1. Be prepared

Take a nod from the Boy Scouts and have all of your gear ready the night before so you can get through the missed alarms, spills and tears that will inevitably impact the morning schedule. Find your camera, charge the batteries, and make sure there’s more than enough space on your memory card.

2. Capture the prep.

The lead-up to the first day of school can be just as memorable as the morning itself.  Shopping for the perfect outfit, getting the new hair cut, and waiting for the class lists to be posted — all great photo opportunities to better tell the back-to-school story.

3. In their words

The video mode of your pocket camera or smartphone makes it easy to capture quick memories. The first day of school is a perfect time to ask your child what he’s most looking forward to, what her favorite subjects are, or what they want to be when they grow up. Someday you’ll look back warmly at your precocious 2nd grader who wanted to be an astronaut.

4. Document the traditions

When I was growing up, Dad always made us delicious chocolate chip pancakes on the first day of school. It’s a tradition I now carry on with my children. Make sure you snap some photos of the special meal, prayer or ritual that makes your family’s start of school routine unique.

5. On the move

The journey to school also makes for some great photo moments: stepping on to the bus, waiting at the crosswalk and posing by the school sign are all fantastic additions to the photo bank. Friendly bus drivers and crossing guards also make interesting and colorful additions to your back-to-school photo albums.

6. Don’t forget the friends

Of course, for you the day is all about your children. But don’t forget to snap some photos of their friends. Their moms will thank you and a few years down the road your children will love looking back at how their friends have changed.

7. It’s a sign

Every year my girlfriend takes a photo of her son holding a handmade sign stating the grade he is entering, much like a crafty time stamp. She now has a wonderful collection of photos showing how much he has grown (and how much his handwriting has improved too!). And, looking back years later there will be no mistaking how old he was in the photo.

8. Get the props

Sometimes it’s not just the people that make the photos in scrapbooks come to life. The backpacks ready by the front door, the new clothes laid carefully on the bed, even the wheels on the bus all add dimension and depth to your back-to-school scrapbooks.

9. Teacher’s pet

It’s okay to be teacher’s pet on the first day. Get a picture of your eager student with his or her new teacher. Better yet – snap them in front of the sign on the teacher’s door and they’ll never forget the name of their 4th grade teacher.

10. Get involved

Hand your camera over to another parent or the teacher and make sure you get in the shot. Twenty years from now, you and your child will be glad you did.

Once the big day is over and the pictures are taken, there’s no easier way than Smilebox to share those back to school photos and videos with friends and family both near and far. Your family will appreciate the update of your rapidly growing kids and your friends will be amazed at how creatively (and quickly!) you’ve assembled your back-to-school scrapbooks. Check out these designs in our catalog to display your first-day photographs:  Back to School Collage (below); School Collage; It’s Elementary Scrapbook; School Spirit Collage; Back to School Slideshow; Back to School Blues; School is Cool Slideshow.