Make personalised Back-to-School Gear with Cricut - Under $4 Aldi DIY hack for 1st Day School Board from @monochrome.haus_

Back to School is a time of excitement, trepidation for some, but above all, it’s a time to get your home and the kids organised for the new school year!  A Cricut smart cutting machine is the perfect teacher’s/parent’s assistant to start the year organised, labelled, and as a result, possibly less anxious about going back to school! 

From sentimental 1st day boards for the photo memories, to labelled lunchboxes and water bottles, to custom classroom decorations to make the kids feel welcomed, and personalised organisation stations/drop zone so that no one forgets anything on the way out the door, Cricut has you covered for back to school in 2026. 

Using this $3.99 Small Whiteboard from ALDI, Teresa (@monochrome.haus_) created custom back-to-school boards to make her kids’ first day of school memorable! Using the dry erase and her Cricut Maker 4, she quickly and easily personalised the boards with their name and used vinyl to include their age, the date and what they want to be when they grow up. This adorable and easy DIY project makes for a perfect photo opportunity with the kids and can be reused each and every year for the milestone photos as the kids grow and move through school years and campuses.

Preparing for her niece’s first day at primary school, Liz (@letterme_au) created a personalised lunch box set using her Cricut Maker 3. Adding personalised details to the lunch boxes not only looks great but is also a practical way to help keep them from getting lost during the school year. By using a Cricut smart cutting machine and Iron-On, Sophie has a beautiful lunch box that’s easily identifiable so it won’t be left behind in the playground.

But it’s not just kids getting ready for Back to School, teacher Winnie (@withwinnie__) decided to decorate and organise her classroom for the new year with help of her Cricut Explore 3. From labels and organisers to school resources and an inspirational class mural, her classroom is ready for the first day back!

Getting your kids ready for school and out the door on time can be a difficult task in the morning, especially if their homework, hat, lunchbox, school bag and shoes are in different rooms throughout your home. Creating a Drop Zone for inside your front entry can keep the school mess from entering beyond this point, making mornings run smoothly when you and your kids know where all their items are to get them out the door. This can also help to support your kids working on their independence. But creating this doesn’t need to be an expensive project!

Check out this hack using IKEA Billy Bookcase for $59 each and Cricut Smart Vinyl for $15 that won’t break the bank! Easily set up the bookcase and apply labels using a Cricut smart cutting machine to customise each shelf so when the kids get home from school they know exactly where to place their belongings, ready to go for the following day. If you’re on a tight budget, you could instead use this Kmart 3 Tier Bookshelf for only $20! If you have more than one school aged child, simply add another bookcase or as many as you need!

The back-to-school prep doesn’t stop there! Teachers have been creating learning assets for their classroom to kickstart the year with strong engagement from students that supports learning goals.

In preparation for the new school year, special education teacher, Christine Marlow, shared to the Cricut for Australians Facebook Group how she created an educational sensory book using felt and her Cricut Maker. Educational and tactile books for those living with disabilities can be effective aids for special needs learners.

Cricut Maker 4 | RRP $699 | Available at Spotlight and Harvey Norman

Cricut Maker 4 can cut, draw, engrave and deboss 300+ materials including vinyl, iron-on, balsa wood, fabrics, and more, with up to 2X faster speeds than previous models, enabling you to create more in less time. It works with an app named Design Space, where you can design your own project or choose from thousands of ready to make designs.

Cricut Joy Xtra | On sale $278 (Was $399) | On sale at Spotlight, Officeworks and Harvey Norman

Get ready to start the new year on the right note with the fabulous Cricut Joy Xtra Bundle!  Personalise, organise, and customise to your heart’s content, perfect for the back to school and beyond! Whip up custom pencil cases, fun drink bottles, lunch boxes which wow, quirky hats, and eye-catching stickers in no time. Whether you’re making personalised notebook or adding flair to your kids' everyday school stationery, Cricut Joy Xtra is your DIY sidekick. So, let the new school year begin and make it one to remember.

What you can make: 

What can’t you make? You’re only limited by your imagination! Think personalised t-shirts with Iron On, bespoke birthday cards, decals for just about anything you want to decorate or label, and more. 

How it works: 

• Design - Download the Cricut Design Space app on your smartphone, tablet or computer. From there, you can choose from thousands of ready-to-make projects, design your own from scratch using the hundreds of thousands of images and fonts, or upload your own design! 
• Cut - Once your design is ready to go, connect your Cricut via Bluetooth, follow the steps on the app and watch your machine do all the hard work! 
• Assemble – assemble your project and voila, it’s done!