo, but you can put a few creative twists on it.

First, you can choose between a big chalkboard as a backdrop or a small one your child can hold.

Then, you can get as creative as you like with the message on the board. You can use a classic “First day of X grade” or “Back to School.” Alternatively, you can get a whimsical or motivational message such as:

• “Growing up so fast – X grade of school.”
• “Future (Dream Job) on the market!”
• “New Year, New Adventures!”
• “Hello, X grade, goodbye, summer.”
• “Ready to rock X grade.”
• “Watch Out, X grade, here comes (child’s name)!”

Running with their classmates

If you’re dropping your kid at school, you can use this moment to set up a fun action shot. Gather their friends and classmates and ask them to run to class.

To get the best results whenever you’re doing an action shot, make sure you use burst mode. That way, the camera will keep taking pictures at a fast rate for as long as you keep the shutter button pressed. This is also available in most smartphones (see: How to Use iPhone Burst Mode).

Balancing their books

Instead of a classic photo of the children posing with their books or school supplies, ask them to have fun with them. While they’re prepping their backpack for the first day of school, ask your kids to balance a book on their heads.

You can even propose challenges such as balancing a pencil on their nose or seeing who can make the tallest tower of school supplies.

Not only will you have wonderful photos, but you’ll set a fun mood to kick off the school year.

• More: 29 Tips for Photographing Children

Telling them a secret

Saying goodbye to your children as you drop them off for the first day of school is always a heartwarming moment worthy of a photo. How about you put a creative twist into it?

Instead of a simple hug, try whispering something funny or motivational to them. This way, you can capture the reaction on camera, and it will be a secret you and your kid can remember every time you see the picture.

Choosing an outfit

No matter our age, we all want to make a great first impression. That’s why choosing the perfect outfit for the first day of school is so important.

You can support and encourage your child by giving them as much freedom as is suitable for their age – and even consider having a fun photoshoot together.

This shared activity can help strengthen your bond and create lasting memories of this special day. Plus, seeing themselves in photos can help them decide which outfit they like best.

Riding away

Does your kid bike to school? This is a great opportunity to take a picture as they ride away. If you do this every year, you’ll have an excellent sequence to see how much they grow.

Custom t-shirt

As they age, your children might be less prone to “commemorate” the first day of school or pose with cute props. This doesn’t mean there aren’t important first days you’d want to capture in a picture – think of the first day of high school.

For these occasions, you can have custom t-shirts made. For teenagers, you can use phrases like:

• “Learning today, leading tomorrow”
• “Being cool, back to school”
• “Back to school vibes”
• “Future world changer”

This is also a good photo idea for smaller children. Here are some ideas for their t-shirts:

• “Rocking kindergarden”
• “Watch me grow”
• “Little learner, big dreams”
• “Ready to learn”

You can also double the fun by having them wear the t-shirt while doing other ideas we’ve listed here.

• More: 34 Graduation Picture Ideas and Poses

Rushing through breakfast

One of the good things about being on vacation is that nobody is rushing you. So, you wake up late and have breakfast whenever you feel like it, and you may take your time while doing it.

That’s why getting back to schedule on the first day of school can be challenging. Taking pictures of everyone rushing through breakfast (and most likely making a mess) can be a fun and creative way to capture the spirit of this day.

The send-off

Whether it’s the parents, the family pet, or the toys, you can make a heart-warming send-off photo of your child walking away for the first day of school.

This can be a nostalgic moment as you see your little one get bigger and more independent. However, you can add a humorous twist to the photo by having the parents wave goodbye while holding party favors.

After all, the summer holidays may be a vacation for the kids, but it’s hard work for the parents. The first day of school may be the first vacation day for a stay-at-home parent.

Remember, it’s OK to have mixed emotions about these milestones.

Hiding

Not all children are happy to go back to school. Yes, you get to see your friends and learn new things, but you also have to get up early and be more responsible.

If your child is not excited to pose for a happy picture on the first day of school, that’s OK; don’t try to force a smile. Validate their feelings without missing the big moment.

This way, they will know that you understand them, and you can break the bad mood by having fun together while coming up with a creative picture.

Back to bed

Another fun I-don’t-want-to-go-back-to-school picture is to have your children try to climb back into bed. So, make the bed and let them mess it up again.

Alternatively, you can take a picture of them not wanting to get up at all, still in their pyjamas and holding on to the covers.

• More: 16 Family Photoshoot Poses for Natural Shots