Are you thinking of picking a classroom theme for decorating this year? It’s not every teacher’s cup of tea, but choosing a classroom theme is a simple way to let your personality shine in your room. It can also give your students a little something to be excited about in the new year. Plus we’re not going to lie here … we know choosing a classroom decor theme makes decorating your classroom a whole lot easier too — it instantly limits your choices (and your temptations to overspend!).
Look at it this way: Once you’ve picked a fun classroom theme, your decision-making is pretty much done. But what to choose, what to choose … this is the fun part!
The teachers on the Teach Starter team took a look at the best classroom themes out there for 2023-2024. You’ll notice that there aren’t a slew of pop culture options on the list. As Senior Resource Producer Randi Smith put it, “[It’s best to ] choose a classroom theme that you can live with for multiple years, and one that is timeless/not on trend.
“Simple themes like camping, space, sunflowers etc. are great, and they can last through multiple years and grade changes,” Smith advises.
You’ll notice all three make our lists … and a whole lot more!
Teacher Tip: A classroom theme bundlewill make it even easier!
The Best Classroom Theme Ideas for Every Teacher
Should you go for sloths for second grade? Flamingos for your firsties? What about rainbows or some magic Harry Potter style? Teach Starter is made up of a lot of teachers from all over the country — they’re the experts creating the resources you can find on our site. And when we asked around, we quickly found there were a lot of variations in what they considered the “best classroom theme.”
Some of our teachers like bright and vibrant colors, and others prefer calming and tranquil themes. Whatever you are after, we have something to suit your style.
We’ve got you covered with more than 70 classroom theme packs perfect for the 2023-2024 school year (yes, you read that right … we’ve been busy around here!). Oh, and even if “theming” your classroom isn’t your thing, there are plenty of templates and posters from our decor section that you can mix and match for your classroom decor.
Animal Classroom Theme Ideas
Let’s kick things off with our first batch of favorite classroom themes for decorating in elementary school: The animal kingdom!
From sloths to frogs, penguins to owls, we’ve got you covered with some of the creatures who will turn your classroom walls from cement blocks to a jungle safari, Antarctic adventure or the land down under!
Try these 11 teacher-favorite animal classroom themes:
- Penguins — This is the perfect theme if you’ll be exploring the tundra in your biomes unit this year!
- Owls
- Peaco*cks
- Bees
- Monkeys
- Sloths
- Tigers
- Elephants — Many teachers love going with a jungle theme, and you can combine this with monkeys and tigers to make that happen!
- Giraffes
- Frogs
- Butterflies — Are you digging into butterflies and caterpillars this school year? Bring these pollinators into your classroom theme to inspire your students. You can even make this the year that your students hatch monarchs and release them!
Also from the wild world of animals there are seven fun classroom themes that encompass a wide array of creatures!
- Animal Kingdom — Keep it general with a look at all the animals from the forests to the desert and in between!
- Feathered Friends
- RainforestRetreat
- A Day on the Farm
- Under the Sea
- Tropical Island Adventure
- Desert Destination
Looking for classroom names to match? Try using the collective nouns that go with your animal classroom theme choice!
For example, a group of penguins can be called a colony, a tuxedo, or a rookery. How fun would it be to dub your classroom the Tuxedos? Butterflies when pulled together in a group can be called a Flutter, opening up to calling your calls The Firstie Flutter.
Check out this fun list of animal collective nouns for more inspiration.
Imagination and Adventure Classroom Theme Ideas
Not sure you need wild animals around the classroom? How about turning your eye toward storytime and adventure with classroom themes built around discovery and using your imagination? Take your second graders on sorcery adventures, or turn your classroom into Ancient Rome or Ancient Greece to prepare your students for reading Percy Jackson this year!
These classroom themes might just be your launching pad for ideas this school year:
- Sorcerer Supplies
- Block Beasties
- Wizards and Fantasy
- Camping — This is one of our teacher team’s favorites. Check out the tentone of our teachers made from a cardboard box, above, and a cool back-to-school bulletin board below!
- Dinosaurs
- Surf’s Up
- Circus
- Woodland Tales
- Fairy Tales and Castles
- Travel the Map — Keep it general with suitcases, maps and more travel-themed decorations, and add a “passport” students can get stamped throughout the school year as they go on their learning adventures.
- The Beach
- Outer Space
- Hello Hollywood
- Monster Madness
- Game On! — Pick your favorite team sport or even your favorite team. You can incorporate the team’s chant as one of your class’ call and response options for getting students’ attention.
- Learning Detectives
- Ancient Rome
- Ancient Greece
- Inventors —Celebrate STEM with this theme, and make sure you build a bulletin board showcasing famous scientists and their contributions!
- Cactus (with bonus llamas!)
- Robots
- Hello Sunshine
Social Emotional Learning Classroom Theme Ideas
Looking to incorporate more of the social skills you’re covering throughout the school year into your theme? Here are some ideas to do just that!
- Sprinkle Kindness (Like Confetti)
- Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork — Bring kid-favorite sports into the equation to encourage cooperation and teamwork.
- Fill Your Cup
- Growth Mindset
- Spreading Smiles
Build a Classroom Theme Around One Color
Some teachers like to keep things simple when it comes to a classroom theme —maybe you just want to pick a color scheme for your decorating in 2022?
We hear you! Often less is more, especially when it comes to holding your students’ attention. Try these color-themed classroom themes for mono-color decor that will create a welcoming space for your students when they enter on day one:
- Green — Choose a calming green to create a calm classroom.
- Yellow — It’s bright and cheery!
- Purple
- Blue
- Teal
- Red — You might want to use red sparingly as the color has been linked to aggression, but muted reds can look pretty, especially when paired with complementary colors.
- Pink
- Orange
Explore our favorite back-to-school bulletin board ideas for 2023!
Pretty Patterned Classroom Theme Ideas
Don’t want to go with classroom decor that’s quite so niche but still want to be a little more playful than sticking to one color for your classroom this year? Try some of these pretty patterns for decorating your room before students come back to school!
- Boho Rainbow
- Chevron
- Chalkboard
- Moons & Stars
- Geometric Boho
- Pastel Flags (this works for a Boho theme too!)
- Pastel Dots
- Squiggles
- Retro Vibes
- Tartan
- Stars & Stripes
- Abstract Patterns
- Rainbow Watercolors
- Vibrant Watercolors
- Sunflowers
- Black and White Dots
- Fruity
- Groovy Vibes
Play Off Your Curriculum
Your classroom theme doesn’t have to include elements of the curriculum, but then again, it can be a fun way to get kids excited about the things they’re going to learn this school year.
Try some of these fun, subject-themed classroom themes:
- Rock Out With Reading — Mix books and musical instruments
- Shapes — Have a ball with circles, squares, triangles and more!
