Easy and Reuse-able Back to School Chalkboard Sign 

Back to School: Aubrey’s First Day of School Sign Tutorial. Celebrate your little ones big milestones with a fun and easy to create chalkboard sign. I’m sharing this quick and simple tutorial.  Be sure to check out all our craft tutorials and DIY ideas.

Looking for the perfect teacher gift?  Be sure to check out these back to school hacksfree printables for teachers, and school lunch ideas.

Today was my oldest baby’s FIRST day of PRESCHOOL.  It’s crazy how fast time flies.  I feel like it was only yesterday she was this little bitty baby I was bringing home from the hospital.

Now she is crazy energy and so smart and full of life.  She was so excited to go to school today.  She ran in and waved to Daddy and Mommy and hung up her back pack and sat in her chair.  I expected tears and leg clinging. 

I thought I would have to wrench her little hands off my leg and coax her into playing with blocks or looking at a book.  I completely did not expect her to WANT me to leave!!! 

Now I sit at home hoping that she does in fact tell her teacher that she needs to use the potty and doesn’t try to hold it the whole time!!!

To commemorate her big day, I put together a first day of School sign.

The sign was super easy to make….all you need is a canvas, some chalk board spray paint and a chalk marker (I highly recommend the marker over regular chalk as it has a nicer, cleaner finish….also, the markers are kinda hard to find, so I recommend ordering online Uchida 480-C-0 Marvy Broad Point Tip Regular Bistro Chalk Marker, White)

DIY First Day of School Chalkboard Sign Tutorial: Step by Step

Here is the simple back to school chalkboard sign diy that you can make for your kids and reuse year after year.  I love that these fun signs have provided countless memories and pictures we can look back on to benchmark my little one’s growth each school year!

Here are the easy instructions:

 

Step one: 

Spray the canvas with the spray paint.  One pretty thick coat should do the trick…if you feel you need another coat, let the first coat dry and repeat.

Step two:

Once the paint is dry, use the marker to add your child’s info…don’t be afraid to mess up a little…it’s chalk and it wipes off with a damp paper towel!!!

Easy Peasy:)

Here is my big girl with her sign…Happy First Day of Preschool Aubrey…I LOVE you tons!!!  Here’s hoping she’ll let me do this for her EVERY year…even when its not “cool”!

Looking for the perfect teacher gift?  Be sure to check out these back to school hacksfree printables for teachers, and school lunch ideas.

Easy peasy.  Hope you loved this quick and simple tutorial.  Be sure to check out all our craft tutorials and DIY ideas.

DIY Chalkboard Sign Update Year Two:

For Aubrey’s first day of school this year, we used the same sign from last year’s Back to School Sign Tutorial.  

Here are a couple of tricks I picked up when it comes to re-using chalk board canvases.

 First…when using the Chalk Marker, unlike regular chalk, the chalk ink will become difficult to rub off over time.  

My suggestions: either use it and erase promptly (I’m not talking lightening speed or anything, but don’t let it sit un-erased in your garage all year long like I did.)  

Or if you do opt to leave it be, wipe the canvas down with a wet rag and then put a quick second coat of chalk board spray paint over the canvas and let dry before reusing.  

Either way, you can still reuse your chalkboard year after year:)

 

1st Day of School Chalkboard Sign Update Year 3:

I can’t believe my big girl is starting KINDERGARTEN this year! It doesn’t seem real…and ok, I’ll admit it…the first day of school I totally balled like a baby. Actually, I was doing quite good. I was proud of myself for holding it together.  

I stood and waved to my little princess as she waved back with her nervous-excited smile.  She walked into the building with her huge backpack full of snacks and pencil grips and my three year old and I turned and headed for the car.  I was doing great.  

Then in the middle of the parking lot my little Emma says “Mommy, can we just wait in the car until Aubrey’s done with school?  I don’t want to go home without her.” with tears streaming down her sweet baby face.  

And so I lost it…in the parking lot, crying like a big baby while MY big baby had a great first day!!

Again this year, I made my daughter a Back to School Sign using my Back to School Sign Tutorial.  The best part this year was also getting to make one for the first time for my 3 year old as she started preschool!! So big!!


So I know I’m completely biased because they are mine, but I think they look pretty stinking cute!!!

One additional fun thing I did with the photos this year was to photograph my younger daughter in the exact same dress that I used for my older daughter two years ago.  

Not only does it make an adorable side by side photo to compare how similar and different they look at 3, but my little one was super excited to wear the same dress.  Anything to make hand-me-downs cool, right??

If you don’t feel up to (or have the time for) a DIY Chalkboard sign…check out some of these options:


If you love this tutorial…please pin this image to your Back to School Pinterest Board:

 

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Thank you for reading about my Chalkboard Reusable First Day of School Sign!