Nothing says, “Welcome to Our Class!” better than a fun and attractive bulletin board. Whether school starts in August or September, the ideas below can help you welcome your students in style. Try one out, take a picture, and share it with us on Facebook or tag us on Instagram. We would love to see your back-to-school bulletin board!
Fun Back-to-School Bulletin Board Ideas for the Classroom
So Seuss Bulletin Board
Start the year off with an emphasis on reading by creating a Dr. Seuss themed bulletin board. Cover the board in plain white paper or fabric and edge it with a solid color or Dr. Seuss scalloped border. Colorful letters in red and white can be used to write out a welcome message and small Dr. Seuss-like hats with the students’ names on can be hang on the board. If you would like to make the bulletin board more reading specific, title it “Welcome Readers!” and use it in or near your classroom library.
Planting the Seeds Bulletin Board
Welcome students with a farm theme bulletin board that encourages them to learn and grow throughout the year. This versatile board can serve as not only a welcome board, but can be used to track student progress for special projects or in conjunction with behavior management. A plain tan background of paper can be bordered with a farm or plant theme edging. Draw a large farm field in the center and “plant” vegetables with your students’ names. “Come Grow With Us” is a perfect title for the board. If you are using it for tracking, let students add more vegetables with their names as they accomplish tasks. By the end of the month or semester, the field will be filled with fresh crops that are ready to harvest for the next month.
Up, Up, and Away! Bulletin Board
Take flight with a hot air balloon theme bulletin board. Using hot hair balloon templates, write students’ names on them and hang on a light blue background. A sky print fabric with clouds would also be a great backdrop. Use the bulletin board as a “getting-to-know-you” type board and have students write their goals for the year on the balloons. Use colorful letters to title the board, “Soar With Us!”
What are some of your favorite back-to-school bulletin boards for August and September? Share with us below or head on over to the Really Good Teachers forums and share your ideas!
Brian says
Love the ideas as I’m not great at bulletin boards! These give me something new to go off of! 🙂
Tanya R. says
I’m already busy, brainstorming ideas on how to incorporate the Dr. Seuss set that’s on its way. Thanks for the hint.
Pam says
I’m not very creative so I always love all the bulletin board ideas! I think I’m going to use some of these!!!
Julie says
I love switching it up–this year I think I am going to go with a rocket ship–blast off type theme. I am finding some great resources here to help keep me organized!
Lisa says
I am going with frogs this year.
Amanda Fisher says
I love changing my bulletin boards from year to year. My school promotes this by doing a new AR theme each year. This year is Rock and Roll. A lot of my peers are thinking electric guitars but I’m going a different route. Rock and Roll made me think of juke boxes and poodle skirts. Unfortunately there’s not a lot out there to support this idea, but a quick call to my Dad to donate some of his old 45’s is going to make it a hit!
Teri says
I really like your numberline that is available online. My old numberline was much too long.
Jesscia says
I just got finished creating my New Bulletin Board…I found a great school themed fabric I used as my background and I left it simple by just putting up pop-out letters to say “Welcome to First Grade”
Kristen says
I firmly believe that Bulletin Boards need to serve a purpose and not just be decorative. I like the idea of using them for tracking progress, displaying student work, or creating a focus of study.
Ludy says
It is great how everyone likes sharing their ideas. I know that it is refreshing to hear new ideas for the classroom.
beth says
I am thinking about bees and things like “Bee-utiful work”, learning buzz words. Great ideas!
Cathy Lewis says
I love these ideas they will make the kids feel welcome. I like to make interactive bulletin boards, for back to school I have the kids bring in a picture of a favorite summer activity to add to our welcome board.
Patricia says
I love the idea of a Dr. Seuss themed bulletin board to track students reading. I think displaying what students are reading is a great way to encourage other students to read a book that one of their classmates has read.
Sherrie says
I haven’t really gone with themes during my short years of teaching. I think it’s a lot of work, but I think the DR. Suess bulletin board idea is way cute!! I’m all for bulletin boards!
Bridget says
I think I’m going with owls this year… Still trying to come up with the perfect slogan though!!
April Taddonio says
My 2nd grade team decided to do a themed hallway for the beginning of last school year. We all came up with ways to present what standards/objectives would be taught throughout the year. For example, I had science so I used science beaker decorations with the objectives written in the smoke clouds from the beakers. Our 4 bulletin board sparked interesting conversations from teachers and parents.
Amy says
I LOVE REALLY GOOD STUFF!!! I am going with an Island theme and have not been able to find a lot of things to go with this! any help would be greatly appreciated.
Chrissy says
My classroom theme is sock monkeys.
Crystal F. says
I love these ideas for back to school boards. I have a welcome quilt that I am going to use this year.
Eva says
Each year I put up my “Fall Into A Good Book and Read” bulletin board. I use fall colors on a black background and cut out maple leafs from construction paper using our Ellison machine. The leaves each have a student name and their favorite book written on it. The leaves “fall” from the borders, and surround the title of the bulletin board, which I create from the leftover construction paper after I have cut the leaves out. I use this as a class roster, and also a review of the aspects of positive and negative relating to art.
I also have had students use watercolors to “paint” coffee filters. They then spray them with a water filled spray bottle. The water helps spread the colors and make them look tie dyed. When they dry I cut them using the maple leaf shape on the Ellison machine. We create a similar bulletin board only the borders on the sides are tree trunks and on the top the bulletin we make branches out of brown butcher paper. Leaves are stapled to the branches and the ones “falling” have the student names and their books on them. You can add 3D grass to the bottom of the board with extra leaves in ples. The students love helping to create this bulletin board.
Eva says
Beth,
You can also use the Bee theme for a “Bee all that you can Bee”. Put their names on the larger bee and when they do a good deed, add a bee sticker onto the larger bee. It’s a great way to track good Bee’havior. I also use the bees for tracking when students come in and out of the room. Each student has a bee with their number on it and when they leave the room they place their bee on the metal cover to our speaker. It is quick visual for me and for substitutes.
Eva says
Bridget,
How about “Whooo’s in Our Class?”, “Whooo’s the Owl of the Week?”, “Whooo’s Job Is It?”
Eva
Kelly says
The stars of room 105. Black backing with red fabric as stage curtains on the sides. Each students name is on a shiny star in the middle.
Paulette Larson says
Great bulletin board ideas! I like to change things up every year and these will spur some new ideas. Thanks!
Amber Kowalczyk says
Fun inexpensive bulletin board ideas. The balloon bulletin board would go great with my cloud paper I use for my bulletin board backing!!
Amy says
Need all the suggestions I can get, as I am not creative!
Nicole says
I am a 2nd grade teacher and doing Dr. Seuss for my classroom theme. I am completely at a loss as to what to do for a welcome bulletin board. I have the Welcome banner and Seuss characters that go around the board(they were given to me, so by all means don’t have to be used). But I just cannot come up with a cute saying. I also have Dr. Seuss hat cut outs (enough for each child’s name). Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
Kim says
I am beginning the schoolyear with a cowboy/cowgirl theme. I have many stories and activities, but I am having difficulty coming up with bulletin board ideas … both interactive and decorative. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Angie says
I am always looking for new ideas, I love seeing/reading about boards other teachers have used! Thanks
brenda says
well, i use so many bullentin boards throughout my years of teaching, this school year..i have a story tree (for the program our school is teaching). the tree is bare and as i read a story, i post up the title of the books on leaves and post it up.. another one i will use this year is a bee-havior chart. i have 3 color hives: green, yellow and red… the students names are on the bees and as they break a rule, their bee flies to another color hive.
Kathy says
My back to school bulletin board featured owls. They were made using my students hand prints for the wings which were attached with brads and when spread apart had a picture of the student. I titled it ” Look Whooooo’s in Pre-K!
Mary Feagley says
I have a board that I keep up all year, with news artlcles that feature my students. Every year I call it something different…but this year, I’m thinking about @NEWS to go along with some Twitter-themed activities we will be doing.
Holly says
My room theme is spots and polka dots. For the beginning of school I use Ladybugs. Look who has been spotted in Kindergarten. I put the children’s names on the ladybug spots and we practice finding them as we line up! The books The Very Grouchy Ladybug (Carle) and The Dot (Reynolds) also are a part of my opening theme too. Other ideas with this are – Spotlight on Good Work and You have been spotted being good.
vivian says
love the ideas I just can never decide on a single theme.
DMarie says
Last year I used the five dollar stuffed animals from Kohl’s and made the100 Acre woods scene outside my door. Pooh, etc were swinging from a big tree. At the bottom, I had honey pots w/each of the students’ names on them. I think it turned out pretty well, and the kids liked the 3D aspect.