On this page
A big day starts on this first day of school coloring page. Two kids stand on the sidewalk with their backpacks on, holding up a sign that reads FIRST DAY. Behind them is a brick school with tall windows, double doors and an American flag on the pole out front. A yellow bus waits at the curb.
A teacher waves from the top of the steps, and a small tree stands in its own ring of flowers. Kids aged 4 to 9 can color it in around 30 minutes, and it makes a nice keepsake for the school year.
A first day of school coloring page for the night before
Sleep can be hard the night before school. Bring this sheet to the kitchen table after dinner. As your child colors, ask what they are excited about and what feels a little scary. You may find it is easier for them to talk with their hands busy.
Have them name the two kids in the drawing. Are they friends, or did they just meet? This is a good way to talk about how to say hello to someone new. Practice it once or twice: "Hi, I'm Sam. Do you want to sit with me?"
Colors for the school and the street
Paint the school in a warm red brown, and then pick a few bricks to darken. White window frames and a pale blue for the glass will look fresh. The bus should be a strong yellow, with black lines and gray tires.
The flag on the pole has 13 stripes, so start with red at the top and end with red at the bottom. It has a blue corner with tiny white stars. Small flags like this one are a nice bit of careful work for an older sibling.
Make the backpacks and shirts the same as your child's real ones, if you can. It takes a moment. Now the picture is theirs.
Handy tips for a big scene
- Color the kids first, because they matter most.
- Do the sign in one bright color so the words stand out.
- Use a ruler as a guide on the long lines of the building.
- Press softly on the sky, leaving a few clouds white.
Bus lines, bells and other firsts
Some kids have never seen their new school from the inside. If you can, take a walk around it before the first day. Find the door, the playground and the bus stop. A visit shrinks the unknown. Later on, your child can point out the same places on the page and tell you just what will happen at each one. Ask where the bus will drop them and which door they will use.
Parents often worry more than they let on. A calm goodbye helps. Say a short, clear farewell, tell your child when you will be back, and then go. Most teachers will tell you the tears dry up soon after the parent leaves.
Flags outside schools
Many American schools fly the flag out front. It has 50 stars for the 50 states, and 13 stripes for the first colonies. You can see how the design changed over time in this article on the American flag. Older students might like to find out how many stars their state's flag has, if any at all.
Start a yearly photo tradition
Lots of families take a photo on the front step on the first day. Your child can hold this page as the sign in the picture. Write the grade, the teacher's name and a favorite food on the space below the words. Do it every year and you will have a lovely set of pictures by the time they graduate.
Teachers can make this a class book. Have each child color a copy and add their name, then bind the pages for the reading corner. New kids in class learn each other's names faster that way.
What is next on the school list
Follow up with the school bus page, and get packed with our smiling backpack. The rest of the sheets for August and September are in our back to school coloring pages.
Questions
Is the sign blank?
It reads FIRST DAY, and there is an open space under it to add your child's grade.
Can we use this as a keepsake?
Yes. Add the date and your child's age, and tuck it into a memory box. It is sweet to compare from year to year.
Can a kindergarten teacher print it?
Yes. It is a good welcome activity for morning tables in the first week.
