We got a great response to our recent call for your most creative classroom ideas! With so many DIY Tips & Tricks on our Facebook page, we wanted to make sure to share some of our favorites to help you get inspired about starting the school year off right. Check out these five fabulous ideas for getting the most use out of your limited classroom space.
1. Homemade Easel
Clever use of PVC pipes and connectors make a lightweight frame to support large charts and sentence strip hangers. You can also add a white board panel or make your own writing surface with a slab of MDF and some chalkboard paint. This folds and stows easily to make clean-up in June a snap.
2. Stackable Storage
If your classroom is filled with work tables instead of desks, keeping individual student notebooks and supplies organized can be a big challenge. Try providing each student a scrapbook case to keep papers, pencils and crayons neat. These containers stack easily on a shelf to save room and keep everything carefully corralled.
3. DIY Milk Crate Seats
When your school can’t spare any student chairs for you to outfit a work station for small groups, make your own! Give colorful, plastic milk crates a makeover by adding a cushioned seat to fit the top. Your students can sit on the crates during lessons or choice time, and you can fill them with toys or materials to save space in your classroom.
4. Work Table With Extra Storage
Repurpose a lightweight, hollow core door for use as an extra-large table top. Instead of traditional table legs, support your work surface with a pair of 36-inch high book shelves or cubbies. The extra storage is perfect for books, papers, or bins full of student supplies.
5. Clothespin Organizers
If you’re out of room in your closets and drawers, think vertical! Make your walls more useful by attaching wooden clothespins with Command adhesive strips. The clips are great for hanging student work, clipboards or individual white boards. You could even use them to hang lightweight baskets to hold additional supplies.
All you need is a splash of creativity to turn a cramped classroom into a smart space for teaching and learning. If you’d like more great tips and ideas to get inspired, take a look at our Pinterest board to see what other teachers are doing to make their classrooms look great.
