Excited? Overwhelmed? Nervous? Thrilled? Setting up a classroom can give you ALL the feels! The good news is that there really isn’t one right or wrong way to do things! I’m sharing 10 Ideas for Setting Up a Kindergarten Classroom that can work with any space!
I designed this classroom for a local teacher who was moving to kindergarten after teaching for a couple decades in intermediate classrooms. She needed a space that was bright, organized, and ready for a class full of sweet kindergarteners! When I first saw the space, it was an empty room with a few tables.
Here are some of the ways I transformed this room!
When you’re setting up a kindergarten classroom, you definitely want to create a dedicated library space. This classroom already had some open shelving under the windows so it was the perfect spot for books! These colorful plastic book bins make it easy to keep books organized. The library labels with real photos help kids choose and return books to the correct bin. I used a few picture easels to display popular books and added a lamp and reading poster to finish the space!
Choose seating options that work for you and your students! I’m a big fan of flexible seating, but this classroom has more traditional seating at tables! Click here to see my flexible seating classroom! Even though we opted for tables, it was fun to add a few special seating options! There is a little couch for buddy reading, a stage from Classy Stages, and fun Otto storage stools for small group work!
In a dream world, every kindergarten classroom would have a space for dramatic play. This corner has a kitchen area with table and chairs, a grocery store area with play food, and a pet care area with class pets. This little space is filled with imaginative ideas for children working on communication and organization skills! There are so many benefits to adding a play area to your classroom!
Another must have for kindergarten classrooms is morning tubs or hands on center tubs. All of the materials are stored in separate bins so students can easily get them out and quickly clean them up! I added matching labels with real photos to the shelves so everything gets put back in the right spot! None of these tubs require worksheets or papers to be to collected by teachers so it’s no prep and mess free!
Morning tubs aren’t the only things that need organized in a kindergarten classroom! If you’re teaching young children, you will want lots of bins or baskets! Here’s why: You don’t have time during the day to look for supplies or find missing manipulatives so staying organized is essential. I love using clear bins or colorful bins with photo labels so I know exactly where everything is located. This also helps kids clean up supplies in the classroom! This classroom has a great storage closet, but you can also add bins on shelves around your room or in lockers!
If you really want your students to help keep your classroom organized, add lots of labels! The words on labels also work as environmental print when students are learning how to read and write! Adding real photos to labels helps children make connections to the text. You can check out ALL of the labels and signs here.
I tried to keep the displays in this classroom minimal and purposeful. I wanted these to be resources that the teacher and student would actually use throughout the day. I added easy to read posters for Alphabet, Numbers, Colors, and Shapes.
We also created a word wall using Post-It Easel Pads and letter cards. The teacher can use a marker to add words to the wall all year. The pocket chart holds the Center Rotation Board so students know where to go at center time. There is also a blank bulletin board for a sound wall, anchor charts or seasonal displays!
Don’t feel pressured to fill up every space! Be intentional with what you add to your classroom!
One of the most important displays is the calendar wall! I knew this area would be used every day in the morning and during math! Everything is attached to the front board using magnets or pocket charts so the pieces can easily be moved or changed. This calendar wall has days and months, weather, days of school, place value, and much more!
The finishing touches in your room are like the icing on a cake! I still try to be purposeful, but it’s fun to add a few things that are special to you or your students! I love adding flowers and some greenery to make a classroom look extra inviting. I don’t have a green thumb, so I always go with faux plants. if you’re up for the challenge, real plants are awesome! In this space, I also added a birthday board and a few signs about kindness. You can get the birthday board bulletin board display for free here. .
Of the 10 Ideas for Setting Up a Kindergarten Classroom, this is the most important:
Make it your own!
Choose what works best for you and your students! You will be spending so much time together in this special space, so you want it to be place that you love too!
Setting up your kindergarten classroom is a big job, but it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming! If you like the decor in this classroom, click here to see it all! You can check a lot of tasks off your to do list by simply printing and posting these resources!
If you’re a new teacher with questions, let us know! If you’re a veteran teacher, please share your knowledge with us! Comment below and let us know what you think about setting up a kindergarten classroom!
I’m a teacher who believes in creating a classroom kids love and activities that keep them engaged all day!
©2019 Polka Dots Please. All Rights Reserved. Designed by Ashley Hughes.
6 Responses
Is the Friends read together poster available for purchase?! It’s adorable!!!
Hi Carina,
Thanks so much for reaching out! Unfortunately the poster isn’t available for purchase because I don’t have licensing rights to use those characters in commercial products. Thanks again for checking!
Happy Teaching!
Emily
I love all of this! Beautiful, appealing, and definitely a classroom where students are engaged, learn, and thrive! Where did you get the basket that holds your Big Books?
I love this room!! I also love the We heart Kindergarten sign. Did you make that or is it available to purchase? Do you know how tall the letters were that you used?
I love your 120’s chart! Is it for sale by itself?
I love your classroom labels and bulletin boards! They are so bright and colorful.