11 ideas for the first day of school celebration

1. Who do we invite to the school enrollment celebration?

How you celebrate your child's school enrollment party, is up to you and your child: Prefer a small private celebration at home or in the garden? Or a large school enrollment celebration with many guests, for which you might even have to rent extra rooms?

In any case some names should not be missing from the guest list: godparents, grandparents and other close relatives or close friends. Depending on the size of the celebration neighbors or friendly families may also be invited.

Above all, it's important that your child's needs are the priority – after all, it's their big day! Your schoolchild will surely be happy if they have a few playmates around them, with whom they can romp and have fun.

If the number of guests allows, we recommend that you organize the school enrollment celebration at your home. So you have the opportunity to tailor the day entirely to your child's needs and preferences. You can also use our special ideas for decorations and activities that make your school enrollment celebration unique.

2. Sending invitations to the enrollment celebration

Of course, the matching invitation cards must not be missing! Alongside a creative and appealing design they should contain all important information about the celebration. These include:

Date,
Time,
Address
and of course the occasion.

3. Planning the enrollment celebration with your child

Not only for the guest list, but in all other matters the first-graders are involved from the start. This ensures that decoration, program, food and games are entirely to their taste are and they can already look forward to the celebration weeks in advance. Also let them help creatively with preparing their enrollment celebration. That way they actively contribute. For example, they can design the decorations themselves.

4. First-day outfit for your child

The first day of school is a special event and a milestone in your child's life. Therefore you should choose an outfit for them that is appropriate for this special occasion:

Boys can, for example, wear a smart shirt, dark jeans or other comfortable trousers to wear to the first day at primary school and the subsequent celebration.
Girls can go to the celebration in a dress or skirt or a T-shirt, a blouse and comfortable trousers
Remember that they feel comfortable in their clothing for the enrollment celebration should.
Choose only clothing and shoes in which your little ones can move freely on the big day.

More about the first day of school outfit

5. Organize the enrollment celebration as a themed party

The enrollment celebration becomes a very special experience for your child if you base it on a particular theme . Base it entirely on your child's preferences. Whether a world of knights, nobility, jungle, pirates or heroes from film and television – let your imagination and creativity run wild! You can adapt the party decoration and the games to the theme. This ensures fun for young and old.

But always keep the actual occasion in mind: Tie the theme to the subject of 'first day of school' where possible – after all, even pirates have their first day on the high seas and a custom-designed garland for the first day of school can happily hang in the jungle foliage.

6. Delicious ideas for the buffet

To make sure your guests leave satisfied, a delicious buffet is included. Make sure there's something for everyone: young and old, vegetarians and meat-eaters.

Since first-day celebrations at primary school usually take place in the morning and you schedule your private celebration accordingly in the second half of the day, you should offer both coffee and cake as well as something savory dishes for lunch or dinner. How about these ideas?

Meatballs or vegetable patties
Finger food such as vegetable sticks, grape-and-cheese skewers or mini sandwiches
Salads like green salad, pasta salad or potato salad
Mini quiches or mini tarts
Bread with various dips
Chili con carne or chili sin carne
Cakes, cookies or desserts in a jar

7. Festive decorations for the first day of school

In keeping with your child's theme or the topic 'First Day of School', you can instantly turn any living room or garden into a attractive party location for your enrollment celebration create. The motif of the school cone should not be missing!

Also with large numbers and letters made from craft foam or handmade from cardstock you can spruce up the location without much effort. Also think of appropriate table decoration – besides theme-specific decoration ideas streamers, candles and confetti are always a hit! In our online shop you'll find lots of craft kits with which you can design the decorations for your enrollment celebration yourself can.

To the craft kits

8. Table decoration for the start of school

Wondering how to properly decorate the tables for your enrollment celebration? We have magical suggestions for you:

Alphabet cookies for the enrollment celebration

Alphabet cookies are a must-have for the enrollment celebration – super fitting for the school theme and delicious too! Alphabet cookies are available in most supermarkets.

If you want, you can fill mini school cones with a few sweets or other fill with little treats and give them to the little guests to take home at the end of the day.

Colored pencils & Co. on the first-day table

Turn the dining table into a little classroom and decorate it with a few colored pencils or pieces of chalk. These small details make the special charm of your enrollment decoration .

Creative party tableware

With creative party tableware that matches your party's theme, mealtime becomes even more fun! We have a selection of children's tableware in various themes in our shop that are especially popular with the little guests.

9. An entertaining program for the first day of school

The be-all and end-all of an unforgettable school-entry celebration is a colorful and varied party program! Of course, the little first-graders and their playmates should benefit most. But it can be just as much fun if you include a few games that bring young and old together. And of course, there should also be an opening speech or a greeting, words of thanks to all helpers and guests, as well as dance and music that appeal to young and old. Let these program items inspire you:

Crafting at the first-day-of-school celebration

Crafting together brings children and adults to the same table. Especially nice are craft ideas that you can take home at the end of the day as a small keepsake to take home. These include, for example, self-printed or tie-dyed T-shirts, buttons, or bracelets, but also summery wall and window decorations made from cardstock or crepe paper. You can find suitable supplies in our shop.

Face painting at the school enrollment celebration

A special highlight can be to, paint the children at the celebration. Whether lion, princess, wizard or butterfly – they can choose for themselves. You can consider whether you or friendly guests with a knack for face painting take on this task. Alternatively, you can also hire a professional. With the right guidance, face painting isn't that difficult! Check out our tips on Face painting in the magazine there.

Photoshoot for the school enrollment party

A fun photoshoot is enjoyable for everyone! Also all guests have a great keepsake of the successful party. Dressing up for the photos is, of course, especially popular. If the guests are not already dressed up, you can provide a small selection of costumes or photo props to make available. Maybe a few adults will also dare to get in front of the camera!

Create a giant picture for the school enrollment party

Your little ones will get a very special keepsake of their first big day if you create a colorful giant picture together with all guests. As a canvas, a paper tablecloth, which you cut to the desired size. Armed with wax crayons, a small group of guests can gather around the canvas at any time and leave their mark. Guests can also note their wishes for the child starting school there.

Plan an outing for the school enrollment party

Also a small trip to the ice cream parlor or to the nearby playground can liven up the program. Make sure that besides the fixed program items there is enough time left for young and old to enjoy themselves as they like!

10. Games for the school enrollment party

For everyone who wants to entertain little game fans at their party, here are great tips on which games are suitable for a school enrollment party:

Knowledge quiz for the start of school

Suitable for the start of school, you can create a small quiz for your guests develop. Thematically, the questions can either revolve around the party's theme or you can stay general and ask across all areas of knowledge. Make sure that you adapt the questions to the children's level of knowledge. With this game you can bring young and old together well if you prepare quiz questions for both.

Theme games for the school enrollment party

Maybe you'll manage to link some game ideas with the chosen party theme – with the theme 'Pirates', for example, chocolate gold coins could await the successful treasure hunters in the pot-hitting game.

Treasure hunt for the school enrollment party

Or you organize a small treasure hunt for the kids. For example in the house or garden. Excitement and fun are guaranteed! Planning such a treasure hunt involves a lot of work. With us you can find helpful tips, so that the preparation becomes easier!

Plan a treasure hunt with HABA

Note: Also make sure that your venue is safe for children of every age and that a supervisor is present who keeps an eye on everyone, especially during games and activities.

Outdoor physical activities

If you celebrate in the garden or park and there is enough open space for running and roughhousing, active games are especially suitable and promise lots of fun for the children. Running and tag games such as 'Fisher, Fisher, what color is the water?', chain-tag or 'Drop-the-Handkerchief' have lost none of their appeal today. Also ball games are very popular with many children.

11. Small party favors at the school enrollment celebration

It's also a nice gesture, to give the guests at the end of the celebration a small party favor, which reminds them of the celebration. Party favors like small toys, children's books or travel games for under 15 euros are available in our shop.