Classroom Decorating Themes

Written By Penny Warner.

Turn an ordinary classroom into a jungle to study the rain forest, a space station to explore the universe, a pirate ship sailing the seas, a campground in the middle of nature or any fantasy land that matches your lesson plans. Let the students help with the decorations as they learn about new places, new people and new concepts.

Tropical Theme
For lessons about animals and plant habitats, turn the classroom into a jungle, rain forest or tropical island. Cover the room with crepe paper streamers for vines. Hang animal posters, animal print paper and animal fabric on the walls. Set out stuffed or inflated animals. Create colorful tropical flowers bloom around the room. Blow bubbles for atmosphere. Create sand bottles with colored sand or create seashell necklaces. Have a variety of fish "floating" around the room. Provide the kids with leis, visors, masks and sunglasses to wear. Offer positive reinforcement rewards after the lesson with tropical stickers, activity pads, bookmarks, puzzles and small toy animals.

Pirate Theme
Welcome pirates to your classroom pirate ship while studying early buccaneers, New World explorers or sea-faring sailors. Set the stage with pirate maps tacked to the walls. Let the pirates decorate treasure chests and fill them with loot for later rewards. Create your own birdcages and fill them with stuffed or inflated parrots. Have the students wear bandannas, pirate hats, eye patches and pirate tattoos. Provide them with compasses, send them on a treasure hunt and let them dig for the treasure with sand pails and shovels.

Camp Out Theme
If you're studying American pioneers, life in the Colonies or nature in general, set up camp and let the students explore the lessons with hands-on activities. Put up tents and fill the room with real plants, silk flowers and stuffed animals.  Have the kids create simple crafts such as wooden cars and planes, flowers, tote bags, beading crafts, birdhouses and nature collages. Play camping games that enhance cooperation and team sports and sing camp songs to learn rote lessons. Offer the kids small flashlights, bandannas, visors and toy animals for rewards.

Western Theme
When you're studying the Wild West, Native Americans or western heritage, have your classroom reflect the theme. Hang posters on the walls and display crafts, costumes and jewelry. Let the kids create their own headdresses or totem poles and decorate baskets to store pencils and erasers. Create dream catchers to hang in the windows or create sand drawings with colored sand, glue and paper. Provide the students with bandannas, hats, paper bag vests, stickers and pencils to match the theme.

Other Classroom Themes:

• Fiesta: For studying Latin American studies, Cinco de Mayo celebration or multicultural education.
• Sports: For studying the Olympics, physical education or health.
• Castle: For studying fairy tales, medieval times or royalty.
• Dinosaur: For studying dinosaurs, animal kingdom or evolution.
• Patriotic: For studying American history, American holidays or American traditions.