Free Printable Back To School Countdown

How do you turn back-to-school jitters into excitement? Took me a few years to find the answer: make it fun with a free printable back to school countdown (and some good old-fashioned bribery). It’s such an easy way to build up anticipation and make the kids almost willingly drag themselves out of bed!

I’m a big fan of options so there are actually two countdowns. One is a 30-day countdown, and the other is a 10-day one.

I know it’s super hard to stay on top of everything, especially when you’re getting ready for the new school year, so if you didn’t think of using a countdown at least a month ahead, I wanted you to have the shorter 10-day option.

And guess who was the first to need it? Me!

Both countdowns are ready to use. Just print on regular U.S. Letter paper and you’re all set.

📅 30-Day Back-To-School Countdown

Alright, let’s kick things off with the 30-day back to school countdown! This one’s for all my fellow planners out there, and for those of you with kids who start asking about school in, oh, July. It’s a fun school bus design, because what’s more iconic than a big yellow school bus?

👉This countdown is perfect if you want to build up that slow and steady excitement. You can start marking off the days a whole month in advance, creating a daily ritual that gets everyone in the back-to-school spirit. My Spencer loved coloring them!

👉I also tied little activities or treats to each day of the countdown to make it even more fun. A movie night on day 25, a new book on day 15, a special breakfast on the first day of school… the possibilities are endless!

⏳ 10-Day Back To School Countdown

Now, for all my fellow procrastinators (don’t worry, I’m one of you!), we’ve got the 10-day back to school countdown! This one’s shaped like a cute little backpack, perfect for that final sprint to the first day. Because sometimes, life gets busy, and you only realize school is next week, and you don’t have any fun activity set.

But hey, that’s okay! This 10-day countdown is here to save the day. It’s short, sweet, and gets the job done. You can start marking off the days when you’re in that final stretch of preparation, building up excitement without feeling overwhelmed.

👉This backpack countdown is also great for kids who might get antsy with a longer countdown. Sometimes, a shorter wait is all they need to get pumped for school. Plus, it’s a fun visual reminder that the big day is just around the corner!

👉Just like with the 30-day countdown, you can add little surprises or activities to each day. Maybe a new pack of crayons on day 8, a special “first day” outfit on day 2, and a fun family dinner on day 1.

You can also use these free printable back to school gift card holders to give a small treat to celebrate those first few days! I remember Spencer was always thrilled to get a little something special.

🖨️ Grab It Now

• Type your name and email address in the box below and hit the “Grab It Now” button.
• You’ll get a message from us containing the download link to the PDF file.
• Save it to your device and open it with a PDF reader (like the free Adobe Reader).
• These free printable back to school countdown templates are ready to print on U.S. Letter paper. For other paper sizes, like A4 and A5 you can change the type of paper and/or adjust the Scale option in the Print options.
• Hit the “Print” button and enjoy!

📌Note: This is not a crafty countdown printable. It’s ready to use as soon as the ink dries for a fun but no-fuss back to school activity.

🎒 More Free Back-To-School Printables

I speak from experience when I say a well-placed printable can be a lifesaver during the back-to-school rush! So here are a few more freebies that make it a lot easier to navigate this busy season.

⭐I have to start with my free printable first day of school signs for 2025-2026 because capturing those adorable first-day memories is so important! Make it a fun tradition and watch how your little ones change from year to year.

⭐And, you can do the same with their minds! I have this free printable first day of school interview that’ll turn their cuteness and quirks into lifelong memories.

⭐To add even more festive vibes, use my free printable back-to-school banner to create custom messages. It has the whole alphabet, numerals, symbols, and dividers so you can write whatever fun message you want!

⭐All the prep for the new school year requires a lot of multitasking, and for this I always relied on this free printable back-to-school checklist. Even more, if you want to keep everything organized in one place, this printable school binder will let you do that, and more!

⭐Mornings are another rough part, and if there’s one thing that made everything go smoother was this free printable lunchbox planner and builder. With a plan on hand, prepping lunches your kid will actually want to eat is no longer stressful or time-consuming.

What’s the most exciting part of back-to-school for your kids (or for you!)? Or maybe you have a question about using the printables? Let’s chat in the comments!