Have you ever walked into a classroom and felt instantly inspired by the environment? That’s the magic of great classroom decor! A visually appealing classroom makes school a pleasant place to learn and creates a welcoming space that fosters engagement and creativity. So, let’s dive into how you can transform your classroom into a calm and cohesive learning space by making your classroom decor bundles in Canva! Canva is a fantastic, user-friendly design tool perfect for classroom designers like you!
Why Canva for DIY Classroom Decor Bundles?
Canva is a game-changer for educators! With its time-saving templates, intuitive design features, and easy customization options, you can create professional-looking decor without needing a degree in graphic design.
What makes it even better is that educators can currently access Canva for FREE (an absolutely incredible value), but please note that this post only applies to classroom use. If you are thinking about selling your classroom decor bundles or templates, you’ll need to do further research and certainly won’t be allowed to use the free EDU version for commercial use.
That said, let’s inspire the classroom decor designer in you!
Step 1: Choose a Classroom Decor Bundle Theme or Color Scheme
First things first, you need a vision. Think about the vibe you want for your classroom. Is it calming and serene, or bright and energetic? Choosing a cohesive theme or color scheme will tie all your decor elements together beautifully. If you play a game of “what do you notice” with Pinterest-worthy classrooms, you’ll usually find that their colors are cohesive. While some use every color of the rainbow (within the same tone), others stick to just a few colors for an even more unified look. But no matter what colors inspire your classroom decor bundle, Canva offers an endless palette of color combinations to get you started!
Another factor to think about is your font choice. If you are an elementary teacher, you may lean towards playful fonts. If you are a middle or high school teacher, you may enjoy more mature fonts. However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with Canva’s font choices, so here are some helpful guidelines:
- Be mindful of dyslexia and different learning abilities. Choose inclusive fonts that all students can read. This is especially important with instructional classroom decor (see step 4)
- Consider visibility and readability. The thicker the font and font color contrast, the easier it is to read.
- Stick to just a few fonts for a cohesive design. The more fonts you use, the more cluttered your designs will look. So, if you are a font lover like me, a rule of thumb I include in this classroom decor bundle is to choose one chunky font, one curvy font, and one clean font.
Once you’ve brainstormed your colors, fonts, and/or classroom decor theme, it’s time to make a mood board! This is something I’ve taught for years and swear by! It will create a nice visual to keep you on track, especially when you are tempted by the dollar spot at Target, ha!
Step 2: Explore Canva Classroom Decor Templates
Now that you have a theme in mind, it’s time to dive into Canva’s extensive library of design elements and templates. Whether you need posters, banners, name tags, or bulletin board decorations, Canva has it all! Simply type what you’re looking for in the search bar and explore the countless options available.
But if you want to save time and jump right into the fun part, you can purchase ready made classroom decor bundle templates! With these templates, you can simply change the colors, add your own thematic elements, and edit to fit your specific classroom needs. This DIY classroom decor bundle includes:
- Binder cover templates
- Classroom poster templates
- Motivational quote templates
- Growth mindset templates
- Classroom label templates
Select a template that catches your eye and start tailoring it to fit your classroom’s personality. Play around with fonts, colors, and images to add personal touches that make your classroom unique!
Step 3: Customize Classroom Decor Labels and Poster Sizes
One of the most amazing things about Canva is that everything is completely customizable! Many premade classroom decor bundles include labels for various storage containers, but unless you own those specific sizes, you can’t use the labels. Well, I’m happy to report this common problem is solved! To create your custom labels:
- Use a tape measure to measure the size label you need in inches
- Search “frame” or “shape” in Canva elements
- Adjust the size of the frame or shape until it matches the size of the label
- Print a test copy to see if it fits
- Adjust frame or shape size accordingly
- Design the label using your favorite colors and fonts!
While the posters in premade classroom bundles can often be resized, sometimes you need complete customization and again, this is where Canva shines! The posters in this template pack are designed as 8.5×11 (standard paper size), but with one click, you can resize them to any poster size you wish! So, if you are lucky enough to have a school poster printer, all you have to do is resize the design to 24×36, and voilà!
Step 4: Add Functional Classroom Decor
Once you have a great classroom decor bundle base, it’s time to add the functional learning tools! One common complaint I hear about premade classroom decor bundles is that they are usually geared toward elementary classrooms. These designers do a fantastic job of including everything an elementary teacher might need, but middle and high school teachers usually don’t have a use for a pretty alphabet or shape display. Alas, here’s where Canva can solve your secondary classroom design woes!
No matter if you need to display grammar rules or a periodic table, you can either find a classroom template in Canva or create your own! Here are some search terms to try in the Canva template search bar!
- Welcome Sign
- Rules
- Punctuation
- Steps
- Process
- Smart Goals
- Quotes
- Feelings
- Mindfulness
- Class Schedule
- Choice Board
- Grammar
- Google Classroom
- Figures of Speech
- Growth Mindset
- Poster
- Word Wall
- +Plus so much more!
To review, if you are looking to create a calm, cohesive classroom environment, you’ll want to customize the colors and fonts of these instructional posters to match your mood board (see Step 1).
Step 5: Print and Display Your Masterpieces
Once you’re happy with your designs, it’s time to bring them to life! Canva provides easy options for downloading your creations in high resolution. For printing, you can use your school’s printer or a printing service like Walgreens (same-day options) or ShortRunPosters (cheap options). Laminating your prints is a great idea to increase their durability. Hang them up proudly and watch as your classroom transforms into a space that both you and your students will love!
Tips for Classroom Decor Bundle Design
- Use Canva’s Brand Kit: To save time and create a consistent look, make sure to set up your brand kit! Once you have the colors set, you can use a cool “shuffle” feature to change your classroom decor bundle templates in seconds! The brand kit is my favorite time-saving feature!
- Do a Print Test: Occasionally, certain colors don’t print the same shade as they show up in your design. Be sure to print your mood board or a test poster to make sure the colors you want are what you receive in the printed version. You don’t want to create your entire classroom decor bundle then realize you hate the printed colors!
- Google it: Canva is an intuitive design tool but if you need help, there are tons of tutorials online! Here are a few to get you started:
Conclusion
Creating a beautifully decorated classroom doesn’t have to be daunting. With Canva, the process is not only straightforward but also incredibly fun! So, inspire your inner designer and give yourself and your students a classroom environment that enhances your learning goals!
I’d love to see your fantastic creations! Share your designs and tag me @BuildingBookLove —I can’t wait to celebrate your creativity! 🎨✨
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further tips. Happy decorating, and here’s to making your classroom a place where magic happens!
