With the coming of each season, decorate a bulletin board to reflect the changes that occur with the season. During fall, create a large and colorful fall tree or a pumpkin patch. With the arrival of winter, transform the board so it displays images of snowflakes, snowmen and sleds. During the spring, turn your bulletin board into a colorful garden filled with flowers, birds and butterflies. Lastly, when summer is approaching, create a beach scene on the board, complete with a bright sun, an ocean and sand. If you wish, incorporate the names of the children on the board to personalize it. Write their names on pumpkins or on flowers, perhaps. Children will be excited to see the transformation of the board, and you can use the displays as a teaching tool to discuss the changes that occur in the environment each season.
Bulletin boards can also be used to add festive holiday flair to your classroom. Around Halloween, cover the board with images that relate to the holiday, such as spiders, witches and black cats. Welcome Thanksgiving by hanging a large turkey, pilgrims and a cornucopia on the board. For Christmas, trace children's hands on green construction paper, cut them out and use them to create a Christmas tree on the bulletin board, complete with decorations and images of gifts underneath it. A map of Ireland, an Irish flag, a leprechaun, a rainbow and clovers can be used to add a bit of Irish luck to your classroom around St. Patrick's Day. Decorate the boards to reflect the holidays you intend on celebrating in your classroom. Like a seasonal display, holiday displays also can be used to teach about the different celebrations.
Create a bulletin board that is strictly intended to showcase the children's work. You may decorate the bulletin board to look like a large easel, or perhaps make it look like a stage, complete with red curtains and images of spotlights. Print a catchy caption along the top of the bulletin board, such as "Our Featured Artists" or "Now Starring ..." Hang completed art projects, math and literacy activities or anything else the children have created that you'd like to show off. Children will feel a sense of pride when they see their work displayed on a bulletin board.
Decorate bulletin boards in your classroom to correspond to a particular theme you are working on. When integrating a rainforest-theme in your classroom, for example, hang crepe paper streamers on the board to resemble vines and display images of rainforest animals, plants and trees. Decorate these bulletin boards prior to introducing the thematic unit the board will highlight and use the board as a means of introducing the new unit of study. Refer to the board throughout the theme to teach different concepts and highlight important information.