Top 104 Back-to-School Quotes for Kids, Teachers, and Students: Inspiration and Fun

As school time rolls around again, it’s a great moment to get inspired and excited. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or a parent, having a few good quotes can make the back-to-school transition easier and more fun. 

I’ve put together a list of quotes that are perfect for kids, teachers, and students. From motivational sayings to funny lines, these quotes are sure to lift your spirits and get you ready for the year ahead.

Are you in a hurry? 

Here’s the best of the best for each category:

• For Kids: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Dr. Seuss
• For Teachers: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Adams
• For Students: “The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” — B.B. King
• Funny: “Why did the math book look so sad? Because it had too many problems.” — Unknown

34 Back to school quotes for kids

1. “You’re off to great places. Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” — Dr. Seuss
2. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss
3. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus
4. “You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you.” — Brian Tracy
5. “Be silly, be honest, be kind.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
6. “Mistakes are proof that you are trying.” — Unknown
7. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh)
8. “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” — Theodore Roosevelt
9. “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” — John F. Kennedy
10. “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” — Margaret Fuller
11. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” — Chinese Proverb
12. “You are never too small to make a difference.” — Greta Thunberg
13. “You are capable of amazing things.” — Unknown
14. “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” — Theodore Roosevelt

📌 Related article: A Fun Back to School Maze for Kids

15. “When you know better, you do better.” — Maya Angelou
16. “Dream big, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey.” — Urijah Faber
17. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes
18. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky
19. “Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” — Mark Twain
20. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” — Dr. Seuss
21. “Dream big and dare to fail.” — Norman Vaughan
22. “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt
23. “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” — Henry David Thoreau
24. “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” — Zig Ziglar
25. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” — Lao Tzu
26. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain
27. “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” — Satya Nani
28. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” — Nelson Mandela
29. “The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” — Paul Halmos
30. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis
31. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
32. “What we learn with pleasure we never forget.” — Alfred Mercier
33. “If you can dream it, you can do it.” — Walt Disney
34. “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein

If you’re looking for a wonderful printable school keepsake, check out this Back to School Questionnaire. 

20 Back to school quotes For Teachers

1. “Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.” — Colleen Wilcox
2. “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Adams
3. “The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.” — Alexandra K. Trenfor
4. “To teach is to touch a life forever.” — Unknown
5. “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” — Bob Talbert
6. “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” — Brad Henry
7. “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
8. “Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.” — Jacques Barzun
9. “To teach is to learn twice.” — Joseph Joubert
10. “The greatest gift is a passion for reading.” — Elizabeth Hardwick
11. “The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.” — Robert M. Hutchins
12. “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” — Oprah Winfrey
13. “A child educated only at school is an uneducated child.” — George Santayana
14. “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” — Sydney J. Harris
15. “Education is the foundation upon which we build our future.” — Christine Gregoire
16. “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
17. “Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.” — Jacques Barzun
18. “The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.” — William S. Burroughs
19. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats
20. “The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” — Malcolm S. Forbes

📌 Related article: Free Valentine’s Day Math Worksheets | PDF Printables

30 Back to school quotes for Students

1. “The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.” — B.B. King
2. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X
3. “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle
4. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” — Chinese Proverb
5. “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier
6. “You don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.” — Unknown
7. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss
8. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” — John Dewey
9. “Change is the end result of all true learning.” — Leo Buscaglia
10. “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.” — Robert Frost
11. “The future of the world is in my classroom today.” — Ivan Welton Fitzwater
12. “Wisdom begins with wonder.” — Socrates
13. “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” — Henry Ford
14. “The journey is the reward.” — Chinese Proverb
15. “Learning never exhausts the mind.” — Leonardo da Vinci
16. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill
17. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” — Steve Jobs
18. “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” — Malcolm Forbes
19. “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” — Will Durant
20. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela
21. “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” — Helen Hayes
22. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin
23. “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” — Anthony J. D’Angelo
24. “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” — Allan Bloom
25. “The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” — Paul Halmos
26. “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” — B.B. King
27. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
28. “Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” — Sam Levenson
29. “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be ignited.” — Plutarch
30. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Dr. Seuss

📌 Related article: First Day of School Card Free Printable 

20 Funny back to school quotes

1. “I’m so glad school is back in session. I’m running out of things to do at home.” — Unknown
2. “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it. But now school’s back, so I’ll be eating my textbooks instead.” — Unknown
3. “School: where the student’s lunch money is as valuable as gold.” — Unknown
4. “The only thing harder than getting out of bed for school is getting out of bed for work.” — Unknown
5. “I’m ready for school. Said no one ever.” — Unknown
6. “I love school so much that I’m going to stay there forever. Just kidding. I’m counting the days until summer break.” — Unknown
7. “The first day of school: where teachers and students pretend to be excited about learning.” — Unknown
8. “My favorite subject in school? Recess!” — Unknown
9. “Why did the math book look so sad? Because it had too many problems.” — Unknown
10. “I’m not sure what’s more difficult: algebra or trying to remember where I left my homework.” — Unknown
11. “Why did the student eat his homework? Because his teacher said it was a piece of cake!” — Unknown
12. “The only way to survive the first day of school is with a cup of coffee in one hand and a pencil in the other.” — Unknown
13. “I’ve decided to give up all my bad habits for the new school year. However, I’m keeping my procrastination.” — Unknown
14. “My backpack is like a magician’s hat. I keep finding new things in it every day.” — Unknown
15. “Why did the teacher go to the beach? To test the water.” — Unknown
16. “I’m not a procrastinator. I’m just extremely productive at unimportant things.” — Unknown
17. “If school is so great, why is it always followed by ‘no school tomorrow’?” — Unknown
18. “Back-to-school shopping: the only time you get excited about buying pencils and notebooks.” — Unknown
19. “Homework: the thing that keeps us from falling asleep in class.” — Unknown
20. “If you think that education is expensive, try ignorance.” — Derek Bok

FAQs for Back to School Quotes

Conclusion

With these quotes, you’re ready to kick off the school year with a positive attitude. Whether you need a bit of motivation, want to share a laugh, or are just looking for some inspiration, these quotes can help. Here’s to a great school year full of learning, growth, and lots of enjoyable moments!

xx Kinga

Pin it for later!