As the school year draws to a close, it’s time to celebrate with some creative and fun bulletin boards! These ideas will not only brighten up your space but also bring a sense of closure and excitement for the summer ahead.
1. Floating Into Summer
Use paper cutouts of floaties and have students decorate them with their favorite summer activities. It’s a cheerful and colorful display that’s sure to stand out. For an added layer, students can write a short paragraph about why they chose the particular activities on their floaties. I find this approach works wonderfully when the floaties are arranged to look like they are “floating” on a blue paper “pool.”
Might be a good match:
- Colorful Paper Floatie Cutouts: Decorate with vibrant floatie cutouts and make your bulletin board stand out this summer.
- Bright Summer-Themed Stickers: Add some fun with summer-themed stickers on your classroom bulletin board displays.
- Multi-Color Bulletin Board Borders: Frame your bulletin board with colorful borders to enhance the summer theme decoratively.
2. High Five to a Great Year!
Have students trace and decorate their handprints, adding their names and a short message. It’s a personal touch that everyone appreciates. I’ve seen teachers use different colored paints to make the handprints even more vibrant. These handprints can also be compiled into a class “tree” to symbolize growth throughout the year.
Try these:
- Colorful Construction Paper Pack: Bring creativity to life. Choose colorful construction paper for vibrant handprint cutouts and projects.
- Washable Markers Set: Add a splash of color with washable markers. Perfect for customizing handprints with names.
- Bulletin Board Borders: Enhance your display with decorative bulletin board borders, adding charm to your classroom walls.
3. Blast Off Into Summer
Create a space-themed board with rockets and stars, symbolizing the launch into a new season. It’s a fun and imaginative way to celebrate the transition. From my experience, incorporating glow-in-the-dark elements adds an extra layer of excitement for the students. I think this theme would be really cool with student self-portraits as the astronauts.
Consider these options:
- Rocket and Star Wall Decals: Transform your bulletin board with vibrant rocket and star decals for a cosmic touch.
- Space-Themed Bulletin Board Borders: Add dynamic borders with planets and stars to enhance your space-themed display.
- Educational Astronomy Posters: Inspire students with educational posters featuring planets, rockets, and exciting space facts.
4. Hanging Up Our Memories
Display a line of photos or drawings from the year to create a visual timeline of memories. This idea always captivates students and visitors alike. I once helped a client arrange these photos in chronological order around a large paper tree, showing the growth of the class. I believe adding short captions under each picture makes it even more engaging.
You might give these a try:
- Decorative Photo Clips: Easily hang your memories with colorful clips for a vibrant and interactive display.
- Adhesive Bulletin Board Borders: Enhance your photo display with stylish borders to frame your memories beautifully.
- Cork Bulletin Board: Create a dedicated space for showcasing cherished photos with a functional cork board.
5. Rays of Sunshine
Create a sun-themed board where students add their names to the rays. It’s a bright and cheerful way to wrap up the year. I like to use glitter on the sun’s rays to make it extra sparkly. As an added activity, each student can write a goal for the summer on their sun ray.
These products might help:
- Bulletin Board Border Trim: Brighten your board with colorful border trims, creating a vivid and engaging display for students.
- Sun Cutouts for Classroom: Enhance your bulletin board with cheerful sun cutouts, perfect for adding student names.
- Die-Cut Letters & Numbers: Create eye-catching titles with vibrant die-cut letters; customize your bulletin board easily.
6. We Came as Strangers, We Leave as Friends
Display photos taken throughout the year to highlight the friendships and moments shared. This sentimental board is always a hit. I assisted a client who had students write down their favorite memory with a classmate to accompany each photo. This always brings a tear to my eye and is a great way to end the year on a positive note.
A few suggestions:
- Bulletin Board Decoration Set: Enhance your sentimental board with vibrant decorations to capture memorable moments shared over the year.
- Photo Clip String Lights: Illuminate and display your cherished photos with stylish string lights for a warm and inviting ambiance.
- Magnetic Picture Frames: Safeguard your favorite memories with versatile magnetic frames; perfect for any classroom display.
7. Oh, the Places They’ll Go
Inspired by the beloved book, this board features hot air balloons representing students’ future adventures. It’s a wonderful way to inspire and dream big. In my experience, having students write a paragraph about their “adventure” makes the display even more personal. I really enjoy seeing the creativity and aspirations of the kids.
These products might be useful:
- Colorful Hot Air Balloon Decorations: Brighten your board with vibrant hot air balloon decorations and inspire limitless adventures.
- Educational Wall Stickers: Enhance your bulletin board with educational stickers that promote dreams and future aspirations.
- Inspirational Quote Posters: Motivate students with posters featuring uplifting quotes on dreaming big and exploring the world.
8. Memory Lane
Have each student decorate a paper T-shirt with their favorite memories from the year and display them all on a clothesline. This idea always brings a smile as students reflect on their year together. I helped a teacher who had the students use fabric markers and even add small embellishments like buttons to their T-shirts. I think that personalizing the shirts really allows their personalities to show.
A few helpful options:
- Decorative Paper T-Shirts: Encourage creativity with colorful paper T-shirts, perfect for capturing cherished memories through art.
- Mini Wooden Clothespins: Securely hang decorated T-shirts with these sturdy mini clothespins for a charming display.
- Printable Photos for Crafts: Personalize each T-shirt with printable photos, bringing unique memories to life vividly.
9. Sweet Memories
Use a candy-themed board to celebrate the ‘sweet’ memories of the year. This whimsical idea is sure to bring joy and nostalgia to everyone who sees it. I think it would be very effective to scatter actual candy wrappers around the board for an added touch. For this board, I would probably design each student as a unique candy to express their personalities.
Check if these fit your needs:
- Colorful Candy Borders: Brighten your board with candy-themed borders for a fun, festive touch celebrating sweet memories.
- Bulletin Board Paper: Enhance your display with vibrant paper backgrounds, making memories stand out with a sweet aesthetic.
- Plastic Candy Jars: Display candy and memories simultaneously with clear jars, adding a whimsical element to your board.
10. Summer Bucket List
Encourage students to create and decorate their own summer bucket list. It’s a great way for them to express their hopes and dreams for the coming months. I find that providing a variety of art supplies, like colorful markers and stickers, really encourages creativity. I’ve always wanted to create my own summer bucket list as well.
A few things you might like:
- Colorful Sticky Note Pads: Brighten your bucket list with colorful sticky notes. Perfect for organizing fun summer goals!
- Creative Craft Supplies Set: Unleash creativity with a craft supplies set. Perfect for decorating your summer bucket list.
- Vibrant Bulletin Board Clips: Secure your lists with vibrant clips. Adds color and function to your bulletin board decoration.
11. Groovy Summer
Get your classroom ready for summer with a vibrant, retro-themed board that features surfboards and palm trees. This lively setup always adds a fun, festive flair to the room. I’ve used real beach sand around the base of the board for a more immersive experience. In my opinion, it would be cool to include old beach toys that the students no longer use.
A few relevant products:
- Retro Surfboard Wall Decals: Add vibrant surf vibes to your classroom wall. Easy to apply and remove.
- Palm Tree Classroom Decor: Transform your space with lively palm trees, bringing a tropical touch to any bulletin board.
- Retro Summer Banner Flags: Brighten up your board with colorful, retro banners for a festive summer theme.
12. All the Feels
Create a board using emojis to capture students’ feelings about the end of the year. It’s a fun and relatable way to express their emotions. I recommend having students create their own emojis to represent their feelings for a more personal touch. I believe that it’s important to acknowledge and validate everyone’s feelings.
Give these a look:
- Emoji Stickers Variety Pack: Enhance your bulletin board with vibrant emoji stickers, making it expressive and fun for students.
- Bulletin Board Borders and Decorations: Frame your bulletin board with creative borders to capture attention and add flair to the display.
- Self-Adhesive Sticky Notes: Provide sticky notes for students to write and share their feelings and reflections easily.
13. Smart Cookies!
Celebrate the achievements of the year with a cookie-themed board, where each student is a ‘smart cookie.’ It’s a deliciously clever way to honor their hard work. I’ve designed similar boards where each “cookie” had the student’s name and a specific accomplishment they achieved. I think this is a great way to acknowledge each child’s accomplishments.
You might like:
- Cookie-Shaped Bulletin Board Cutouts: Enhance your board with cookie-shaped cutouts, adding a playful and thematic touch. Perfect for displays.
- Educational Achievement Stickers: Celebrate student achievements with colorful stickers, adding visual encouragement to your bulletin board.
- Decorative Border Trim for Bulletin Boards: Style your display with colorful border trim, creating an engaging and polished bulletin board look.
14. Miss You a Latte
For coffee lovers, a board with a giant coffee cup saying ‘Miss You a Latte’ is a fun and quirky farewell. It’s a playful nod to the end of the year. I advised a client once to add student photos to the “steam” coming from the coffee cup. I always appreciate a clever and lighthearted way to say goodbye.
Explore these options:
- Coffee Cup Shaped Wall Art: Add fun coffee-themed decor to your space. A perfect touch for any coffee lover!
- Large Decorative Coffee Mug: Display this stylish mug to enhance your farewell board. Ideal for coffee enthusiasts.
- Cork Board with Coffee Pins: Organize memories with this unique board and coffee-themed pins. Great for creative displays!
15. Surfin’ Into Summer
Create a board with a beach theme, featuring surfboards and waves, to celebrate the start of summer. It’s a refreshing way to signal a season of fun. I sometimes use blue cellophane to create a shimmering water effect for the waves. I think this theme is one of the easiest to decorate, and you can get as creative as you want.
Items that may come in handy:
- Beach-Themed Bulletin Board Decorations: Bring the beach to your board with these vibrant decorations perfect for summer vibes.
- Surfboard Wall Art Stickers: Add a splash of surf style to your board with these removable wall art stickers.
- Ocean Wave Patterned Border Trim: Frame your board with wave designs to enhance the summer theme effortlessly.
