Printable First Day of School Signs: PDF Downloads

There’s something special about the first day of school—the backpacks are ready, supplies are lined up, and kids are excited about a fresh start. One of the best ways to capture that moment is with a classic first day of school photo. A simple printable sign your child can hold makes the picture even more memorable.

I’ve created a complete set of free printable first day of school signs in two styles: a clean black-and-white version and a colorful design. Each design is available as a downloadable PDF later in this post.

These printable signs add a charming touch to first-day photos and make an easy yearly tradition.

Need help preparing for the first day? See this Free Printable Back-to-School Checklist for parents.

How to Use These Free Printable First Day Signs

The collection includes signs for every grade: preschool and pre-K through elementary, middle school, and high school, plus a few for higher education and homeschooling. Each sign is undated so you can use it any year.

You’ll also find matching last-day-of-school signs in the same styles if you’d like to continue the photo tradition at the end of the year.

1. Click the image of the PDF you want—the file will download automatically.
2. Print at home or send the PDF to a local print shop for a larger, more polished sign.
3. Have your child hold the sign on the first day, take photos, and share them with family and friends if you’d like.

These printables are for personal use only, but you are welcome to print as many copies as your family needs.

First Day of School Signs: Preschool to Elementary

This section includes both black-and-white and colorful versions for preschool through elementary grades, plus general “school” and “homeschool” signs. Click the image or linked text to download the printable PDF you need.

Middle School to High School PDF Signs

For simplicity, the middle-to-high-school section starts at seventh grade. You’ll find printable signs for grades 7–12 plus freshman through senior year templates. Each grade has both black-and-white and colorful PDF options.

First Day of Seventh Grade (7th Grade)

First Day of Seventh Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Eighth Grade (8th Grade)

First Day of Eighth Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Ninth Grade (9th Grade)

First Day of Ninth Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Tenth Grade (10th Grade)

First Day of Tenth Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Eleventh Grade (11th Grade)

First Day of Eleventh Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Twelfth Grade (12th Grade)

First Day of Twelfth Grade (Colorful)

First Day of Freshman Year (B&W)

First Day of Freshman Year (Colorful)

First Day of Sophomore Year (B&W)

First Day of Sophomore Year (Colorful)

First Day of Junior Year (B&W)

First Day of Junior Year (Colorful)

First Day of Senior Year (B&W)

First Day of Senior Year (Colorful)

Extra First Day of School Sign Templates

I also designed higher education and specialty signs—perfect for parents heading back to school or anyone attending college, grad school, or law school. These templates let adults join in the first-day photo tradition alongside the kids.

First Day of Homeschool Sign (Black & White)

First Day of Homeschool Sign (Colorful)

First Day of College Classes (Black & White)

First Day of College Classes (Colorful)

First Day of Graduate School Sign (Black & White)

First Day of Graduate School Sign (Colorful)

First Day of Law School Sign (Black & White)

First Day of Law School Sign (Colorful)

Why Use a First Day of School Sign?

A first day sign is an easy, reliable way to document each school year and create a fun family tradition. Year after year, those photos show how much your child has grown—from preschool to senior year.

These printables make it simple to preserve those memories without relying on memory alone.

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