First-Day-of-School Sign: A Free Printable to Personalize

Designer Josh S.'s two little girls holding back-school-signs for the first day of third grade and kindergarten, respectively.

It’s the first day of school (can you believe it?!), and kids everywhere are dressed and as ready to go as they’re gonna get. But before they head off to the bus stop: the picture with the first-day-of-school sign. 

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When his little girl started kindergarten, Hallmark Font Designer Josh S. wanted to do more than mark the day. He wanted to capture a little piece of her dreams and how they changed year after year. So he turned a piece of plywood into a chalkboard sign and grabbed his camera.

By the time his daughter turned eight and her sister started kindergarten, their first-day-of-school sign was a family tradition. Every year, Josh letters their grade, and they very eagerly answer the important question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

When the girls saw him creating a version for this free printable back-to-school sign, they immediately started telling him what their signs should say this year. 

Here’s how to print and personalize your first-day-of-school signs—and last day of school, too. We’ve got you covered with signs for preschool through sixth grade.

What You'll Need  

  • Free printable download: Print in color or black and white on card stock
  • Chalk marker
  • 8½- x 11-inch foam core or cardboard and glue stick or spray mount
    OR
    8½- x 11-inch picture frame 
Designer Josh S.'s two little girls, holding framed back-to-school signs on their first day of third grade and kindergarten.

How to Personalize Your First-Day-of-School Sign  

  • Print the free download. For more depth, print in color—but black and white will work, too.
  • If you just want to print it out and call it done, go with card stock.
  • To make it a little sturdier for the photo, you can glue the print to a piece of foam core or cardboard or frame it.
  • Use the chalk marker to fill in the year and your kiddo’s answer to the questions: career choice for school year, activity for summer. 

 

That’s it!

A chalk-board style, personalizable printout for the last day of school that reads,

Pro tip: You’ll note we’ve left a little space at center-right for you to add the year. It’s under the “hool” in Preschool, the “arten” in Kindergarten and “rade” in Grade. See how Josh did most of the work for you by checking out the video below.

Want more fun ways to commemorate the first day of school? Check out: