Photo Source: tradingideas.orientaltrading.com

With the school year fast approaching it’s time to get your back-to-school bulletin boards and classroom decorations in order! This year try bringing a bit of “summer” with you by re-creating this surf-themed bulletin board from the designers at Oriental Trading. It’s colorful, fun, and it’s sure to be a big hit with your students!

Catch The Wave Bulletin Board

• Background: White background paper, light blue bulletin board paper, and dark blue bulletin board paper. Cover the top half of your board with light blue paper and the lower half with white paper. Cut a large wave pattern from the dark blue paper and attach it along the bottom edge of the board, creating a layered sky and ocean. You could also cover the entire board with light blue bulletin board paper, using crinkled blue cellophane to create the ocean waves.
• Title: “Catch The Wave To _____________” (Preschool, Kindergarten, Third Grade, etc.)
• Border: Plain blue bulletin board trimmer or beach-themed border. The creators at Oriental Trading also suggest attaching miniature blow up beach balls or construction paper beach ball cutouts to each corner to spice it up.
• Decorations: Visit your local craft store or our online teacher supplies store for pre-made foam surf boards or purchase colorful sheets of foam, create a template, and make your own. Crop and print each student’s photo from the year before and attach it to a surf board, using a black Sharpie marker to script their name below. Arrange these surf boards in the “waves” then, as a fun first day of school craft, provide your students with glitter, washable school glue, chenille stems, foam flowers, and other craft supplies for them to decorate their surf board and re-attach them to the board.

Not only will your students enjoy seeing their picture when they walk into class, they’ll be excited to see their own work displayed on the first day of school!

Is starting off the school year with a “summer” theme too depressing? Leave us a comment and share your ideas on what makes a great back-to-school bulletin board display!