7 Fun Back to School Ideas for Teachers

As a former teacher, my favorite part of the school year was always the organizing and setting up the classroom for a new flock of kids. I loved coming up with a new theme, making sure that everything was bright and inviting, and labeling items around the room.

Even though I haven’t been in the classroom for over 2 years now, I still find myself daydreaming of the “perfect” classroom set up and long to help teachers to create an organized space. (Am I a nerd?)

Check out these 7 FUN Back to School Ideas for Teachers that I found while enviously stalking teachers as they get ready for a new school year.

Baskets & bins everywhere!

I LOVED baskets in my classroom. I would frequently head to the Dollar Store, WalMart, Target, etc. looking for fun and colorful baskets to go in any space in my classroom. Check out this easy idea for hanging your baskets in your classroom without making holes in the walls from The Kindergarten Smorgasbord. Now why didn’t I think of that?

Here are some more bins with fun labels from The Organized Classroom. I told  you I loved bins!

 

Fun with Photo Booths

So photo booths are everywhere nowadays….weddings, parties, events. Why not the classroom? Look at this great idea for Open House or Meet the Teacher Hour from Kindergarten….Kindergarten. How fun for the kids and parents!

 

Great Bulletin Board Ideas

I love colorful bulletin boards but loathe changing them all the time. This easy & functional one from Live, Laugh & Learn in Second Grade is perfect for displaying kids’ work without leaving the holes from staples when changing.

You know I love social media! Check out this great idea for an Instagram inspired bulletin board to display all the photos from the school year from Draw the Line At. She used it for kids’ artwork in the art room. I would put the snapshots that we take at school events. Clever!

 

Absent Folders

I used Absent Folders to keep the work that a child missed in a neat little space. This also helped me to have the extra copies in case they were put in my “special file” a.k.a. the trash. When I passed papers out, or assigned a page in a text book, I wouldn’t skip the absent child’s desk, their neighbor would place the paper in their absent folder. Mine was not as cute as this one from Primarily Speaking, but it got the job done!

 

Reading Corners

I love to read and when I was in elementary school, I loved when the teacher would let us sit on the floor and read under our desks. Well, times have changed and now there are cozy and creative reading corners. This sea life inspired one from The Classroom Creative would be perfect for a good book!

 

How about this SUPER one from Mrs. Page’s Super Students?

 

Planning for a Sub

Being absent as a teacher is a LOT of work. It’s usually just easier to go to work because you don’t have to plan as much. I was VERY explicit with my sub plans (down to every word the sub should say and when). This  Sub Tub from Step Into 2nd Grade is a great idea! Plenty of space for the plans and extra items that they may need.

 

Teacher Space

And last, but not least…the teacher space! Some teachers chose not to have a space when I was teaching. I have no idea how they did that! Although I did do my best grading when sitting at the kids’ desks, I needed a space for my stuff. You know, my every colored pens, stamps, post-it notes, stickers, pictures, SNACKS!

I am loving the organization of this space from The Creative Chalkboard!

 

What about this FAB organization station from School Girl Style! LOVE!! I wouldn’t want to put anything in it that would change the theme….

 

 

What are some of your favorite ways to set up your classroom?

HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!