Classroom decor goes a long way in making students feel welcome and included in your classroom; but it can be difficult coming up with birthday bulletin board ideas. While some teachers seem to have been born with a glue gun in hand, others worry about creating aesthetically-pleasing, Instagrammable bulletin boards and decorations.
But never fear! Creating attractive bulletin boards for students’ birthdays doesn’t have to be a monumental feat of art. We’ve assembled a list of examples of boards for inspiration, along with tips and tricks for creating your own birthday bulletin boards.
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What makes a good birthday bulletin board?
Classroom bulletin boards typically fall into one (or more) of three categories: decorative or display, interactive/activity boards, or information-sharing and content boards. Although birthday bulletin boards are usually the first type – decorative – don’t rule out using hte boards to not only celebrate student birthdays, but also to reinforce content.
A good bulletin board is one that is easy to read and engages students. While the craftier types among us might enjoy making more complex designs, it’s still important that they are clear in both purpose and design. Our top tips for making effective bulletin boards include:
Use large, simple to read letters
Resist the urge to use the more complex designer fonts, as these can be more difficult for students – particularly emerging readers – to read. The larger the letters, the better. Oversized letters can be purchased from craft or teacher supply stores or printed out onto card stock.
Keep the design focused
It can be tempting to use many different ideas or color schemes but the best bulletin boards have a focus – in this case birthdays. It’s best to limit boards to one type of activity or decorating idea.
Orient boards around student interests and needs
There is nothing wrong with creating bulletin boards around traditional designs like crayons or rainbows, but consider getting creative and working student interests into the design for added impact. For example, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or superhero-themed boards are popular with many students. Find out what your kids like.
Birthday bulletin boards should be fun to make. After all, they’re all about celebrating! Consider letting students get in on the act by creating art for the board or having input into what colors or designs they like best.
Classroom boards are really an extension of your teaching – a way to turn blank wall space into additional opportunities for learning. Consider whether you can integrate any learning objectives into the board for the benefit of your students. And yes, emotional learning absolutely counts.
With younger elementary grades and pre-K in particular, consider making birthday celebrations a classroom event and a way to practice social skills, such as celebrating others and being a good friend. Birthdays also provide an excellent emans of talking about math and calendar concepts, via activities such as counting the number of days until someone’s birthday, or figuring out how old they will be based on their year of birth.
Lastly, many older students still appreciate having their birthday acknowledged, so don’t be afraid to make a “big deal” about birthdays!
Examples of Birthday Bulletin Boards
We’ve assembled examples of creative birthday bulletin boards, tips, and tricks.
Llama Birthday Board By Teach Simple
Animal-loving students (and teachers) will appreciate this llama-themed birthday board. A large cartoon llama cutout is surrounded by cupcakes with small llamas for student birthdays. This design works well for both boards and doors.
Boho Rainbow Birthday Board By Teach Simple
This unique design features muted rainbows and hearts in warm, calming colors. All the elements needed to create this board are included in a PDF, so that you can print them to your own size and color specifications.
Birthdays Are Popping Up Board By Supply Me
What kid doesn’t love popcorn? This bright and cheery popcorn birthday board makes a great year-round room accent and can be made with purchased popcorn boxes or print the design out on your own.
Birthday Cupcakes Board By Teaching Little Miracles
This might be one of the cutest birthday designs we’ve ever seen. The colorful 3D birthday cupcakes that make up the board might look hard to make, but they’re really quite simple to construct from tissue paper and cardstock.
Birthday Bag Board By Mrs. Hall
This board is a 3d delight. Multicoloured birthday bags with the names and birthdays of students can be filled with a small surprise to be given on the special day. Or have other students write cards or notes to the birthday girl or boy.
Ballon Birthday Board
Bright, student-decorated cardstock balloons form the centrepiece of this classroom birthday display. Balloons can be arranged in various configurations. The design is easily personalised by adding in whatever details and accents you like!
Bubblegum Back To School Board By Doodle Bugs Teaching
Originally designed as a back to school board, this gumball-themed design can easily be adapted to birthdays! Simply fill in the cardstock bubble gum circles with students’ names and birthdays.
Birthday Board Ideas By Lolly Jane
This page has multiple ideas for birthday boards – something to suit every style from neutral-colored farmhouse chic to neon. Complete instructions are provided, and the only supplies needed are small wooden or cardstock shapes, hooks or other hangers and your choice of decorating supplies
Cupcake Birthday Board By Tik Tik Wow! Creation
Nothing says birthday like cupcakes and balloons. This adorable bulletin board features both, with birthday names inside a balloon for each month. It’s a cinch to put together with the directions provided in the video.
Themed Birthday Board Ideas By Teachstarter
If you’re having a hard time coming up with ideas for a birthday board, this is a great place to start. Here you’ll find a host of creative ideas with step-by-step instructions for assembling unforgettable birthday boards. A few of the themes include: Under the Sea/Jellyfish, a Cupcake board and an Ice Cream birthday board.
Cake-Themed Birthday Board By Kindergarten Korner
We love these swirly, creative cakes and matching candles – the perfect centrepiece for any birthday bulletin board.
Classroom Candle Board By Dollar General Crafts
This clever, creative birthday board craft idea combines a joyful birthday theme, and bright candles, with a graph-style graphic that can also be used to teach maths concepts. Best of all, the supplies you’ll need are mostly things you are likely to have on hand.
3D Cupcakes Board By Just Reed Blog
This board’s black background really makes the brightly-colored cardstock birthdate cupcakes pop, but the icing on the cake is the 3D cupcake garland made up of cupcake wrappers and yarn pom-poms. Don’t worry – it’s easier than it sounds and complete instructions are provided.
Gift Of Learning Board By Trend Enterprises
This gift box-themed board was originally intended for use as a Christmas board, but the boxes and bows would also be perfect for a birthday board. Boxes are easy to make from cardstock and wrapping paper and bows are made of folded decorative bulletin board borders.
Monthly Birthday Cupcake Printables By Printable
These free printable cupcakes can be used to create original birthday bulletin boards to match any theme.. Each month’s cupcake features a seasonal design, and can be printed in any size.
Editable Birthday Chart By Teach Simple
Use this printable chart to create cute pastel chart-themed birthday lists for each month of the year and combine with personalised matching decor elements.
Minions Birthday Board By Supply Me
If you’ve got a classroom full of Minions-obsessed students, we’ve got the perfect board for them! Adorable hand-drawn Minion cutouts hold balloons which contain student birthdays. It’s easy to tie the board in to other classroom decor with matching borders or decorative accents.
Have A Ball board By Supply Me
Looking for something a little more active? Check out this sports ball-themed birthday bulletin board idea. Soccer balls, basketballs, and baseballs contain the names and birthdays of students and multi-colored sports pennants pull it all together.
Birthdays Are Popping Up Board By Supply Me
Popcorn and celebrations have always gone together! This fun birthday board puts your students’ birthdays on pieces of popcorn that sit inside of festive, striped boxes. Alternatively, consider using 3D boxes for effect.
Spring Birthdays Board By Supply Me
Here’s an original idea that we love – switching out birthday boards to align with the seasons, in this case, spring! Warm weather birthdays are written on flower petals and leaves, then arranged in a bright, springtime picture.
Paper Fans Board By Amy Lemons
We love the contrast between the brightly colored birthday circles and the black and white designs on the paper fans that circle them.
Retro Classroom Birthday Board By Stephanie Nash Design
Muted colours and fun retro theming and fonts make this board a one-of-a-kind. Use this kit as inspiration for your own board or purchase the file to print the birthday headers, banners, and nametags to recreate this look.
Confetti Birthday Display
The birthdays of the students will be cheerfully celebrated with this joyful confetti-themed bulletin board set! The vibrant collection includes 39 tags, header pieces, golden star and frame.
Birthday Pass Board By The Rigorous Owl
This board idea features cute multicultural cartoon characters holding up each month’s birthdays. But it comes with an added gift – clipped to each month’s card are a “get out of homework free” pass for each birthday student.
Birthday Cupcake Activity Board
Students will have delight viewing this adorable cupcake bulletin board. The candles on each cupcake contain the children’s birthdates for that particular month, which serves as a representation of that month.
Neutral Editable Birthday Board
If you’re looking for a birthday board in calming, warm tones, this simple and elegant design is for you. The elegant, neutral colour scheme is perfect for older students or a boho classroom look. Pages are editable and printable to enable you to create your own original design.
Birthday Calendar By Project Based Life
While this calendar was originally designed for use in the home, the idea could easily adapt to a bulletin board or wall display. Clip clothespins with student names onto strings or ribbons labelled with each month. The basic style leaves lots of room for adding your own creative touches.
Birthday Balloons Board By PreK My Style
If you’re looking for a simple-to-execute design to brighten up the classroom, check out this birthday balloon design. Turn this board into an activity by allowing pre-k kids to decorate their own balloon and/or write their names on them.
A Star Is Born Board By Mrs. Hewlett
Students are superstars, so why not give them the star treatment with a unique, Hollywood-themed board. Simply print out movie slate designs, add stars for birthdays, and a backdrop of choice.
We hope these birthday bulletin board ideas will help inspire you to new, creative designs! Birthdays are a special day, and students are special people. Celebrating them with a bulletin board display is a fantastic way to remind students of their unique value in the classroom and the world.
