Free First Day of School Signs for Preschool Through College

A first day picture can become a small family tradition, but getting one ready shouldn’t add another complicated task to a busy morning. These free printable signs cover 17 stages of school, from preschool to college, and come in two designs. Pick the grade and style you want, print the pages you need, and you’re set.

As a mom of four and a former teacher, I know how many details compete for attention before the first bell: backpacks, supplies, breakfast and getting everyone out the door. A sign that’s ready to print can make the photo part simple. Since the pages don’t have a year on them, you can keep the files and use them again for another child or another school year.

What’s included in the printable set

Each design has 17 signs for these grades and school stages:

• Preschool
• Pre-K
• Kindergarten
• 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade
• 3rd Grade
• 4th Grade
• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade
• 9th Grade
• 10th Grade
• 11th Grade
• 12th Grade
• High School
• College

Choose the colorful design, which has a white background, or the chalkboard style with white lettering. Both sets contain the same grades, so the choice comes down to the look you prefer for your pictures. The college sign is included as a bonus for marking another kind of first day.

Because the signs are undated, they can work for more than one school year. Save the PDF files somewhere easy to find, and you can print a fresh page when another child needs one or another grade comes around. You don’t have to choose a year-specific design or replace the set annually.

Printing the pages you need

Both styles are available as non-editable PDF downloads. For a quick print at home, open the file and select only the page or pages you need. That way, you can print a single grade without using paper on the rest of the set.

Regular paper is a practical choice if you plan to place the sign in a frame. If your child will hold it directly, cardstock can make it sturdier. Either option gives you a sign to use in a photo; the right choice depends on whether you want a framed prop or something that can be held up easily.

The files aren’t editable, so choose the matching grade from the pages provided rather than planning to change the text. If you’re preparing for more than one child, you can print a page for each grade ahead of time and keep the signs together until picture time.

Keep first day photos simple

A child holding a sign on the front porch can be all the setup you need. That’s where our family takes first day pictures each year. Using the same spot gives you a simple way to look back and notice how the children have grown.

For a family with several students, take an individual photo of each child with their own grade sign, then gather everyone for a group picture. Printing just the pages you need makes it easy to have each sign ready without sorting through the full set on the morning itself.

These signs can also suit homeschool families. Choose the date that marks your first day of learning, print the pages for the children in your household, and use the same picture ideas as any other family. Teachers can print a grade sign once and use it as a classroom photo prop for each child’s first day picture.

There’s no need for an elaborate background or a long photo session. A familiar place and a clear view of the sign can make the grade easy to remember when you look back at the pictures later.

Choose a design and save the files

Each PDF includes all 17 signs, from preschool through college. Open the style you like and print the pages you plan to use.

Colorful First Day of School Signs

Download the colorful first day of school signs as a PDF.

Chalkboard First Day of School Signs

Download the chalkboard first day of school signs as a PDF.

Once you’ve saved your preferred file, it’ll be ready to use again when a new school year begins. If you’d like signs for the other end of the year, you can also get the free last day of school printable signs in the same colorful and chalkboard styles.

For more activities and ideas to print at home or school, browse the free printables collection. A saved PDF and a page printed when you need it can make this small photo tradition easy to repeat.

Disclosure

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The post Free First Day of School Printable Signs for Every Grade appeared first on Joyfully Thriving.