9 Classroom Door Decorations to Promote Reading
As every teacher knows, getting kids to read may be harder now than ever. Reading needs all the support it can get, and your role in creating excitement is key. You read aloud to the class, form reading clubs, mastermind cool reading incentives and contests, and set up your parents for summer reading success. What else can you do? Make your passion for reading visual with some fun reading themed door decorations! Check out these 9 decorating ideas and launch a new generation of book lovers.
In Beauty and the Beast, Belle discovers the most wonderful library inside the Beast’s castle. To make it seem as tall and enchanting as the movie version, extend your door decorations above the door – all the way to the ceiling.
Items needed:
- Belle
- Construction paper cut-out books
- Black butcher paper
Turn your classroom door into a library. This one is easy to create and can be customized based on the books you plan to read this school year. Write the book titles on the construction paper rectangles and assemble on shelves to look like a bookshelf.
Items needed:
- Cut-out books (customize them for your school year curriculum)
- Children reading (create your own, or get from a school supply store)
- Grey (or your choice of color) butcher paper for background
- Brown butcher paper for the shelves
Not every classroom has a solid wood door. If you want to create a reading centered classroom and have a glass window on your door, this is a great idea that doesn’t block out the natural light.
Items needed:
- Construction paper cut-out books
- Black or brown butcher paper for the shelves
“A good book will take you far, far away,” Star Wars door is a fun and creative idea. Creating the Star Wars characters is going to be the most challenging part, but if you are able to purchase character cut outs from a store and attach to the door, that is even better.
Items needed:
- Black butcher paper
- Star Wars characters
- Words
- Green border
OK, so there may not be many of these vending machines left in your neck of the woods, but The Read Box door is a fun way to showcase the books your students will be reading this school year. If you won’t be reading enough books in class to cover the door, put a few of your personal favorites on the door, or let your students nominate their favorite books.
Items needed:
- Book covers to make the DVDs/books
- Read Box words
- Red butcher paper
- Black construction paper to go behind the book covers
The magician may look like the bad guy in Frosty the Snowman, but this is one trick that is a definite crowd pleaser. “Reading is magic” is a great door to express how exciting books can be.
Items needed:
- Magician, hat, and rabbit
- Words
- Blue butcher paper
- Yellow border
The “Dig into a good book” door shows off a few of kids’ favorite things…books and dogs. Create a door with a dog digging and either use footprints (as seen above) or books. You can use a farm background, or any type of background that represents your classroom.
Items needed:
- Blue, brown, and green butcher paper
- Words
- Dog
- Books or footprints
- Your choice of scenery
Thanks for Hooking Us On Books Door
Get kids hooked on books! Create books out of cardstock, attach to butcher paper and add in a drawing of a fishing rod: super easy and really creative.
Items needed:
- Butcher paper
- Paper books
- Fishing rod drawing
Dr. Seuss can never make for a bad door decoration. “Dive into a good book with Dr. Seuss” door is an inspiring illustration of what reading can feel like.
Items needed:
- Red, yellow, and blue fish
- Open book drawing (or order from a school supply store)
- Words
- Green butcher paper
“To learn to read is to light a fire.” – Victor Hugo, Les Miserables. Light the fire in your students’ hearts by getting them excited to read this school year with these 10 classroom door decorations for book lovers.
– Jenna Garvin
