There’s just something about those first day of school pictures! Whether it’s the first day of school, Meet the Teacher, or a back-to-school event, it’s always fun to have a spot ready to capture those beginning-of-the-year memories.
My sister-in-law Olivia and I put together this colorful back to school photo backdrop for our church’s back-to-school event so parents would have a fun place to snap pictures of their kiddos.
We kept the setup pretty simple, but added lots of color with balloons, our FREE Back to School Banner, and our new Back to School Pennant Signs for an extra photo prop.
I’m sharing how we put the whole thing together from start to finish so you can easily recreate it for your classroom, school, church, or back-to-school event!
Start with a Simple Back to School Photo Backdrop
I started with a blank backdrop stand and covered the table underneath with a composition notebook tablecloth.
You really don’t need much for the base! Starting simple gave me a blank canvas and made it easy to add color as I went.
For the basic setup, I used:
- Backdrop stand
- Composition notebook tablecloth
- Back to School Banner
- Balloons
- Back to school photo props
I scoured Amazon for everything I needed for the setup, and the results were wonderful. I put everything into a Back to School event supply list.
Add a Back to School Banner
Next up was the banner!
Our colorful Back to School Banner is FREE and makes such an easy statement piece for a classroom, hallway, Meet the Teacher night, or first day of school photo area.
We centered the banner on the backdrop so it would be visible behind students without needing a ton of additional decorations.
Add Color with Balloons
This is where the whole back to school photo backdrop really started coming together!
We added colorful balloons around the banner and along each side of the photo area. The balloons filled in the empty space, added height, and brought in all of those fun back to school colors.
You could easily adjust this part depending on your space. Go big with balloon columns like we did, add a smaller balloon garland, or skip the balloons altogether and use what you already have in your classroom.
Don’t Forget the First Day of School Photo Props!
Of course, once the backdrop is ready, you need something fun for students to hold!
Our new Back to School Pennant Signs are perfect for first day of school pictures. Students can grab a pennant, stand in front of the backdrop, and have an easy photo opportunity ready to go.
The pennant signs are especially fun because you can use them for individual student pictures throughout the day without having to change your backdrop for each student.
An Easy First Day of School Photo Station
Once everything was together, I added a few school supplies to the table for one last pop of color.
And that was it!
This could easily be set up in a classroom, hallway, library, cafeteria, or anywhere you have a little extra space. It would also be perfect for Meet the Teacher, Back to School Night, or the first week of school, so families and students have more than one opportunity to grab a picture.
This photo backdrop is one of your first chances to connect with new students, and you can keep that momentum going well into the first week with these community-building activities to start the school year.
Make Those Back to School Memories!
The beginning of a new school year goes FAST. Having a designated photo spot makes it easy to capture those first-day smiles without needing to figure out a picture setup in the middle of everything else happening that day.
Grab the FREE Back to School Banner, add your favorite colorful decorations, and pair it with the Back to School Pennant Signs for an easy photo backdrop that is ready for all of those first day of school pictures!
