My favorite part about working in a classroom is the bulletin boards that you get to make. They can be very helpful but also fun to make during the holidays. There are tons of ideas on themes for boards, but if you are new to making them they can be very tricky. Over the past couple of years, I have learned a few tricks that make making a bulletin board much easier. Follow these instructions to make a fun and creative bulletin board for your classroom. As you follow these instructions, look at the pictures for more help.

Step 1: Supplies

- Cork bulletin board (any size)

- Scissors

- Stapler

- Bulletin board paper (your choice in color)

- Boarder (your choice in color)

Step 2: Cutting Paper

The first step in creating a fun bulletin board for your class is to cut your bulletin board paper into the correct size of the board and then staple in all four corners. Make sure to smooth it out because if not, it will create bubbles on your board.

Step 3: Boarder

After stapling your paper onto the board, it is time to put the boarder around it. This makes the board look cleaner and more put together. You can choose any color you want, as long as it matches and is not to distracting. Try to stay away from boarders that have flower or images on them. A plain boarder is the easiest and less distracting way to go. You will use your stapler to staple the boarder onto the board. Your boarder should look like the example of the completed boarder above.

Step 4: Your Theme

After putting on the boarder, the next step is to decorate the board anyway you want. You can give it a theme, a color pattern, a holiday, etc. Make it anything creative. You can buy the stuff to put on the board or you can draw it out on color paper and staple it onto you board (see example). The board here is a camping theme and they cut out trees, a fire, arrows, and a tent. They gave the board a 3D affect which is really important in classrooms. Try not to go over board because children with ADHD find it very distracting when there are colors and words all over the board.

Step 5: Cleaner Is Better

Make sure when stapling the words on to the board that they are all straight and not crooked. One easy way to do this is pin them up first how you want them with a thumb tack, and then staple them just in case you have to change them around. Make sure you outline in black marker the things you hang on the board. For example, if you are doing the camping board, you would outline the tent, the fire, the arrows, etc. By doing this, it cleans up the decorations and makes them even.