I absolutely love fall! What teacher doesn’t right? It’s the time of the year when you see the most change. The leaves start to change colors, your students start to change in maturity, and the schedule starts to change as you approach your first fall or Thanksgiving break.
Fall is all about change and it’s the perfect time to change our classrooms! Here are 5 easy ways to prep your room for fall:
1. Fall Scents
This one is a small detail, but it’s also super simple, really easy, and the students love it! Did I say students? I meant students, parents, teachers…well, let’s be honest, everyone loves fall scents!
There are so many ways to incorporate different scents into your classroom. You could use your favorite fall candle and a candle warmer. You could use house sprays. One of my friends uses an essential oil diffuser in her classroom with drops of cinnamon—which smells amazing and is totally perfect for this time of year.
My personal favorite is Bath & Body Works’ Wallflower scents. The basic wallflower itself costs only $5.50, and I can promise you that I always use the Pumpkin Pecan Waffle. It’s a really sweet fragrance and I love it—seriously addicted to this scent! It’s usually the first thing that people compliment when they walk into my classroom and it leaves the atmosphere feeling warm and cozy.
Whatever your favorite fall scent is, use it! Make the room delight the senses. I promise you that parents and students will love it and other teachers will probably ask where you got it.
2. Bulletin Boards
As all of the change takes place, it’s time for us to change our bulletin boards!
There’s nothing better than seeing your students’ eyes light up after you’ve changed the room decor around.
Personally, I usually do one academic bulletin board and one spiritual board for the season. I find cheesy sayings like, “Fall in love with Jesus,” or, “Fall in love with a good book.”
Doing a play on words is always great, but for my specific age group I try to make sure that the words are all spelled correctly for the phrase. Sayings such as, “Leaf it all to Jesus,” are really cute but might confuse some children with their spelling/word skills. So just know your age group and your students before making a saying. Then pick a theme, create it, piece it together, and watch your students’ eyes light up!
3. Pumpkins
Yay pumpkins! Again, another favorite! Did I mention that I love fall? I might have said it a few times. 🙂
Pumpkins are a great way to bring fall into your classroom, and they don’t have to be real ones either. You can use pumpkin stickers on hook/cubby tags, paper pumpkins on desks, or poster pumpkins on your wall. You can even have your students color some to make a bulletin board about, “Growing together in Christ,” or having the greatest “patch” around. Whichever way you choose to do it, have fun with it! Make the pumpkins something students get excited to see or find as they explore your newly decorated fall classroom.
4. Dollar Store Items
The Dollar Store, whether it’s Dollar Tree or your local $0.99 Store, is a teacher’s best friend. There are so many wonderful and overlooked items that you can incorporate for a beautiful fall classroom.
Check out your local dollar store for flowers. You can usually find orange, yellow, and tan flowers that you can use as an accent on your desk or to hang up throughout the classroom. 🌻
What else do they have? FALL LEAVES! Yes, your dollar store usually sells fall leaves 🍁 in packs of twenty or more. They typically come in a variety of colors and, trust me, you’ll want to get them. Your students will get a kick out of seeing them cascade down your walls and your parents will think you’re the most dedicated person ever for simply putting these beautiful leaves on display.
Lastly, they usually have cute pumpkin items! This ties in so well with the last step that I mentioned. Go check out pumpkin stickers, small statues, or sometimes even plushies!
Each dollar store has different items depending on where you’re located, but I can promise you that your dollar store has something specifically for you to use in your fall classroom.
5. Prep Yourself
Yourself? Yes! You! You who are reading this blog right now. Prep yourself!
What do I mean? I mean relax yourself into the fall season.
Ready your wardrobe. Pack away the summer outfits and bring on the sweaters and cute boots! Make sure you’re physically ready for the season ahead. Give yourself comfy clothes and pack warm meals. Help yourself continue in the best ways possible.
Ready your heart and mind. Change like the leaves, and refresh your outlook on your students. Set their faults aside and see their needs. Help them process these changing moments and encourage them through it. Help them fall in love with God and fall in love with learning all at the same time.
Have fun this fall! Decorate your classroom, bring in the fall scents, put on the comfy sweaters. Enjoy every changing moment, and allow the moments to change you.
Teaching Creativity 