Typically, this means booking a photographer, coordinating calendars, and paying by the session, all while hoping you receive quality results back. But there’s an easier way, and it doesn’t even require a studio or staff photographer.

One platform, multiple ways to capture

With Simple Booth, you can run a headshot photo booth in-house and capture clean, consistent photos on your own. Better yet, the setup keeps paying off long after the shoot is over.

There are essentially two ways to capture, plus one way to make the photos look their best:

• HALO hardware and app: an in-person iPad booth with consistent, controlled lighting
• Virtual Booth: a web-based option people use from their own devices, with whatever light is around them
• AI Effects: an add-on for either that polishes every photo, with no backdrop or extra lighting needed

You can start with the basics and add more whenever you’re ready. Now, let’s explore these options in detail.

All-in-one hardware and software for total control

When it comes to headshots, the difference between a forgettable and flattering one usually comes down to lighting, and the easiest way to control lighting is with hardware.

The HALO kit runs the HALO app on an iPad, built around studio-grade lighting and a durable aluminum body. That built-in light means the first person in line and the last one look like they were shot at the same time, in the same place.

Build one headshot experience in your dashboard, and everybody gets the same framing, crop, and finish automatically. No art direction required.

After capture, your photos get some extra polish, too. The app includes high-end background blur and bokeh for that DSLR look, and the Glam filter smooths skin just enough to look fresh, but not overdone.

You can also switch on filters, an optional edit tool, and a retake button is always available, so everyone leaves with a shot they actually like.

To take it a step further, you can display pose tips right before a frame is captured, so people get a little coaching before the countdown. A few that work well for headshots:

• Angle your shoulders slightly instead of squaring up to the camera
• Bring your chin a touch forward and down to define your jawline
• Relax your shoulders and go for an easy, natural smile
• Look right into the lens

Running a badge day? Add your logo and an editable text field to the photo layout, and each capture doubles as a name badge or conference ID people can make on the fly. Pair it with a compatible printer and they can even walk away with a printed copy.

Set HALO on the portable stand for a quick pop-up station, or mount it on the wall for a permanent spot people can use anytime. If people can’t make it to the in-person booth, that’s exactly what Virtual Booth is for.

A web-based booth for capturing anywhere

Not everyone’s in the same location, and shipping gear around isn’t always worth the hassle.

Virtual Booth is a web-based experience separate from the HALO app but under the same roof. It opens right in a browser with nothing to download, just share a link or a QR code.

From there, people grant camera access and snap their own headshot on whatever device they’ve got, whether they’re in another office or working from the kitchen table.

For distributed and remote teams, a virtual option is the fastest way to gather everyone’s photo without scheduling a thing.

The catch? Lighting is now up to whoever’s holding the phone. A couple of quick tips in your instructions go a long way:

• Face a window or a bright light
• Avoid harsh overhead lighting
• Hold the camera at eye level

If you want to make the process even smoother, that’s exactly what AI Effects are for.

AI effects for an effortless, professional finish

This is where either option levels up. AI Effects work in both the HALO app and Virtual Booth, transforming the photo the moment it’s captured. For headshots, they’re a perfect match.

First up is background replacement. You can drop in a virtual background right in the HALO app or Virtual Booth. But AI Effects take it further, handling the background and the lighting in one go. If your lighting isn’t great, that’s the best way to get really solid results.

A couple of effects are especially handy for headshots. The Backdrops library gives you a whole set of walls to choose from, including polished options like the Studio Backdrop and Pro Backdrop. These effects let you place everyone in the same environment, so every headshot matches no matter which room it came from.

Then there’s Portrait Mode, one of the Camera Effects. It adds a quick lighting touch-up and blurs the background, turning an ordinary photo into something that looks studio-lit. That’s a big deal when the only “studio” available was the corner of the corporate office.

One thing to keep in mind is that AI Effects run on account credits and need an internet connection to generate, so it’s smart to test your network before a big headshot day.

Beyond the shoot

Participants can text, email, AirDrop, or WhatsApp their headshot to themselves on the spot. From there, every photo is uploaded to an online gallery where participants can download or share to LinkedIn or other social platforms.

Your team can also download the whole set at once for the directory or badge system. If you’re in a regulated field like title or finance, you can set galleries to private and lean on built-in privacy controls.

Simple Booth isn’t just a headshot tool, either. Swap the experience and it’s ready for the holiday party, an all-hands, a recruiting event, or the lobby when a client stops by. Re-theme the whole thing with ready-made design assets or AI effects to match the occasion.

There’s the cost, too. Hiring a photographer is a recurring expense, often billed per session or per person every time someone new needs a headshot.

Running the booth yourself flips that math: one setup covers your whole team and every event after, so the more you use it, the less each headshot costs. Flexible software plans match how often you’ll use it, so you’re paying one predictable rate instead of a new invoice every time.

You get it for the headshots, then you end up using it for everything else.

Which approach is right for you?

If you want full control over lighting and a booth people can walk right up to, go with HALO hardware and app, on a stand or mounted to the wall. If your team’s spread out and shipping hardware around doesn’t make sense, Virtual Booth is the way. Whichever you choose, you can layer in AI Effects to swap the background and polish the lighting without the logistics.

You don’t have to pick just one, either. Run HALO on-site for your in-office team, send a Virtual Booth link to everyone remote, and let it all flow into the same gallery.

Whatever approach you choose, your team captures photos on their schedule, and you get consistent, professional results without the headache or added cost.

The post How to Run a Headshot Photo Booth In-House Without a Photographer appeared first on Simple Booth.

And with 2026 grads heading into a tech-savvy world, your photo booth setup should be just as smart. Whether you’re renting a booth, DIY-ing it with your own gear, or using a modern solution like Simple Booth HALO®, the goal is the same: create a photo booth experience that’s social, stylish, and shareable.

From campus-wide events and senior send-offs to backyard parties and banquet halls, this guide covers everything you need to make your graduation photo booth unforgettable—no matter your setup or budget.

1⃣ Make a Statement with the Backdrop

Your backdrop is more than decoration—it’s the centerpiece of every photo. Go bold, bright, or nostalgic, depending on the tone of your event.

Popular 2026 Graduation Backdrop Ideas:

• School colors with streamer walls, balloons, or confetti blasts
• “Class of 2026” marquee letters or vinyl signage
• A “Then vs Now” wall with kindergarten or freshman-year photos for throwback fun
• For college grads: department-specific décor (e.g. film reels, lab coats, capstone projects)
• Virtual backgrounds (available in the HALO app) that transport guests to famous campus landmarks, dream travel spots, or future workplaces

Parents can get in on the fun too—add a virtual background from your alma mater for a tongue-in-cheek twist on family pride. Whether it’s formal or fun, the right backdrop sets the tone and makes every photo pop.

2⃣ Provide Props that Celebrate (and Speak Gen Z)

Graduates want personality in their pics. Add simple, crowd-pleasing props that speak to the occasion—and give guests a reason to smile, pose, and share.

Trending 2026 Graduation Prop Ideas:

• Grad caps and faux diplomas
• “I did it!” “Hire me!” “On to the next” signs
• Oversized numbers (2-0-2-6), emoji cutouts, or even LinkedIn logo props
• Mascots, school crests, or local landmarks for a hyper-personal touch
• Parent-pleasers: signs like “Proud Mom!” “Dad of a Grad” or “We Made It!”

Both universities and families can get creative with photo booth props—whether it’s major-specific designs, campus mascots, or personalized touches like inside jokes and throwback photos.

Or just keep it classic with fun sunglasses, party headbands, and more!

For a greener option, the HALO app makes it easy to incorporate digital props and stickers that add personality—without any cleanup.

Transform Your Photos

AI-powered effects open up even more ways to celebrate student journeys—like generating themed visuals based on majors, future careers, or “next step” moments (think: teacher, engineer, filmmaker, or entrepreneur). It’s an easy way to make every photo feel more personal to each grad.

3⃣ Make Sharing Effortless (and Fun)

Grads live online—and your photo booth should, too. With HALO, photos can be texted, emailed, or AirDropped instantly, and shared across all major social platforms.

Top Sharing Features for 2026 Graduates:

• LinkedIn sharing: Let grads announce their achievement on the spot
• Instagram-ready formats: Square crops, filters, and digital props make content instantly postable
• Custom hashtags and captions: Keep the celebration organized and searchable
• Event sponsor mentions: Great for branded events or school partnerships

With the HALO app, all of these sharing features are built right in. Schools can add branded overlays to spotlight departments, clubs, or student achievements, while families can personalize photos with proud messages or favorite grad quotes.

Want to boost visibility? Create a mix of custom overlays that include your hashtag, school name, or event title—so every shared photo tells part of your celebration story.

4⃣ Set Up Your Graduation Photo Booth (Your Way)

Graduation season isn’t just about the big ceremony—it’s a whole series of celebrations, from senior breakfasts and honors nights to field days and department parties. Whether you’re hosting 30 grads or 3,000, there’s a photo booth setup that can match your scale, style, and schedule.

From backyard parties to campus-wide events, here are three flexible ways to bring your graduation photo booth to life—no matter your budget or level of involvement:

DIY Your Graduation Photo Booth

Looking for a hands-on approach? A DIY photo booth gives you total creative control—ideal for tech-savvy parents, student clubs, or anyone working with a tight budget. 

From the backdrop to the props to the overall vibe, you’re in charge of every detail. It’s a great fit for senior week celebrations, student-led send-offs, or backyard grad parties with a personal touch.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Your own iPad or tablet
• A tripod or stand
• A simple ring light (or great natural light)
• Props and backdrops to match your graduation theme

Want to level up? Photo booth apps—like the HALO app—add filters, virtual props, and built-in sharing features to give your DIY setup a polished, pro-quality feel.

Pro tip: The HALO app includes flexible plans and ready-made graduation themes that make it easy for schools, PTAs, and party planners to get started fast—without breaking the budget.

Check out the DIY Photo Booth Guide for gear recs, setup ideas, and how-tos.

Buy HALO for a Sleek, All-in-One Experience

Planning a bigger celebration or looking for a plug-and-play setup? The HALO selfie stand delivers a polished, professional photo booth experience—trusted by universities and event pros alike.

From senior banquets to commencement receptions, HALO is built to impress and designed to last.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Sleek, durable hardware with built-in studio-grade lighting
• Easy to transport, store, and reuse for future school or personal events
• Seamless integration with HALO software for instant sharing and custom branding

Pro tip: Schools automatically receive a 10% discount on the Core plan and up—no special code or paperwork required.

Want to see it in action? State University uses HALO year-round to boost student engagement and capture the energy of campus life—from orientation to graduation.

Explore the HALO product page for specs, photos, and everything you need to get started.

Rent a Photo Booth for the Night

Hosting a one-time event and want to keep things simple? Renting a photo booth can be the most convenient option—especially if you want a hands-off experience.

Here’s why it’s a solid option (if you don’t mind the higher price tag):

• No setup or teardown—many rentals include delivery and on-site service
• Ideal for single events where you don’t want to manage the tech
• Professional results without a long-term commitment

Pro tip: Want the best of both worlds? Use the HALO app with your own iPad and ring light to get a premium, shareable photo booth experience—without the rental price tag.

Why More Schools, Parents, and Committees Are Choosing HALO

From commencements to grad night parties, more and more schools, families, and event planners are turning to Simple Booth HALO® as their go-to photo booth solution. It’s easy to use, quick to set up, and designed to deliver standout results—without the stress.

Here’s why HALO works so well for graduation season (and beyond):

• Lightweight and portable — easy to move between venues
• Built-in studio lighting — perfect for gyms, quads, and everywhere in between
• Simple to set up, even simpler to use — intuitive for guests of all ages
• Flexible pricing — weekly and monthly plans to match your timeline and budget

And with 60+ readily available themes and customizable overlays, you can easily refresh the look for each event—making one booth go a long way.

5⃣ Make It Meaningful—And Unforgettable

Grads want photos that look good. But they also want moments that feel good. A thoughtfully designed photo booth experience can do both—creating space for celebration, reflection, and connection.

Here are a few ways to elevate your photo booth experience and turn it into a memory-maker.

Personal touches that hit home:

• Add a “Message to My Future Self” digital prop or guestbook-style overlay
• Set up a memory wall where students can pin printed photos or handwritten notes
• Create a “Faculty Favorites” booth for students and teachers to pose together
• Need extra copies? Save photos to Dropbox or directly to your camera roll for printing or sharing later.

Upgrades that make it even better:

• Print Options: HALO supports AirPrint, so guests can print photo strips on-site with a compatible printer and Wi-Fi
• Live Feed Display: Show off real-time booth photos on a screen to boost energy and encourage participation
• Endless Customization: Add branded overlays, personalized messages, and custom digital props and stickers to make each photo truly unique
• Pro Features: Unlock our beautiful glam filter, background blur, and other built-in editing tools for a polished, pro-level experience
• Expert Support When You Need It: Whether you’re just getting started or want to go big, our resources, tutorials, and responsive Support team have your back every step of the way

Whether you’re keeping it simple or going all-out, customizable overlays, digital props, and thoughtful add-ons help turn quick snaps into keepsake moments that grads, families, and faculty will truly remember.

Celebrate Big Wins with a Photo Booth That Delivers

No matter what kind of graduation you’re planning, your photo booth should match the energy of the moment. In 2026, that means going beyond just a camera and backdrop with interactive features, instant sharing, and a photo experience that feels as memorable as the milestone itself.

Whether you’re going the DIY route, renting a booth for the night, or planning ahead for future events, there’s no shortage of ways to get creative. And if you’re looking for a solution that’s flexible, reliable, and built to impress—Simple Booth HALO has you covered.

Simple to set up, easy to customize, and designed for both schools and families, HALO brings big energy to every celebration without the stress. So cue the cap toss, strike a pose, and make it a moment worth remembering.

The post Graduation Photo Booth Ideas to Celebrate the Class of 2026 appeared first on Simple Booth.

That’s why your prom photo booth needs to do more than just snap a few pics. It should set the tone, bring people together, and give them something they’ll want to post, print, and look back on for years to come. With tools like Simple Booth HALO®, it’s easier than ever to create a sleek, digital photo booth setup that’s totally on trend for prom 2026.

Whether you’re on the school planning committee, a fun-loving parent, or a party planner helping to pull off the big night, this guide has you covered. From creative trends to tech-friendly features, here’s how to make your 2026 prom photo booth totally unforgettable.

2026 Prom Trends to Watch

This year’s prom trends are serving bold personality and modern nostalgia. Think disco meets drama, moody meets maximalist, and Y2K vibes colliding with TikTok-core.

Need some visual inspo? Check out our prom photo booth mood board on Pinterest for backdrop ideas, prop examples, and all the over-the-top energy you need to bring your booth to life.

Top prom photo booth trends for 2026:

• Glitz & glam: Gold shimmer curtains, velvet drapes, mirrored props, and metallic accents.
• Nostalgia throwbacks: Soft lighting, “awkward” vintage poses, and yearbook-style overlays (intentionally cheesy, obviously).
• Color-forward themes: Neon signs, bold florals, chromatic gradients—more is more.

Want something unexpected? Set up a faux photo studio corner, complete with stool, feather boa, and instructions for “your best awkward pose.” Instant classic.

Features That Make It Share-Worthy

Students aren’t just taking photos—they’re creating content. So give them the tools to make it personal, creative, and totally on-brand.

Must-have features for a scroll-stopping prom booth:

• Boomerangs & GIFs: Because movement makes everything more fun.
• Glam filters: Soft-focus and glam filters are still going strong—no editing needed.
• Custom overlays: Mix it up with multiple designs that show off your school pride, prom theme, or class year.
• Stickers & digital props: Add custom props or stickers featuring crowns, sparkles, sunglasses, school mascots, and popular slang or slogans.
• AI effects: Use AI to transform photos with stylized looks, themed scenes, or future-inspired visuals—no editing required.
• One-touch sharing: Let students scan a QR code for instant access to their photos, no app required.
• Print options: Instant prints are a crowd-pleaser—perfect for lockers, scrapbooks, or memory boxes. You can print on-site or offer downloadable versions students can print later (we even recommend a few printers to make it easy).

The HALO app includes all of these features and more, so you can customize every detail and make sure the photos feel as fun, creative, and memorable as the night itself.

Poses, Prompts & Party Energy

Even the most camera-ready guests need a little inspiration sometimes. These pose prompts strike the perfect balance between fun, fashionable, and full-send energy—so nobody’s left standing awkwardly in front of the booth.

Here are a few trending prompts to help guests loosen up and strike a pose:

• “Main Character Moment” – solo shot, smize activated, wind machine vibes.
• “Trend Alert: Awkward Prom Pose” – go full retro with stiff arms and dramatic side eye.
• “POV: The DJ Just Played Your Song” – grab your date, your bestie, or your glow stick.
• “We Ate and Left No Crumbs” – pure confidence, pure camp.
• “Kiss Cam Energy” – sweet, silly, or full send—it’s your moment.

A few printed signs or digital prompts can turn “uhhh what do we do?” into big laughs—and even bigger memories.

Build, Buy, or Rent: Your Photo Booth Game Plan

When it comes to your photo booth setup, you’ve got options—and each one comes with its own vibe, budget, and level of effort. Here’s how to figure out what works best for your event.

Option 1: Build Your Own DIY Photo Booth

This one’s for the DIY-ers and tech-savvy teams. With a little time and creativity, you can build something totally unique without breaking the bank.

Pros:

• Total creative control over your look and setup
• Budget-friendly if you already have the gear
• Super customizable (you can choose every detail!)

Cons:

• Requires more planning and setup time
• You’ll need a decent camera, lighting, and software
• Features might be limited without the right tech

Pro tip: If you decide to go this route, check out our DIY Photo Booth Guide for gear recommendations and steps for getting started.

Option 2: Buy an All-in-One Photo Booth

Thinking long-term? Investing in a photo booth setup can pay off—especially if your school or committee hosts multiple events throughout the year.

Pros:

• Professional, polished look every time
• Reusable for future events (think: homecoming, graduation, reunions)
• Easy to setup, break down, and transport

Cons:

• Higher upfront cost
• You’ll need someone to store and manage it
• Slight learning curve if you’ve never used one before

What we love: With the HALO hardware, you get studio lighting built right in (no tripod light kits!), a sleek design, and easy portability. It’s durable enough for any kind of event—and stylish enough to blend into any environment.

Even better? Schools automatically get 10% off the annual Core plan and up.

Option 3: Rent a Photo Booth for the Night

Short on time or don’t want to manage the tech yourself? Opting for a photo booth rental could be your stress-free solution.

Pros:

• No setup or teardown worries (many rentals include delivery and setup)
• Great for one-night events like prom or grad parties
• Certain packages include a dedicated photo booth attendant

Cons:

• Higher cost per event (especially if you opt for an attendant and/or prints)
• Rental availability may be limited during peak seasons
• Less flexibility with customizations and more coordination required

Easy win: You can get started with the HALO software with your own iPad and ring light—perfect if you want something flexible, fun, and fully branded without the commitment.

Let Prom Night Live On

At the end of the night, it’s not about the playlist or the centerpiece—it’s about the memories. A great photo booth helps students feel seen on one of the biggest nights of their high school experience.

And when it looks amazing, runs seamlessly, and makes sharing easy? That’s a win for everyone.

Whether you’re planning a luxe, themed-out prom or a simple but meaningful celebration, Simple Booth HALO can help bring the experience to life—with stunning photos, instant sharing, and custom options that match your vibe.

So let the lights sparkle, the glam shine, and the memories roll.

The post Prom Photo Booth Ideas for an Unforgettable Night appeared first on Simple Booth.

From brand activations and trade shows to corporate events, AI-powered photo experiences are showing up everywhere. Businesses and agencies are investing in them to create buzz-worthy activations, event pros are charging premium rates, and interest is growing in the wedding market, too.

As the technology gets faster and more reliable, the event and marketing professionals who stand out are the ones who know how to guide the results, and that comes down to one skill: writing effective prompts.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to think about, write, and refine AI photo booth prompts. The lessons apply to any photo booth software you choose, and we’ll highlight the Simple Booth features that make the process easier along the way.

Want to see it in action first? Watch our walkthrough on building an AI photo booth experience.

What is a prompt?

A prompt is the instruction you write to tell an AI model how to transform an image. It’s written in plain, natural language, just like describing a scene to another person, and it can be as simple or as detailed as you like.

Here’s a simple prompt example:

Turn them into astronauts standing on the moon.

And a more elaborate version:

Turn them into astronauts standing on the surface of the moon, wearing realistic modern space suits with detailed fabric textures and reflective visors. The Earth is visible in the background, glowing against a dark star-filled sky. Cinematic lighting, soft shadows on the lunar surface, high detail, sharp focus, professional photography style.

Both aim for the same concept. The detailed version gives the AI more direction, which usually leads to more consistent, higher-quality results.

One thing to know up front: AI image generation includes a degree of randomness, so you can run the same prompt on the same photo and get a different result each time. That’s normal, and it’s part of why testing matters (more on that below).

How to start writing a prompt

The opening of your prompt sets everything up.

You don’t need to say “Generate an image of…” because the AI already knows its job. Instead, use the opening to lock in the most important goal of an AI photo booth: keeping the guest recognizable.

A simple way to do that: start with “Turn them into…” or “Turn the person or people into…” so it works whether one guest or a whole group steps up. By avoiding specific physical features, a single prompt fits everyone.

From there, layer in the details that shape the scene:

• Environment — where the scene takes place
• Clothing — what the guests are wearing
• Composition — what’s in front of, behind, and around them (think beyond the costume, this is what creates depth)
• Lighting & color — the mood and palette
• Camera style & realism — cinematic, vintage film, photorealistic, illustrated, and so on

Start with the core idea, then build outward.

The prompt writing process

We recommend a simple, iterative process:

1. Start with a short prompt and run it on an image
2. See what the model comes up with
3. If it adds a detail you like, add that to your prompt and run it again
4. If it includes something you don’t want, add a rule to steer it (“keep outfits modest,” “photorealistic, not a cartoon”)
5. Run the updated prompt and repeat

This is how you dial in a look over time.

A strong prompt is long enough to be specific but organized enough to stay focused. Group it into clear parts (subject, scene, lighting, finish) so key instructions don’t get buried. You have plenty of room, too, with prompts running up to 10,000 characters.

One more tip: if your scene includes any text, a sign, a jersey number, a magazine cover, spell it out exactly and ask for it to be “correctly spelled and clearly legible.” AI still struggles with text, so leave nothing to chance.

Best practices at a glance

Once you’ve got the hang of it, here’s the whole method in a quick checklist to keep handy:

• Anchor to the guest (“Turn the person or people into…”)
• Be specific about environment, lighting, color, and camera style
• Structure your prompt: subject, scene, lighting, finish
• Think composition, not just costume
• Spell out any text and ask for it “correctly spelled and clearly legible”
• Add rules for anything to avoid (like “keep outfits modest”)

Let AI help you write better prompts

If you want a shortcut to a more detailed prompt, you don’t have to start from scratch.

Simple Booth’s Expand Prompt feature uses AI to build out your idea, adding structure, lighting, environmental details, and stylistic direction from a short concept.

You can still refine the result by hand, but it’s a fast way to get from a rough idea to a polished prompt.

You can also seed a prompt from a reference image, or use an external chatbot to describe the output you want. For best results, use one from the same AI provider your photo booth software uses, since similar training data produces more aligned descriptions.

A couple of habits will make your prompts shine

First, lean on the familiar: these models are trained on real images, so nods to well-known styles and eras (think “1970s film photography” or “vintage comic-book ink”) tend to perform beautifully. Just keep it original and steer clear of trademarked characters, brands, and franchises.

Before you go live, test your prompt on a wide range of guests: people of different ages, hairstyles, ethnicities, genders, group sizes, and poses.

That’s the best way to know it’ll work for everyone, and it helps you catch the occasional surprise, like a look that lands a little too close to a trademarked character (a golden gown plus certain hair can read as a familiar animated princess).

Real-world testing is how you know your prompt holds up in the wild, not just on the one image you built it with.

What makes Simple Booth stand out

While these fundamentals apply to any AI photo booth software, Simple Booth includes tools that make the process more reliable, and more impactful, for live events and brand activations.

Subject Preservation controls let you lock the number of subjects, their poses, and their expressions, so guests still look like themselves. Just make sure your prompt and these controls agree: if you’re preserving expressions, let the prompt handle the scene and style rather than asking for a new expression, otherwise the two instructions pull against each other.

With Simple Booth, you can also choose between different AI models depending on your needs. Some prioritize speed, while others focus on higher quality results or group photos. Understanding which model to use can make a noticeable difference in output.

You can test and refine prompts in the web dashboard for free. Credits are only used when AI effects run live in booth mode or Virtual Booth. And once your experience is live, project a rotating stream of AI creations with the LiveFeed feature to draw a crowd and encourage participation.

Because AI generation happens in real time, a stable internet connection is required at events (keep a cellular hotspot handy as backup). For the full technical picture, our AI Effects documentation covers prompts, Subject Preservation, models, and more in depth.

Simple Booth offers a 7-day free trial with 25 complimentary credits, so you can test everything free of charge before going live. When you’re ready, the plans page has full pricing and credit details.

Putting it all together

Writing effective AI photo booth prompts is less about nailing the perfect wording on the first try and more about refining your idea over time.

Start simple. Run it. Adjust. Repeat, and test on a range of guests before your next event or activation.

As AI photo booths take off across brand activations, corporate events, and weddings, the event and marketing professionals who understand how to guide the output are the ones who’ll stand out.

Ready to build your own AI photo booth experience? Once you’ve created an account and started a trial or a subscription, head to the AI Effects page to explore ready-made prompts and build your own.

The post How to Write Effective AI Photo Booth Prompts appeared first on Simple Booth.

Here at Simple Booth, we’re extra thankful for our awesome customers—so we’ve put together a hand-picked selection of free fall and holiday photo booth backgrounds to use with the background replacement feature in the Simple Booth HALO® app.

The best part? You can get started with HALO for as little as $16 per week, making it easier than ever to bring fun, seasonal photo experiences to your events!

Festive Photo Booth Backgrounds

The images, which we’ve hand-picked from Unsplash and Pexels, are all free to use for personal and commercial use. Since sizing depends on your event settings, we’ll walk you through how to adjust them for your event at the end of this article.

Like what you see? Just right-click and choose “Save Image As” so you can use it for your photo booth background. Let’s dig in!

1. Don’t stop be-leafing

2. I only have pies for you

3. Go big or gourd home

4. Fall so hard

5. Let the gourd times roll

6. A leaf less ordinary

7. Every day I’m rustlin’

8. Gourd of the rings

9. Sweater weather forever

10. Friendsgiving feast

11. Thank-full hearts

12. Last bud not least

How to setup your fall or holiday photo booth backgrounds

You can set this up from either the Simple Booth dashboard on a computer or the Simple Booth HALO app on your iPad—your presets sync across both.

1. Save the backgrounds you like by right-clicking and choosing “Save Image As.”
2. Create a new Simple Booth account or sign in to your existing one.
3. Go to the Presets tab and create (or open) a preset for your fall or holiday event.
4. Locate the Background Replacement panel and choose green screen, blue screen, or virtual, depending on whether you have a physical backdrop.
5. Upload your favorite background images for your guests to choose from.
6. Make sure Background Replacement is toggled on and your uploaded images are showing.
7. That’s it! Launch your booth and you’re ready to party.

You can also follow this useful guide for more information on setting up background replacement with Simple Booth HALO. You’ll also learn about sizing and uploading your own custom photo booth backgrounds.

Want to add your own logo or custom overlays to your layouts? This Layout Designer walkthrough shows you how.

Want to save time? Turn on a fall-inspired theme

Simple Booth offers a variety of fall themes that you can choose from for your holiday event. We recommend checking out the Fall-O-Me and Harvest Time themes!

Here’s a preview of what the start screen will look like once you’ve chosen your theme.

Both of the themes will also add a fall-themed overlay to your images. You can see them in the Themes section of the app—just select your favorite to activate it.

Now Let’s Give Thanks!

Between a dozen free fall backgrounds and ready-to-go seasonal themes, you’ve got everything you need to make your fall or holiday events festive, fun, and full of memories to share. Mix and match until it feels right, run a quick test shot, and you’re all set.

Thanks for being part of the Simple Booth community—we can’t wait to see what you create this holiday season!

The post 12 Friendsgiving Photo Booth Backgrounds for a Festive Fall appeared first on Simple Booth.

For many, that means prepping for egg hunts, outdoor brunches, and pastel-filled festivities. And whether or not Easter is part of your tradition, springtime offers the perfect excuse to gather, laugh, and snap a few fun photos together.

If you’re planning a spring celebration—big or small—don’t let the photo booth be an afterthought. With a little prep, it can become the highlight of your event and a memory-maker for guests of all ages.

Whether you’re hosting a backyard brunch, a school egg hunt, a church gathering, or a community-wide festival, here’s how to create an iPad photo booth experience that captures the joy and color of the season.

1⃣ Set a Bright & Playful Scene

This season is all about fresh starts, floral tones, and lighthearted fun. Choose a setup that feels airy, colorful, and festive—even if your event isn’t centered around Easter itself.

Backdrop ideas:

• Pastel fringe curtains, floral backdrops, or a faux grass wall adorned with oversized paper flowers or butterflies—all perfect for capturing spring vibes.
• Take it outside for natural beauty: blooming trees and soft sunlight do the heavy lifting.
• No scenic setup? No problem. With the Simple Booth HALO® app, virtual background replacement lets you instantly transport guests anywhere—no matter what’s behind them.

Spring props and extras:

• Bunny ears, egg baskets, floral crowns, or goofy sunglasses—classic props that never miss.
• Want something fuss-free and eco-friendly? HALO users can tap into digital props, stickers, and overlays with zero cleanup required.
• Go the extra mile with custom stickers or props that match your event theme, sponsor, or school colors.

2⃣ Make It Easy for Everyone

One of the best things about a photo booth? It’s fun for all ages. 

Young people love the dress-up and silliness. Adults enjoy the nostalgia and instant sharing. And grandparents? They’ll adore printed or digital keepsakes with the people they love most.

With HALO’s easy setup and intuitive interface, guests of all ages can jump in solo or snap a group shot without needing assistance.

Bonus: Offer different capture types (photo, boomerang, GIF) so guests can choose their own adventure.

3⃣ Don’t Skip the Personalization

Whether you’re hosting a formal fundraiser or a backyard bash, a little customization goes a long way.

Make it yours with:

• Your event name or date on the photo overlay and in the online gallery.
• Your organization’s logo—great for highlighting sponsors or supporting a fundraising goal.
• Pre-made Easter themes in the HALO app, complete with a festive start screen and photo overlay

These small touches make your photos more memorable and shareable—whether families are reliving special moments from afar or you’re hoping to spread the word about your brand or cause.

4⃣ Keep It Simple (& Budget-Friendly)

Good news: You don’t need a big budget or a full production team to create a standout spring photo booth.

Simple Booth’s weekly software plans are perfect for one-time events, with the Lite plan starting at $14.99 per week on the App Store. Already have an iPad and stand? You’re nearly there. Add the HALO app and some good lighting, and you’re set for a sleek, modern photo experience guests won’t forget.

For DIY setups:

• Lighting is everything—set the scene right, and the photos shine.
• Grab spring-themed décor from craft stores, or give last year’s decorations a second life for a budget-friendly boost.
• Set up near a window or in a softly shaded outdoor spot—natural light does wonders for flattering shots.

5⃣ Plan for the Full Season

Spring calendars fill up fast—school events, birthday parties, community fairs, and end-of-year celebrations. If you’re juggling multiple events, having reliable gear makes a huge difference.

The HALO® iPad photo booth is designed to be event-ready and easy to transport:

• Studio-quality lighting makes photos look polished, even in gymnasiums or outdoor spaces.
• With its built-in charging system, all you need is a nearby outlet to keep it running through long days (no babysitting required).
• Lightweight, compact design with a waterproof travel case—ready for those unpredictable April showers.

From school carnivals to spring galas, it’s an all-in-one solution that moves with you and delivers every time.

Highlight Spring Events Every Year

Spring is a time of celebration—whether it’s Easter, the end of the school year, or just enjoying time with the people you love. A thoughtfully planned photo booth brings energy, connection, and a whole lot of smiles to the season.

Whether you’re DIY-ing a family egg hunt or managing a busy calendar of community events, HALO makes it simple to create a photo experience that’s fun, easy, and unforgettable. From customizable overlays to digital props and instant sharing, it’s all about capturing the magic of the moment—no matter how you celebrate.

The post 5 Tips for the Perfect Easter Photo Booth This Spring appeared first on Simple Booth.

First, take a deep breath. Know that you’re not alone. We’ve got some awesome activity ideas that are so fun, you might not even want to go back to life as usual!

Before we dive into the list, there’s something important you need to do (and it’s free).

Head over to the App Store and get the Simple Booth app. It’s totally free, and believe us, you’re going to want to document all the fun you’re about to have.

We’d love to join in the fun, so be sure to tag any of your shared photos with #AtHomePhotoBooth.

Got the app? Then here we go!

Things to do at home during self-isolation for kids of all ages

1. Set up a GIF/Photo Booth

Grab some costumes, makeup, props, and get ready to have a blast. Even the family dog will want to get in on this.

Feel like your photoshoot needs more? Create your own props!

There are tons of DIY photo booth prop tutorials out there. Here are just a few of the things you can do:

• Create a crown of flowers
• Print off some fake mustaches, sunglasses, or other printable props and attach them to dowels for your own stick props (no dowels, just tightly roll up a sheet of paper—it’ll be sturdy enough to hold your printables)
• Create a Polaroid-style frame
• Dig out your old Halloween costumes and mix and match to create entirely new outfits

Some paid tiers of our Simple Booth apps also feature digital props if you’re not up to making your own!

Setting up a GIF/photo booth couldn’t be easier than it is with any of the Simple Booth apps. Download and install Simple Booth on your iPhone or iPad and you’re ready to capture your kids at their goofiest. 

2. Treat Yourselves to an At-Home Spa Day

Bust out the essential oil diffusers and get ready for a mani, a pedi, and the obligatory selfie while you’re rocking that face mask with your kids.

Did you know you can make a facial mask using a banana? Just mash a medium-sized ripe banana until it forms a smooth paste, then apply it to your face and neck. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off with cold water.

Add some cucumber slices for the eyes and you have a perfect photo opportunity!

3. Take a Yoga Class in the Comfort of Your Living Room

Many yoga studios are offering online classes during this time, so take advantage.

Yoga helps kids improve flexibility, strength, and coordination, as well as increasing body awareness. Plus, it can offer a sense of calm and relaxation that your kids desperately need now that their schedules have been disrupted.

Do a quick search on YouTube for kids yoga, or try out one of the options below:

4. Grow an Herb Garden

It’s springtime! Being stuck indoors all the time isn’t good for anybody’s mental health, but for kids it’s particularly trying.

Bring a bit of the outdoors indoors and teach your kids about gardening by starting some seeds for an herb garden.

If you have your own backyard, take the gardening outside. You and your kids will appreciate the fresh air and sunshine.

If you don’t have access to seeds, many herbs, fruits, and vegetables can be grown from kitchen scraps (the parts you’d normally throw away)! This post from ModernParentsMessyKids is a good primer on how to get started. 

And don’t forget to use the Simple Booth app to show off those new sprouts!

5. Make a Time Capsule

Do not open until 2030.

A time capsule is such a fun way to document what’s going on in your family right now.

While you could use a shoebox and keep your time capsule inside, we recommend using a weather-proof container such as a Mason jar so you can bury it outside.

Not sure what to include in your time capsule? Here are some ideas:

• A letter from each family member (if you have little ones who aren’t yet verbal, write a letter to them instead)
• Photos
• Mementos of this year’s trips, shows, and holidays
• Newspaper clippings from today

6. Have a Paper Airplane Competition

Paper airplanes are pretty much the first thing anyone turns to when they’re bored. There’s just something about flying that sparks the imagination.

You can find tons of paper airplane designs and templates online. We recommend letting your kids choose the design they like best and having a competition to see which design wins.

To spruce up your creations of flight, try using heavyweight construction paper.

For an educational benefit, you can tell your kids all about the history of flight. 

7. Make Bookmarks

There’s a lot that can be done with a printer, tape, string, and paperclips. Bookmarks are a great place to start if you have kids who read.

A super easy idea:

Take a colorful paperclip (larger is better) and tie some ribbons to it. Easy bookmark!

Want to get a little fancier? Print off some silly photos of your kids and cut them to size (we love following the outline of the person without the background for a fun and funky shape). Then, glue them to cardstock and cut everything down.

Attach a ribbon or string and you’re done.

8. Do a Dance-Off

Help your kids choose a song and create a dance to go along with it. Then, dance it out! Can you remember the whole thing?

Alternately, challenge your kids to freestyle and get as silly as possible. Just let loose and have fun.

9. Paint a Masterpiece

You don’t even need a paintbrush to paint a masterpiece. Your kids can create amazing paintings with things like cotton balls, Q-tips, and even forks.

Don’t have any paint on hand? Make your own:

• Pour 1 cup (8 oz) of warm water into a large bowl. And 12 ounces each of white flour and table salt. Mix until smooth.
• Divide liquid into separate containers and add food coloring (2-3 drops).
• If the paint is too thick, mix in water until it’s the consistency you want.

10. Bake Something Delicious

Kids can bake! Sure, they might need some help, but think of all the great photos you can get in the process.

But what to bake?

How about a giant chocolate chip cookie with sprinkles! You can find the recipe here.

Want something super simple that’s still fun to make—and eat? Try rocky road cookie cups:

Ingredients

• 1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350°. Divide the cookie dough into 1-1/4-in. balls and press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of oiled mini-muffin cups.
• Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden.
• Use the back of a measuring teaspoon to make an indentation in each cup and put a few marshmallows and chocolate chips into each cup. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
• Bake an additional minute to get the marshmallows and chocolate chips nice and melty.
• Cool in pans on wire racks.

11. Make Your Own Play Dough

Everybody loves playdough, right? Did you know you can make your own right at home?

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup salt
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (vegetable oil works too)
• Food coloring (optional, but really ups the fun factor)
• Quart-sized bags to mix and store (up to 3 months)

Stir together the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a large pot then add the water and oil. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the dough thickens and begins to form a ball.

Remove from heat and place the play dough inside a bag or onto wax paper. Let it cool slightly before kneading the dough until smooth.

Divide the dough into balls (one for each color) and put the dough into the quart-sized bags. And about 5 drops of color to start, but feel free to add more for more vibrant colors. Knead the dough while it’s inside the bag, mixing the color into the dough (and keeping the food coloring from staining your hands).

Once it’s all mixed, you’re good to go!

12. Try Some Fun and Easy Science Experiments

Glittery volcanoes, elephant toothpaste, the old Mentos and Coke thing… Science is FUN!

If you’re homeschooling during self-isolation (or even if you’re not), you’ll want to add some science experiments to the mix to keep your kids’ brains engaged and active.

A great experiment to show the importance of washing your hands involves just a few simple ingredients.

• Start with a dish filled with about an inch of water, then sprinkle pepper on the surface.
• Let your kid put a finger on the water and watch how the pepper gathers on their finger.
• Now comes the really cool part.
• Put a little bit of dish soap on your kid’s finger and have them touch the water again.
• The soap chases the pepper away!

For older kids (second grade and up), you can dive into the science behind it all. There’s a great breakdown here.

13. Make Your Own Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Get a little fresh air and create a sidewalk art gallery with this easy-to-make washable sidewalk chalk paint.

Here’s what you need:

• Cornstarch
• Baking Soda
• Water
• Food Dye
• Water

Here’s how to make it:

• Combine equal parts of cornstarch and baking soda in a large bowl.
• Add water a few tablespoons at a time until the paint is the consistency of poster paint (the thicker the paint, the more it will puff as it dries).
• Divide the paint up into separate containers and mix in food coloring.
• Take your paint outside and get messy!

Don’t worry, this paint is washable and won’t last. If you’re not feeling crafty, scoop up sidewalk chalk here.

14. Try Tie-Dye Using Permanent Markers

Tie-dye doesn’t have to make a huge mess. All you need for this activity is a handful of permanent markers in different colors, rubbing alcohol (at least 70%), some cardboard, and light-colored t-shirts.

Put the piece of cardboard inside the shirt to keep your markers from bleeding through. Then, draw your pattern on the shirt.

Hint: You’ll want to keep the drawing a bit smaller than you want the end result to be.

Once you’re done, sprinkle rubbing alcohol on your drawing and the area around it where you want it to spread (a little dropper can help here). Let the alcohol dry, iron the shirt to set the colors, and you’re ready to rock!

15. Make a Paper Plate Whale

Yes, even something as simple as a paper plate can offer tons of enjoyment. Here’s what you need to create this super cute, 3D paper plate whale:

• Grey or blue markers or paint (try the paint recipe in #9, above!)
• Paper plates
• Safety scissors
• Glue
• Paper

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to put it together. Plus, the site has even more paper plate crafts to keep you occupied for HOURS.

16. Create a Collage

Nothing is easier than creating a collage. Seriously. It’s just about gluing things to paper.

But it’s so fun!

With just paper, glue, and a collection of random materials, you and your kids will be able to create frame-worthy collages and have a blast doing it.

Don’t feel like you’re limited to paper, either. Grab all those odds and ends in your junk drawer or sewing kit—buttons, ribbon, scraps of fabric—and get to creating. Activity Garden has a bunch of ideas if you’re needing some inspiration.

Want to up the challenge for older kids? Try creating a shadow box instead. You can use old shoeboxes for the box and let them build their imagination inside!

17. Go on a Nature Walk

Self-isolation means isolating from people—not nature. Take a nature walk with your kids, pointing out all the plants and animals you pass along the way.

You could even collect some of the plants to create a collage or pick up some flowers to press.

If you or your child are at a higher risk of contracting illnesses, you can turn your backyard into a nature walk!

18. Have Fun With Fitness

Sometimes kids just need to burn off some energy. A great way to let them do that, indoors or out, is with a fun activity circuit.

Set up 6 stations around the house with a different activity at each station. Then, see how many circuits you and your kids can do in 10 minutes. Make it official with activity cones.

Here are some activity station ideas:

• Jumping jacks
• Squats
• Pushups
• Planks
• Hula hoop
• Hop on one leg
• Frog jumps

The ideas are really endless. And, you can follow it up with nap time!

19. The Floor is Lava!

No matter how old you are, when someone yells, “The floor is lava!” you look for the nearest thing to climb on.

Add some “safe” items to the floor (towels, pillows, etc.) to make it possible to get around, then stay off the floor!

You can make this more complicated and fun by putting items around the room and seeing who can collect the most without falling into the lava. Double down on the fun with the official The Floor is Lava Board Game.

20. Paint or Draw… With Your Feet!

There are a couple of different ways you can do this…

If you have younger children, you’ll want to spread out large sheets of paper (or butcher paper if you have it handy), pour on some non-toxic paint or foot stamp, and let them walk all over it. 

For older kids, challenge them to paint or draw with their feet using a paintbrush or pencil.

21. Make a Fort

Pillows, blankets, cardboard—no matter what you use, building a fort is fun for everyone!

One of the easiest ways to build a fort in no time is by using your dining room table and a blanket. You literally just toss the blanket over the table and crawl inside.

Check out some other ways to make your own fort.

22. Take a Virtual Museum Tour

Who says you can’t visit a museum while you’re stuck at home?

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) offers digitized collections that you and your kids can visit from the comfort of your own living room.

With Google’s Arts & Culture partnerships, you can go anywhere in the world! Check out the Olduvai Chopping Tools at The British Museum or head to Mexico and see the artwork of Frida Kahlo up close.

Google has hundreds of museums to choose from; there’s bound to be something for everyone in your family.

23. Build a Rube Goldberg Machine

Rube Goldberg was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, whose work is an example of how art and science come together. 

He created strange and elaborate contraptions designed to complete the most mundane of tasks like opening windows or setting an alarm clock.

He never built any of his inventions—only drew them. But that hasn’t stopped thousands of others from taking inspiration from his strange designs and bringing his inventions to life.

Even Sesame Street got in on the fun!

Why not try your hand at it? You’ll find a great outline of the process at TinkerLab and more great guidelines over at Fatherly or try the Castle Escape Challenge.

24. Visit a Zoo or Aquarium—From Your Computer!

There’s just something peaceful about watching animals interacting with one another, isn’t there? And if there are baby animals? Forget about it, we’re hooked.

Zoos and aquariums all over the world have closed their doors to protect the humans who come through seeking a glimpse into their animals’ lives every day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit anyway!

The Houston Zoo, San Diego Zoo, and Monterey Bay Aquarium all have webcams, letting you visit certain exhibits even while they’re closed. 

Take note, these are live webcams, so they have daily hours when you can log on and check out the animals.

25. Go “Camping” in Your Living Room or Backyard

With so many public lands and national parks closing to slow the spread of COVID-19, it may seem like camping is out of the question.

But it’s not!

Camping at home not only saves you money, but it’s less hassle than loading up the family car and heading into the forest.

Plus, if you camp in your own living room, there are fewer bugs.

You can set up a tent indoors or outdoors and even make s’mores or have a campfire sing-a-long (we recommend you take it outside if you’re going to build a fire ).

No tent? No problem! Just build a fort (see #21). 

26. Make a Music Video for Your Favorite Song

Making a music video doesn’t require a production team. Just choose a song and write out the storyline. Then, gather up your props and costumes and start recording.

For a fun and funky music video, try recording the entire thing using TikTok. 

27. Teach the Dog a New Trick

You’ve got a lot of time on your hands. Why not teach the dog a thing or two?

If the family pet can already sit and stay, perhaps it’s time to teach them how to leap. Start by having your dog sit and stay. Then, your kid can lay something on the floor (a stick is great if you’re outdoors) and stand on the other side of it.

Next, they just call the dog. As the dog steps over the thing on the floor, they get a treat!

After a few times of doing this, you can start increasing the height of whatever it is you’re using for the dog to leap over.

As soon as it gets high enough that your dog has to jump, start saying “Leap” before the dog has to jump and immediately reward with a treat.

Eventually, your doggo will leap when commanded!

Want more tricks? Here’s a list of 52 tricks you can teach your dog. 

28. Write Letters or Make Postcards to Send to Friends

When you’re staying home, away from your friends and family who don’t live with you, your kids can start to feel a bit disconnected.

Help them stay connected by writing letters and postcards to send to the friends they can’t play with right now.

29. Visit a National Park With a Virtual Tour

We’ve already talked about camping at home, so why not turn it into a full-blown camping trip?

The National Parks Service offers virtual tours of several national parks.

You can explore Yellowstone, visit Denali in Alaska, or check out Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Looking for something a bit farther from home?

With Google Maps, you can travel to Mt. Fuji in Japan, visit the sacred valleys of the Khumbu at the base of Mt. Everest in Nepal, follow in Jane Goodall’s footsteps through the forest of Gombe in Tanzania, or head to Egypt to explore the Pyramids of Giza.

30. Learn a New Language!

Head over to YouTube to learn a new language. Rock & Learn has an entire playlist of foreign language videos that will help your child (and you!) learn a new language. There are many languages to choose from: from Spanish to Korean, to Russian, to Japanese, and more.

There are tons of apps available that can help you learn a new language. But, there’s one thing that most apps don’t include—flashcards.

Making your own flashcards can help you and your kids retain the new words that you’re learning in a way that goes beyond text and translation.

We recommend creating or purchasing flashcards of the most basic words first. And, instead of the typical setup having one side with the text of your native language and the other in the language you’re learning, draw pictures!

So, instead of learning that cat = gato/gata, you learn gato/gata = .

This makes language learning more about communication and less about translation.

31. Build a Photo Booth Backdrop

A photo booth means hours of fun (and lots of silly pictures).

You can build a simple photo booth using just a blank wall, but we think it’s a lot more fun to let your kids get creative. You can create a simple backdrop using wrapping paper or fabric.

If you have an old, spare sheet lying around, you could even have your kids paint it to make a backdrop of their own creations!

Here are a few extra tips to get the most out of your photo booth:

• Choose a place that’s well-lit. If you don’t have anything that works well, just create your own lighting with lamps from your house.
• Once you have just the right place, you can set your iPhone or iPad up on a tripod. (Of course, you can always just hold it, too.)
• Grab some costumes and props and get to snapping. 

The Simple Booth app will capture all of your photos and GIFs and let you easily share them with others or on social media. Some Simple Booth subscription levels even offer green screen capability if you want to take your backdrops to the next level!

32. Make 10 DIY Props Using Household Items

You can use whatever you have lying around to create some really fun photo booth props.

Start by digging out those old Halloween costumes. You probably have more silly hats, wigs, and masks than you know what to do with.

Next, raid your closets to find ties, bowties, and those formal clothes you have no use for right now.

The sky’s the limit with these props. Dig through your junk drawers and drag out the craft supplies. 

33. Take a Free Coding Course for Kids

Your kids probably already know more about technology than you do, so why not encourage them to explore that?

With schools closed all over the world, many educational applications and websites are offering free services to students. One of those sites, Tynker, is offering free coding classes for kids ages 5+.

They offer interactive learning that lets kids progress at their own pace, seamlessly transitioning to text languages like JavaScript and Python.

34. Write One-Act Plays and Have a “Theatre Night” in the Living Room

You can have a theatre night with kids of all ages.

For preschoolers, use “finger plays” like Where is Thumbkin?, I’m a Little Teapot, and Itsy, Bitsy Spider. There are loads of ideas right here.

If your kids are K–3rd grade, they can write and produce their own play, but will need a lot of support from you to get it done. You can find script examples and full plays through PBS Learning Media.

Kids from 4th–6th grade can probably write and produce their one-act play on their own. Be there for them to bounce ideas off of and to pitch in with extra hands.

35. Learn to Play the Ukulele

Plus, it’s not hard to learn!

Ukuleles are just about the perfect size for kids’ small bodies and hands and you can find one on Amazon for about $20.

Ukulele4Kids shows how to play chords and has songs that are easy for kids to learn. And, Ukulele Go has tons of resources and games.

36. Go Birdwatching in the Backyard

Take notes and learn about different species.

Birds are funny little creatures. Not only are they adorable, but when you really pay attention to them, they have delightful personalities!

You can cultivate a love for birding in your kids (and maybe get an appreciation for it yourself) with these tips from the National Audubon Society:

Birdwatch with your ears. Birds may be hard to spot, but they’re easy to hear. Close your eyes and listen. Once you hear where the birds call is coming from, you’ll have a better idea of where to look to spot the bird!

Stay by water, if possible. Larger, easier-to-spot birds like swans, herons, and egrets tend to hand out near water.

Know what to look for. If you’re not having any luck spotting live birds, check out your surroundings to see if they’ve left anything behind. Birds are a bit messy, so you’ll probably be able to find nests, poo, cracked seeds, or even owl pellets!

Pick up some kid’s binoculars for long-range adventures!

37. Make Your Own Soap

Even when you’re quarantined, you still need to wash your hands. Your kids will be much more eager to clean up with soap that they’ve made themselves.

PBS Kids has a great DIY soap recipe that you can use. You’ll probably have most of the things you need already, but you might have to order some pure glycerin soap and soap dyes. Fortunately, that’s super easy to find.

We love the idea of using small plastic toys inside of your bars of soap for a fun bath time experience!

38. Take a Daily Crafts Class Online

With CreativeBug and Crafts by Amanda, your kids will never run out of fun, crafty things to do and create.

On CreativeBug, you’ll find things like a daily color meditation practice and creative doodling.

Crafts by Amanda seems to be a bit more low-key, with more than 300 crafts for kids. Your kids will have a blast making paper plate tropical fish or cardboard tube binoculars.

39. Take Free Karate Lessons Online

Karate Online with Sensei David is offering free online karate lessons for kids during the COVID-19 crisis.

This includes short video lessons that help your kids learn self-defense, build confidence, and stay in shape.

40. Organize a Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt is a great way to keep your kids from getting bored when they’re stuck at home. You can turn your house and yard into a fun and exciting game for kids of all ages.

All you need are some clues, fun prizes, and maybe costumes if you’re going for a themed treasure hunt (and why wouldn’t you?).

The Spruce has lots of great ideas for clues you can use, but it’s also a lot of fun to make up your own.

For a twist on the treasure hunt theme, you could organize a scavenger hunt. This is a simpler alternative, but it’s still loads of fun. Just make up a list of the things your kids have to find or do and let them run wild! For an out-of-the-box option, add gofindit Too’s Outdoor Treasure Hunt Game to your Amazon shopping cart.

41. Build an Indoor Obstacle Course

Building an indoor obstacle course for your kids is a great way to keep them active while they’re cooped up.

The obstacle course can be as simple or elaborate as you want. We recommend keeping it simple to start, then adding more difficult challenges as your kids get good.

Here are some ideas:

• Walk on a balance board
• Jump into and out of a hula hoop
• Crawl over or under a row of chairs

An obstacle course will create endless opportunities for photos of your kids having fun.

42. Make Slime

Is there anything more fun than playing with slime?

Yes—making it yourself!

Basic slime requires only 3 ingredients:

1. ¾ cup of water
2. ¼ cup of white school glue (like Elmer’s)
3. ½ tablespoon Borax (or Slime Activator)

Directions:

Mix ¼ cup of water with ¼ cup of white school glue. For colored slime, just add a few drops of food coloring.

In another bowl, mix the Borax with the remaining ½ cup of water and stir until the Borax dissolves.

Add the Borax solution to the glue solution and mix it up until it’s the texture you want.

For slime that goes beyond the basics, check out this post.

43. Escape to Another World With Story Time

Having storytime with your kids fosters a love of reading. Check with your library to see if they have online checkout (most libraries do). Or, check out this site for tons of free stories you can read with your kids.

You can also check out the WildBrain channel on YouTube and have someone else read you both a story.

44. Attend a Virtual Concert for Kids

More and more concerts are getting canceled, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy live(stream) music!

Want to see if your favorite artist is holding a concert online? This post from NPR has tons of options with more being added every day.

Of course, you can always check the Facebook page of your faves and get more info about what they’re doing.

45. Teach Kids to Sew

Want to teach your kids an excellent life skill while still having fun? Teach them to sew with their own kids sewing kit!

Here are 25 free sewing projects that you and your kids can do together. From a drawstring backpack to a 20-minute banded skirt to a superhero cape, you’re sure to find just the right project to get started. 

46. Start a Daily Drawing Challenge

Drawing helps improve hand-eye coordination and puts all parts of the brain to work. That’s why we love the idea of a daily drawing challenge.

Check out this link for a month’s worth of ideas. And don’t forget to get a picture of every day’s creation that you can keep forever.

47. Take a Self Portrait Every Day

You’ve probably seen those videos showing a timelapse of someone’s daily selfies for a year, right?

Now is a great time to start one for each of your kids!.

48. Take a NASA for Kids Class Online

Are your kids interested in space? Who better to teach them all about than the experts at NASA?

NASA Kids’ Club and NASA Space Place engage your kids with space and Earth science through fun games, interactive features, and exciting articles.

Next, let your little astronauts build their first Lego space shuttles!

49. Write a Short Story

Help your kids flex their creativity through writing! And don’t worry, this is something your kid can do even if they don’t know how to hold a pencil (they’ll just need you to write for them).

Kids have incredible imaginations and probably won’t have trouble coming up with tons of story ideas.

This post helps you support your kid with story structure. 

50. Make a Comic Strip

Does your kid like to draw the things they come up with? A comic strip might be just the thing!

Make Beliefs Comix is a website is dedicated to helping kids create their own comics with guides, lesson plans, and more.

If you’re too short on time for the DIY route, get started with a blank comic book for kids.

Next 50 Activities

The post 100 At-Home Activities for Kids: Photo Booth Fun & More appeared first on Simple Booth.

And best of all, they’re totally free to use with the Simple Booth app and you can set them up in a matter of minutes.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style

This year, there are two New Year’s themes to choose from–New Year’s Party and Gatsby New Year.

Here’s a quick sneak peek:

RELATED: Photo Booth Props And Themes For Your Event

To preview the themes for yourself, open the Simple Booth app on your iPad, then:

1. Tap the desired preset you want to use the themes with
2. Next, tap Themes
3. Tap Browse
4. Scroll through the Themes and tap any to see a preview

The preview screen highlights how the photo booth themes transform both the start screen as well as the overlay.

You can even preview how they will look across different layout grids. The GIF below points out where the grid preview options are located. Just tap on the layout you’ll be using during your activation to see the preview.

Activate your theme in Simple Booth

Once you’ve decided on which theme to use, just tap Choose in the upper right-hand corner of the preview panel and it will be activated on your preset.

Viola! You’re good to go. Just run a quick test ahead of your New Year’s Eve photo booth activation to ensure everything looks perfect before your participants arrive.

Customize your theme

If you have a Simple Booth subscription of any level you also have the option to add your own custom overlays and start screens.

For example, look at this custom New Year’s Eve theme from the [A]typical New Year’s Eve activation.

This can be done in the app or on your Simple Booth dashboard. For more info on how to create your own awesome custom theme, we suggest reading this guide to get you started: How To Create An Overlay For Simple Booth.

It’s easier than you think!

Try the free New Years Eve Props

If your New Year’s resolutions include working smarter instead of harder, using digital props at your New Year’s Eve photo booth activation is a good start.

No more having to come up with fun ideas for props…

…and no need to waste time keeping prop tables organized.

Sound too good to be true? Try them out to see for yourself.

Start by opening the Simple Booth app and selecting the desired preset.

• Tap Props. 
• Tap Browse Packs
• Scroll to find the New Year’s Eve props

Once you’ve found it in the list of prop packs, tap it to see a preview.

The screen will look similar to the one below. In the app, scroll down to see even more props not shown here. Be sure to check them all out and find your favorites!

By default, all the props in the pack are selected. Add them to your preset by tapping Choose in the upper right-hand corner.

Alternatively, you can mix and match your favorites by tapping individual props to deselect or reselect them. Any props that are highlighted with a blue border will be added to your preset once you tap Choose. 

We recommend limiting the number of digital props available so they don’t get to overwhelmed by all the greatness. You know, too much of a good thing and all…

You can use digital props with gifs or photos!

Participants of your New Year’s photo booth activation will be able to customize their images and GIFs with the digital props you’ve added to the preset after they’ve taken their photo. All they need to do is tap the prop they like and it will automatically snap to the correct place like magic.

They’ll also have the option to remove a prop after it’s been applied.

While you’re party planning your end-of-year festivities, take a look at our Christmas photo booth themes and prop ideas.

Simple Booth subscribers with a Standard-level or higher subscription can add their own custom props. To learn how to activate this and other pro features, check here.

The post New Year’s Eve photo booth props & themes appeared first on Simple Booth.

This holiday season, our design-savvy elves have been working overtime to pack the Simple Booth HALO® app with new Christmas party digital props and photo booth themes.

We can practically guarantee that these sweet photo booth graphics will ensure your holiday party totally sleighs.

But first, Christmas photo booth props!

Props go with themes like eggnog and cookies, or Santa Claus and his beard! The truth is, participants love customizing their photos and digital props are a fun way to do it! Simple Booth includes over a hundred options to choose from.

When customizing a preset in Simple Booth, simply scroll down to the props panel, find a prop pack that looks promising, and check or uncheck which props you’d like to make available to participants.

Candy cane, santa hat, snowman, antlers or Christmas tree? With so many funny Christmas photo booth props, you’ll never run out of party ideas.

You can also upload your own custom graphics as props from Simple Booth on the Standard or Pro plans.

With so many options, how many is the right amount of Christmas photo booth props to make available for participants? We recommend at least 5, but no more than 20.

FURTHER READING: Introducing Digital Photo Booth Props

Now to the holiday themes

Photo booth themes in the HALO app change the design of the start screen that participants see when they walk up as well as the overlay on photos that go out to social media. Our themes look great on different types of layouts from photo strips to single pictures, animated GIFs, and even Rebound videos.

Here are 10 previews of themes that are available in the app:

1. Merry Christmas

A classy Merry Christmas photo booth theme with a simple frame.

2. Holiday Cheer

Holiday Cheer features gingerbread cookies and animated falling snow for your GIF layouts!

3. Snowscape

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Snowscape also has falling snow for Live GIFs and works for all winter holidays.

4. Happy Hanukkah

5. Blizzard

You caught us, we’re obsessed with snow. Crystalize your Christmas photo booth with the intricate snowflakes on this Christmas theme.

6. Ribbon Holiday

A bold font on an ornate, flowing ribbon alludes to days of yore with modern undertones. Shimmering stars on a tasteful yet understated Happy Holidays overlay complete the ensemble.

7. Snowstorm

Great for any wintery occasion, including snow days.

8. Deco-rate

Christmas party decorations hang in an art deco style for the start screen and overlay.

9. Watercolor

Bring out the colors! These watercolor ornaments will bring warm and happy thoughts to all who see.

10. Holly

Holla’ if you like holly! Tis’ the season to take photos in style.

To select a theme, open the Simple Booth app on your iPad, open your Preset or create a new one, and scroll down to the Themes panel. There you will find all of our currently featured themes and a button to explore the whole library.

Tap any of the holiday photo booth themes to see a preview. Then, when you’ve settled on your favorite, tap Choose at the top right-hand side of the screen to activate it.

We suggest taking a test photo or GIF before your photoshoot to ensure everything looks the way you want it to.

If you choose a theme with an animated overlay for a still layout, it will use the first picture frame and still look great. If you want the animated effect, choose Live GIF for your layout.

FURTHER READING: How To Create Stunning Photo Booth Presets

Complete the experience with digital backdrops

If you want a fully immersive holiday experience, you can set up a green screen and replace your photo booth backdrop entirely with a digital option.

Here are a few digital backdrops we curated. Feel free to use them during your activation, or let them serve as inspiration for what’s possible.

You can also add your own photos to use as digital backdrops or do a quick search to find others. Images from Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay have a license that allows the images to be used for commercial purposes without having to credit the photographer, which can be tough to do when you’re using it as a digital backdrop.

(Here’s a special shoutout to all the photographers who make these image resources possible! )

If you’ve never used chroma key with Simple Booth before, you can learn how in this guide. 

A mistle-toast to the holiday season

We hope we made your holiday season a little more fun and relaxed by providing everything you need for your Christmas photo booth, including the app, props, themes, and backdrop!

Also, with new year’s eve just around the corner, make sure your photo booth is ready with our New Years Eve photo booth props and themes.

If there’s anything we missed, please reach out. We’d love to talk and make your next photo booth a hit! Just email info@simplebooth.com and we’ll get back to you shortly.

Happy holidays from the Simple Booth team!

The post Fresh Christmas Photo Booth Ideas To Spice Up Your 2024 Holiday Season appeared first on Simple Booth.

Don’t stress — the Simple Booth team is here to help you pull together the perfectly eerie atmosphere your guests will love.

In addition to the Halloween props and themes already included in the Simple Booth HALO® app, we’ve curated 20 haunting Halloween photo booth backdrops to use with your HALO® digital photo booth.

Trick or Treat Yo’ Self

Choose your favorites from the collection below and bring your Halloween photo booth backdrops from boring to bewitching. It only takes a few minutes to set up using the green screen feature in the Simple Booth HALO app.

All of the images are completely free to use for both personal and commercial uses (no costly licensing necessary). Plus, you’re welcome to modify or customize any of them as you’d like.

Just right-click the images and select “Save As” to download the backdrops. They’re sized for a standard portrait capture frame, so they’ll work out of the box for most setups. If you’ve built a custom layout, you may need to resize or crop them to match your capture frame’s aspect ratio.

So, trick or treat yo’ self to as many of the backdrops as you’d like!

FURTHER READING: AI-Powered Virtual Background Replacement & More in HALO App Update

Spook-taculary Scary Scenes

1. Have A Gourd Time

2. Frightfully Foggy Forest

3. Dying To Have Fun

4. Forsaken Forest

5. Smoldering Skull

6. Mysterious Moon

7. Creepy Cottage

8. Howl At The Moon

9. BIRDS!

10. Purranormal Cativity

11. Creep It Real

12. Witchful Thinking Wreath

13. You’re Creepin’ Meowt

14. Ghastly Gaslight

15. Spine Chilling Spiderweb

Terrifying Textures and Petryfing Patterns

16. Skull and Bones

17. Candy Colored Confetti

18. Startling Spiders

19. Eerie Embers

20. Give Them Pumpkin To Talk About

How To Set Up Background Replacement On The Simple Booth HALO Platform

The background replacement feature is available on all Core plans and up and is a breeze to customize. It’s as simple as uploading your Halloween photo booth backdrops to the Simple Booth dashboard—just follow the steps below.

Step-By-Step Background Replacement Set Up

You can set this up from either the Simple Booth dashboard on a computer or the Simple Booth app on your iPad—your presets sync across both.

1. Save the backdrops you like by right-clicking and choosing “Save As.”
2. Create a new Simple Booth account or sign in to your existing one.
3. Go to the Presets tab and open the preset you want to add background images to.
4. Locate the Background Replacement panel and choose from blue screen, green screen, or virtual background replacement.
5. Upload your background images (you can upload up to 50 images, so you have a lot of room to work with!).
6. Make sure background replacement is toggled on and your uploaded images are showing.
7. That’s it! You’re ready to take a test shot or two.

Having An Issue With Your Halloween Photo Booth Backdrops?

We’ve designed the Simple Booth platform to be user-friendly and intuitive to use. But in the off chance you’re running into an issue getting your background replacement backdrops set up, here are two resources we recommend checking:

• Background Replacement Guide – A Simple Booth support article full of best practices and pro-tips for background replacement.
• The Experience Designer Overview – The Experience Designer Overview support article to help you create incredible start screens, background replacement images, and more. Here you’ll find sizing specifications, detailed setup instructions, and a host of other suggestions for designing a unique user experience.

Halloween Backdrops, Overlays, & Props—Oh, My!

Just in case using a Halloween inspired backdrop with your Simple Booth wasn’t enough, take advantage of the props we’ve designed or add your own custom digital props.

We made some especially spooky props for the occasion, and they’re already loaded in the Simple Booth HALO app—all you have to do is select them. Just open the Props section, tap Browse Packs (outlined in red in the screengrab below), and choose Halloween Party. From there, pick as many props as you’d like.

No costume? No problem. Use Simple Booth digital props to dress up for your Halloween photo. And don’t overlook the standard props already in the app—plenty of them work for Halloween too.

As always, you can add your logo or other overlays to build brand awareness and take your social photography marketing strategy to all-new heights. New to building layouts? This Layout Designer walkthrough shows you how to add your own logos and overlays.

While you’re at it, check out the Halloween themes in the Themes section—they transform the start screen and add an overlay to your images and GIFs.

Ready to Get Spooky?

Between 20 free backdrops, a dedicated Halloween prop pack, and themes that tie the whole experience together, you’ve got everything you need to create a photo booth your guests will be dying to use. Mix and match until it feels right, run a quick test shot, and you’re set for a frightfully fun event.

Happy Halloween from all of us at Simple Booth!

The post 20 Hair Raising Halloween Photo Booth Backdrops appeared first on Simple Booth.