DIY Back to School Decorations
Here are a few easy, affordable, and fun ways to decorate for back to school with your kids whether you are organizing a back to school party, back to school night, or just want to make the first day of school a little extra special. Whenever possible I have included printable templates that you can use to recreate them. Most of our decorations cost only a few dollars in supplies. In addition, everything is very kid friendly. Hope these printables and ideas can help make back to school season more festive and fun!
This file is best printed out onto regular paper and used as a template to cut onto construction paper so your cutouts are two sided. As construction paper is thin, you can cut at least five at a time. Simply blow up red punch balloons, tie, then add the leaf and stem. The file includes a stem cutout but I found toilet paper rolls cut in half worked best. You can either hole punch your leaf before adding the stem or glue the leaf to your stem. Also included is a template that can be used on smaller balloons. Just be sure to tie some sort of string (clear fishing line or twine) to make it easier to slip the toilet paper roll and leaves on. These make fun additions to balloon garlands, are fun dangling from the ceiling, or can stand on their own as fun photo props.
These DIY giant pencils take only minutes to make and are really inexpensive. All you need are pool noodles (in any color), yellow and pink plastic tablecloth, regular duct tape, as well as the printable giant pencil tip that I made (free to download above for personal use). The file is best printed out onto white cardstock, cut, then formed into a cone and glued. The pencil tip lines should match up and your cone will be the perfect size to go over regular pool noodles. You will need to cut your pool noodles in half (or not if you want them really ginormous), wrap them in yellow plastic tablecloth, tucking in the ends. Then add a small strip of pink plastic tablecloth as the eraser, tucking in one end, and securing the other with your duct tape. Finally hot glue your pencil tip on. My kids have really enjoyed playing with these as well as hanging them up to decorate. We’ve also planted wooden chopsticks into the ground and inserted these pencils over to help decorate the walkway at their school for their recent back to school night.
These vases are so adorable, easy ,and inexpensive. I purchased the large glass vase at the Dollar Tree for five dollars and made a printable pencil template that is free to download above. This file is best printed out onto white cardstock. You will want to make two copies and glue them together to create a cylinder that you just slide into the vase. Put another smaller vase inside and fill with water and pink flowers as the eraser. These make a simple and fun centerpiece for back to school celebrations as well as sweet teacher gifts. You could always tape gift cards onto a wooden dowel to insert and include a homemade card.
I made these giant books recently to help decorate for my daughter’s Matilda Birthday. They are a really easy and inexpensive way to quickly decorate a large space and are perfect for book fairs and back to school events. Each book takes two poster board. Simply fold your colored poster board in half leaving a one inch border at the top and crease; repeat on the other side. Then cut your white poster board in half and hot glue them to just the middle and outside of the book so the pages curve.
I made a few notebook paper signs. You can use a projector to make these really big or just print them onto white cardstock and slip them into acrylic photo frames to display. They would be great to have out at all your school events to promote your school’s PTA.
I also put them on a plain clipboard for kids to use as a photo prop.
I made a few more photo props and these were such a hit with all the students and their families at my kids’ recent back to school night. Just print them onto white cardstock and attach to wooden dowels. I like to cut them all out and glue them onto black poster board to make them even sturdier. I included a prop for each grade as well as a few to encourage more participation in the PTA.
Your child may also be interested in:
Free Back to School Coloring Pages
Free First Day of School Coloring Signs, Banner, and Cupcake Toppers
Personalized Back to School Signs
Personalized Composition Notebook Banners
Personalized Composition Notebook Signs
One Hundred Day of School Photo Props
Free Kid’s Joke Book (you can cut out the pages to use as fun lunchbox notes)
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Recipe (one of our favorite easy to prep breakfasts for school days)
I create more printables here. Over the years I have made personalized coloring pages, banners, coloring crowns, and even play money for many classrooms, libraries, school counselors, and festivals across the United States and overseas. If you have something you need customized in mind for your school, please don’t hesitate to reach out as I really enjoy projects like that!
If you use these printables in your home or classroom, I would love to see it! Please use #sodangfun on social media, tag me @sodangfun on Instagram, or post to my Facebook page.
I hope this post can help to make back to school season a little more affordable, festive, and fun!
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