7 Sweet First Day of School Traditions to Start This Year

It’s that time of year again. One minute, summer is stretching endlessly ahead, full of swimming pools, late bedtimes, and damp towels draped over every available surface. The next minute, you’re packing lunches, hunting for matching socks, and wondering how your child can possibly be old enough for the grade written on that little chalkboard sign.

Last year, my daughter started kindergarten, and I found myself thinking ahead about the little traditions I wanted to keep. No elaborate traditions in this family. I’m not the mom who wakes up two hours early to make pancakes shaped like school buses. (But if that’s your thing, go for it! And can I come over?)

I wanted a few simple ways to make the first day feel special that we could easily repeat year after year. We found a few things that worked for our family, and I hope these ideas help you start something special with your kids, too.

So, whether your child is heading off to kindergarten or starting another year that somehow arrived much too quickly, here are seven sweet and simple first-day-of-school traditions worth starting.

1. Take the Classic First-Day Photo

Young girl in striped top with apple applique and red shorts stands on wooden deck outdoors.

Young girl holding a chalkboard sign on last day of school, standing in green yard with chain-link fence.

I know, I probably could have skipped adding this one to the list. It’s the obvious answer, and I’ll wager it’s one you already do. But I’d like to add a little spin to it.

Whether it’s on the front porch, by the mailbox, or in the same spot in your home, take a photo before heading off to school. Backpack, new outfit, happy faces, grumpy faces, chalkboard signs, and whatever else is special to you.

But here’s what makes this tradition even better: plan to take another photo in the exact same spot on the last day of school, too. We did this for my daughter’s kindergarten year, though not perfectly, and that's okay. I love being able to put the two images side by side and see just how much changed between August and May. So before school starts this year, choose a spot you can easily return to, and try to frame the photos similarly each time. You may be surprised by how much growing can happen in a single school year.

And here’s a pro tip from a photographer:

Have your child turn toward the light, whether that’s a window or an open door, for a better cell phone photo. But don’t worry about making it perfect. The photographer in me may care about beautiful light and composition, but the mom in me knows the best photo is the one you actually take. Don’t let perfection keep you from preserving the memory.

2. Get in the Photos Yourself

This is the tradition I almost skipped last year, and I'm so glad I didn't.

After I took the classic first-day photos of my daughter, I propped my phone up, set the self-timer, and jumped in for a few pictures of us together. We did the same thing on the last day of school, and those are some of my favorite images from the whole year.

One day, she'll love looking back at how much she changed between the first and last day of kindergarten. But I think she'll also love seeing who was standing beside her through it all.

You don't need a professional camera or perfectly styled hair. Prop your phone against something (I used a shoe for these) and set a timer, take turns with your spouse so you’re each in a photo, or even hand your phone to another parent at school drop-off for a quick snap. Most people are happy to help, and maybe you can return the favor for them!

You deserve to be part of your family's story, too.

A mom with glasses hugs a young girl with red bows in her hair, both wearing striped shirts outdoors on first day of school.

A smiling little girl with pigtails and red bows holds a red apple at a wooden school desk outdoors for back to school photos.

3. Do a Mini Back-to-School Interview

This might be the tradition I'm most excited to start this year.

Take just a few minutes in the days leading up to the first day of school to ask your child the same handful of questions every year. You can write their answers in a journal or tuck them into a memory box. (We’re using this: The School Years Children’s Memory Kit by The Short Years.) Or, my favorite idea, record a short video on your phone.

I can already picture putting together a compilation years from now and watching the answers change as my daughter grows. (Excuse me while I go grab a tissue.)

The best part about these sweet traditions is that there isn't a "right" age to begin. Even if you didn’t start with kindergarten, it’s okay to start now! You don't have to wait until next year, and you don't have to feel like you've missed your chance. The best traditions are simply the ones you start. This is a new one we will be starting this year, and that’s perfectly okay.

Young girl in blue dress sitting at vintage school desk outdoors, smiling and holding a red apple.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

What are you most excited about this year?
What do you think you'll learn this year?
What is your favorite thing to learn about right now?
What is something you want to get better at this year?

Then, at the end of the school year, ask a few reflection questions, too:

What was your favorite memory from this school year?
What was the hardest thing you learned?
What are you most proud of this year?
Who was a good friend to you this year?
What are you excited about for next year?

I especially love asking, "Who was a good friend to you this year?" It's such a sweet reminder that while grades and accomplishments matter, the people who walk beside our children matter, too.

4. Make Breakfast Feel Like a Celebration

The first day of school deserves a little fanfare, but that doesn't mean you have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. and recreate a Pinterest board in your kitchen (unless that’s your thing.) Here is your permission to keep it simple.

Pancakes with sprinkles? Great. Cinnamon rolls? Yum. Chick-fil-A in the car because everyone overslept? Also a tradition.

The goal isn't Pinterest perfection. It's simply creating a moment that says, "Today is special and something to look forward to." Plus, a fun breakfast helps set the tone for a great first day.

A smiling little girl in a blue dress pointing at a vintage globe on a wooden desk outdoors.

A young girl sits at a vintage desk outdoors under a wooden arbor, holding a pennant flag in a lush green garden.

5. Let Them Choose One Special Thing

Starting a new school year is a big milestone, and sometimes having one special thing they've chosen themselves makes it feel even more personal and exciting. It doesn't have to be big or expensive. It could be a new backpack, lunchbox, water bottle, or fun erasers. My daughter loves keychains, so she picked a special one for her backpack.

Giving your child the chance to choose something that's uniquely theirs helps build excitement for the year ahead.

A smiling girl in a blue dress holds a 1st day of Kindergarten flag while sitting at a wooden desk outdoors.

6. Celebrate After the First Day

The first day of school is a big day. New teachers, new classmates, new routines, and lots of excitement can leave everyone feeling a little worn out or overwhelmed by the end of it.

Celebrate making it through with a simple family tradition the kids can look forward to after the first day of school. Maybe it's a trip for ice cream, a favorite dinner at home, an afternoon at the park, or letting your child choose the restaurant for dinner.

More than anything, this tradition is an invitation to slow down, celebrate the milestone, and hear all about their day. If you've ever asked, "How was school?" only to get a one-word answer, you know that kids don't always open up the minute they get in the car. But over an ice cream cone or while sharing a meal together, the stories have a way of finding their way out.

Young girl in blue dress sitting at vintage school desk outdoors, holding red apple, wearing orange socks and white shoes.

Young girl in blue dress smiling among pink echinacea flowers in a lush green garden.

A cheerful young girl in a blue dress with red hair bows smiles outdoors near green foliage.

Young girl in blue dress and yellow socks leaning against rustic wooden post in a lush green garden.

7. Make Time for Professional Children's Portraits

Every once in a while, it's worth slowing down to create something more intentional. Back-to-school is one of my favorite times to photograph children because it marks the beginning of a new chapter. Birthdays, holidays, and other yearly milestones are wonderful opportunities, too. However you choose to mark the passing of another year, it's worth taking the time to preserve it. Every year, your child becomes someone they've never been before.

Unlike a quick phone snapshot or a traditional school photo, a custom portrait session gives us time to slow down. We aren't limited to one backdrop, one smile, or one expression. We can capture the gap-toothed grin they'll grow out of next year, the serious face they make when they're concentrating, the crinkle of their nose when they laugh, or the quiet confidence that's growing year by year.

These are portraits meant to be framed on the walls of your home, tucked into albums your children will one day inherit, and wrapped up as gifts for grandparents who will treasure them and display them proudly.

If you're looking for timeless children's photography in Marietta or the surrounding Atlanta area, I'd love to help you create heirloom artwork that preserves this season of childhood.

What are some of your favorite first-day-of-school traditions?

I'd love to hear how your family celebrates the start of a new school year!

And if you're thinking about documenting this season with timeless children's portraits, I'd love to help. Whether you're ready to book a session or just have a few questions, fill out the form below and let's chat.