Top tips to create a school photo book

A graduation gift bursting with their most memorable secondary school moments or a personalised end-of-year book dedicated to their favourite after-school activity, school photo books are a fantastic way to preserve childhood memories and create a keepsake to last. Better yet? The world’s your oyster when designing your personalised school yearbook with photobox. Choose to design your photo album from scratch, or get a helping hand from one of our special school book-themed designs and make it your own with endless customisation options.

Why create a school book?

We all know how fast time can fly – and how easy it can sometimes be to forget the people, places and things that shaped us as the years go by. A school photo book lets you capture the most important moments in your child’s life, preserving their childhood memories and celebrating everything that makes them unique. Creating with photobox gives you full reign over what your school memory book will look like, packed with silly snaps of having fun with their friends or a creative end-of-year photo book filled with testimonials, awards and class photos. So: where do you start?

Top tips for creating a school book

Whether you want to design your school photo book from scratch or personalise one of our school book-themed designs, creating your school book is simple. Here are some easy tips to help you get started with your school book project.

1. Decide on a topic
There are plenty of different directions you can take a school book, so the first step is to decide on the topic of your book. End-of-year school books are a great way to celebrate all the achievements and milestones over the past academic year, or you may want to focus on something specific, like their sports team or after-school club.

2. Source photos
Collecting photos is one of the most important steps in the creation of your school photo book – and one of the most fun! Browse through your camera roll and save some of your favourite pics, and don’t be shy about reaching out for photos from friends, family and other parents from your kid’s school. Tell them to keep it a secret if it’s a surprise!

3. Get organised
Sort your photos by event, occasion, or time/month, and create chapters for friends, quotes and testimonials, and any other categories you need! If you’re opting to create a bigger school photo book that looks over multiple years or milestones, think about creating dedicated folders on your laptop to make arranging your snaps in the photo book easier. If this is the most challenging part for you, read our four tips to better organise photos blog for more advice.

4. Layout and design
Decide on a layout and design that reflects your child’s personality and the book’s theme. If you’re creating a photo book dedicated to their school sports team, play around with using the team colours throughout, or add an illustration from our sports-themed clip art selection. Browse through our themed templates for some inspiration, from the bright and cheerful Class colours theme to the dynamic Dream team theme.

5. Keep it simple
Once you get started, it can be tempting to include everything you stumble across. Our advice? Make sure you account for some white space and don’t overcrowd your book with too many photos or texts. Simplicity is key when it comes to designing a photo book to last.

Things to include in your school book

We can all be a little guilty of over-snapping when it comes to our kids. After all, why have one photo when you can have a photo library overflowing with hundreds of shots of your little ones doing their thing? With so much to choose from, deciding what to include in your school book can seem like a bit of a daunting task at first. But we are here to help: try starting with a few photos for each of the below categories, and you’ll be surprised how quickly it all starts to come together.

1. Family and friends
Start with photos of your child and their friends, and think about any family shots that could be great to include. Birthday parties are always a good place to start when looking for group shots, as well as the annual school photo.

2. After-school club or sports team
Consider adding game photos, stats, and scores if your child is involved in an after-school club or sports team. If the activity or sport is a big part of their life, consider creating a dedicated book for the club/sports team. Order a copy for everyone in the group and save on multiple books!

3. School performances
There are few better sources of enjoyment than photos of a school performance. Whether it was the Christmas play or the summer talent show, include plenty of pictures and include a copy of the program or the ticket to their big performance for an extra special touch.

4. School trips
Whether it was a weekend away with the DoE, a day visiting a museum, or a week-long school ski trip, including some of the highlights of the school trips your child has enjoyed.

5. Achievements and awards
Remember to include any awards or achievements your child received throughout the school year, from academic awards to special mentions from their teachers. Having them in the book is a great way to show them the results of their hard work and dedication.

6. Artwork and special projects
Shine a light on their creative side. Include your child’s artwork from the school year by taking photos or scanning them. Add captions to explain the projects, or ask your child to describe them in their own words for a special addition.

7. Quotes and testimonials
Including quotes and testimonials from their favourite teacher, captains, or coaches can be a great way to capture their memories and make your school book more personal. It can also be a lovely way to show appreciation for the people who have significantly impacted their lives.