Ideas for
Back to School
Bulletin Boards

At the start of a school year, many teachers are looking for ideas for Back to School bulletin boards. They want their classrooms to look festive and inviting for the new students coming in.

There are many choices that you have for Back to School bulletin boards. If you are pressed for time, perhaps you want to create a general one that will stay up the whole season.

Or you may want to change your bulletin board to reflect the themes you are teaching.

Find great ideas and inspiration for Back to School bulletin boards below!

Back to School Bulletin Boards Info

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Having a great Back to School bulletin board can certainly set the tone for a successful school year. A bulletin board has multiple purposes. I always liked to have two bulletin boards; one for the general theme/season and one for families.

Having a bulletin board for a theme or season/holiday is beneficial in several ways. It allows for parents and family members to know instantly what their child is learning and celebrating at that moment. It also helps the children know what the theme is. The children can even be involved in helping to create the bulletin board!

Additionally, having a second bulletin board can be more of an information board. This can include teacher’s bios, parent newsletter, daily schedule, menus and anything else you feel is important to include on there. Communication with families is pertinent and incorporating this into your classroom will aid in better communication.

Both children and families will feel more comfortable beginning a new school year if they can see something that can catch their eye and help them feel more at ease. There are several themes that are fairly common amongst preschool classrooms for beginning of the year bulletin boards.

Ideas for Back to School Bulletin Boards

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Here are some quick and easy Back to School bulletin board ideas:

"Miss ______________'s All Stars" or "Blast Off to a Great Year" - Each child's name (and picture) is on a star.

"Step Into a Great Year" - Trace children's feet (or footprints in paint) and write their names on them.

"Mixing Up a Year of Fun" - A picture of a giant mixing bowl and the children's faces are the ingredients.

"You Fit Right In" - Take a large sheet of butcher paper and cut into puzzle pieces that all fit together. Write each child's name on a piece (and perhaps a picture too) and assemble on a bulletin board.

"Chugging Into a New Year" - Create a large train and have the children's face looking out from the windows.

"First-Class Preschoolers" - Have each child draw their face on a piece of paper that is patterned like a stamp. Display on a bulletin board with picture of a mailbox.

Themes for Back to School Bulletin Boards

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One common theme is “Families”. This is almost a very important theme to celebrate and display especially for the beginning of the year. Children get very excited to see their own families displayed for all to see. They love to tell everyone who is in their family picture. This opens the gates for bonding moments among the children. Some children can be shy when meeting new friends so being allowed to share something familiar to them can help them become more ensconced in the classroom.

Sharing different pictures of families on a bulletin board can also show diversity. Not only can it expose children to different ethnicities but they can also expose them to different family types. Not every family has a mom, dad and siblings. It has become more common lately for children to be adopted, to be raised by grandparents and even to have two moms or two dads. In a time where children are increasingly being bullied in schools, acceptance and tolerance for others needs to be taught. This can be the perfect teachable moment.


Another common theme teachers love to use this time of year is “All About Me”. This is yet another opportunity for the children to open up almost immediately with new friends. After all, what better topic than yourself to share with others?

Most people find it incredibly easy to discuss themselves and this is true for children, too. And the more the children share with others, the quicker they can begin to form new friendships and bond with other children who have similar interests. Using this as a beginning theme allows for children to be introduced to the art of conversation.
“The Farm” is one more theme that is popular. A lot of fun can be had with this theme! There are so many songs, games and stories that can be used with this theme. Children are typically familiar with most farm animals and the sounds they make. And if they are not, they will quickly learn! Taking a field trip to the farm is a great way to extend this theme, while also introducing them to a whole new way of learning.

Decorating your bulletin board allows you to have so much creativity! I love finding borders that go with the theme. If you cannot find a theme-specific border, finding a solid color that goes with your theme works well, too. Displaying pictures of the families and children is an easy and effective way to decorate for the “Families” theme and the “All About Me” theme.

I also love having the children draw their own pictures of their families and their self-portraits to display, too. For “The Farm” theme, go crazy! It is fun to showcase a typical farm scene, maybe even showing adult animals with their babies. I have also taken an art project that the kids did to showcase as well.

Whatever theme you use first, keep in mind that whatever you use should make children and families feel comfortable and at ease. They should know instantly what theme you will be learning and it should be something that catches the eye.

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