School yearbooks can take on any tone and theme that you want. A formal publication, sentimental keepsake or a chance to market to prospective students. But for a primary school yearbook, a publication that is engaging and fun should be top of the list!
A fun yearbook relies on a friendly tone, interesting design and engaging content. Here are some ways to create a yearbook that both students and their families will enjoy and cherish.
Content Ideas
A good primary school yearbook includes topics that appeal to both students and parents. Ensure your content and language is easy for students to read and understand so that they are able to read it with their families. Consider what your students will want to look back on in future years, whether that is school facts or funny anecdotes.
Fun, personal stories are a must, but a few more ‘adult’ topics are necessary too. Include content for parents that makes them feel involved with the school and shows that their child is in capable hands. Below are some content ideas for your yearbook.
Content to Share:
- Highlight clubs and events: sports days, camp, school disco, sports teams
- Feature cultural activities: school production, Kapa Haka
- Include creative work: student artwork, creative writing, poetry
- Create classroom pages: allocate a page or two to each classroom
Content for Parents:
- Principal’s Address: a welcome from the Principal at the front of the yearbook
- Staff and teacher interviews: valuable for parents who wish to get a better understanding of the school community
- School updates and notices: keep parents informed of changes and future plans
- Parent-teacher association: updates and how they can get involved!
Content to Look Back On:
- What is in the news this year: showcase top news stories and include how students are feeling about these events
- Student interviews: ask them about their favourite subjects, hobbies and future goals
- Autograph pages: create interactive content, where students can sign each other’s books
- Facts about school: what the school looks like in the current day. Facilities change over time so this is a fun piece of history to look back on!
Design Ideas
Primary school yearbooks don’t have to look polished or be serious publications. High school yearbooks often double as a goodbye to leaving students and tend to lean more formal. Primary school yearbooks instead can focus on growth and having fun!
Your yearbook should be an enjoyable read for current students. Large images, patterned backgrounds and artsy fonts will appeal to your younger audience. You can even involve your students with a creative yearbook cover. This could include student art or a photo that involves the school community.
Yearbook Themes:
Adopt a yearbook design theme and get creative with fonts, colours and illustrations! Here are some themes to try out:
- Outer space
- Lego / toys / gadgets
- In the classroom / chalkboard
- Comic book / Superhero
- Futuristic
- Under the sea
- Retro
Get your students involved with brainstorming themes, as they are sure to have some creative ideas!
Photography Ideas
Photos and illustrations are a sure way to catch the eye of your readers – especially the younger ones! Primary school photos don’t have to be formal, so have some fun and showcase the personalities in your school! Ask staff, parents or coaches to take photos at sports games, school camps and events. This takes the pressure off the yearbook coordinator and results in more candid shots. Include casual photos from the classroom, as this glimpse into everyday school life is invaluable for parents.
A great primary school yearbook should highlight and celebrate every student. A good way to ensure everyone is featured is by dedicating pages to each classroom. Each class can then showcase its students in the way that they see fit. For example, you could include photos of students holding their favourite hobby, sport or book. Or dressed as the profession they want to be when they grow up! There are lots of fun ways to capture the spirit of each child and classroom, so get creative!
The laidback nature of a primary school yearbook means you can also have a lot of fun with different photo layouts. Photo collages are a great way to include lots of images, and they can really make a page pop! Crop photos into fun shapes, or pair with relevant illustrations for a look that is truly unique.
To see more photo collage layouts, check out our article on photo pages!
