Looking for a fresh look this year? Just in time for back-to-school, here are some unique ways to transform your classroom into a fun place that fosters your students’ creativity.
Reusable Ribbons
Because they are so colorful and sturdy, ribbons are the perfect addition to any classroom and come with a myriad of uses. Thread ribbon through milk crates to add a pizzazz. Tie ribbons of various widths, lengths and colors to a hula hoop to hang above the reading area. Use fold over elastic ribbon for easy bookmarks that stay in place.
Bulletin Border
With some tissue paper, ribbon and a stapler, your bulletin board can be transformed into a great classroom decoration. First, cover your board with butcher paper and your favorite cardboard border. Then, take ribbon and staple or glue it along the bottom of the border. Next, take the tissue paper and cut it into long, skinny strips so that when it is crumbled, it will not be so big it covers up the ribbon and the border. Finally, scrunch up the tissue paper and staple it along the divide between the border and the ribbon.
Mounted Board Games
If you find yourself with an excess amount of wall space, save storage areas by framing your board games and attaching the pieces in a bag on the back. Either find a shadowbox frame or construct a frame large enough to surround the game board, put all the pieces in a plastic bag, attach a sticky back hook to the back to hold the bag, and hang the finished product on the wall. Not only will it give more color to your classroom, it will free up closet space as well as provide you with an easier way to keep the game pieces organized.
Contact Paper
Whether for file cabinets or book shelves, a well-placed contact paper theme can add life to any otherwise dull piece of classroom furniture. Use it to enliven a metal filing cabinet, cover the inside of a bookcase with wacky designs or even dress up your desk. No matter the use, it is an easy-to-use and easily removable design that can do so much for classroom decorating for so little.
Picture Perfect
Since technology has now advanced to the point where you can photograph your students and then immediately print the photos out at your desk, why not decorate their individual homework boxes or name tags with them? It provides you with a great way to stay organized and is the perfect tool for learning new names at the beginning of the year.
This blog post comes from The Ribbon Retreat, an online store who specializes in helping crafters finish their fabric and ribbon projects.
