I have to say in 11 years of teaching I don’t think I have ever had the same exact room twice, each year I change it up and create new areas for my little firsties to explore. This year I have adventure on my mind. I wanted to create a cozy reading area with a vintage camper theme. I was so excited to see that we have just what I needed to bring my vision to life. So with back to school right around the corner, let the decorating adventure begin!
Encourage your students to enjoy a great book with a themed reading corner. My vision started with this cute little camper. I just love the colors and feel. I had the vintage camper cutout saved from my daughter's birthday. It was very easy to create, it was stenciled out onto a sheet of plywood, cut with a jigsaw then painted. You could easily get the same look using art paper, if you don't want the hassle of using a saw. With that as my starting point I got creative from there.
A reading corner that inspires little ones starts with easily accessible books. I started with my book bins. In my reading corner I arrange my books in a few different ways, by level and by type. Some books are sorted by reading level so students can easily find one that is level appropriate. But some times young readers really want to read a certain type of book whether it's a science book or a Fly Guy book, making them easy to access is key. I found some storage bins locally that fit my bookshelf perfectly but they really needed some colorful tags. I used these foam wood cutouts to create these adorable bin labels. I used my vinyl cutter to cut out the letters, they adhered nicely onto the foam shapes. To attach them to the bins I used colorful polka dot fabric cut into 1/2 inch strips. Just layer the colors you need and then tie onto the book bin. Super easy and the final product was just what I was wanting to brighten up the book bins.
I like to display books that relate to the theme we are learning about. It helps to inspire my students to make connections to what I am teaching. I found this adorable cardboard tree stump and immediately knew it would work perfectly with my theme. It made the perfect spot to display books in the classroom library.
If you are lucky enough to have a bulletin board behind your classroom library then you definitely have some teacher luck on your side. If not you have to get creative. I've had several rooms where I have had to make use of doublesided tape and hot glue to achieve my decorating goals. I have used lots of things over the years from fabric to wrapping paper but this year I tried something new. We sell rolls of vinyl tablecloths. It makes the perfect bulletin board backdrop! Who knew?!?! They come in fun patterns and you get a ton for the price. It is stored on a roll so it won't get damaged and is easy to unroll as you are stapling or taping it to your boards.
I am a sucker for the double border trend. I just love how it makes the colors pop, and with so many combinations you can truly have a one of a kind design. I chose to use the Playful Paisley border and to make the colors pop I used Lots of Dots orange border. For my reading boards I like for them to be simple so I don't do a lot of changing throughout the year. I decided to start this year off with just a simple banner that says read.
This banner was a breeze to assemble. I used some left over polka dot fabric scraps, foam wood slices, Painted Pallette leaves and yellow letters to create this custom look. I hole punched the foam pieces and slid some jute string through. I tied the fabric scraps in between and hot glued a leaf onto the knots. Once I was done, I added my letters with a little hot glue.
My last DIY project was my favorite, who doesn't love the transforming instant effect you get from spray paint? I found the cutest directional camp sign however I needed it to have book genres instead of its current wording. So I simply turned it over and spray painted the blank cardboard side. I just couldn't bear to spray paint over the cute design, who knows I might reuse it down the road. A little vinyl lettering added the perfect touch. Step 1: Add spray paint, let dry. (BEFORE)
Step 2: Add vinyl lettering and attach to the stand. (AFTER)
I finished this fun little reading corner off with a little hot air. My eager readers will need a cozy place to sit. This inflatable chair was the perfect solution. It deflates so it's easy to store from year to year and can easily be wiped down if a spill occurs. Add a few cozy pillows and it's ready to go.
Viola! My decorating adventure is complete! I can't wait to introduce this reading corner to my students. Now to finish designing the rest of the room....can't wait to show you more!