12 Preschool Classroom Themes for the Littlest Learners
New year, new look! Ditch the teacher-centered classroom this school year and give your preschoolers a more immersive atmosphere. Preschool is the first exposure to learning in a classroom for most children, and they embrace the experience when the classroom feels like a large play area. Whether you switch out your themes for each unit, include a variety of dramatic play areas, or go all-out with one epic preschool classroom theme, the ideas below are sure to win over your preschoolers’ hearts and minds!
1. Our Learning Is Out of This World
With the newly released NASA images, fascination with space is at an all-time high. Decorate your room with dark walls, vibrant planet colors, lights for stars, and so much more. Students will develop a love for learning that lasts for light-years.
Buy it: Rocket Ship Playhouse at Oriental Trading; Night Star Sky Backdrop at Amazon; Giant Inflatable Solar System at Amazon; LED Fairy String Lights at Walmart; Carson Dellosa Galaxy Bulletin Board Accessories at Oriental Trading
Image: Sparklebox
2. We Are Wild About Learning
Allow your preschoolers to be explorers in their jungle-themed classroom. From weather to plants, animals, and more, students will get into the “swing” of things and learn more about the world around them. Have fun with foliage and more as you decorate this classroom!
Buy it: Safari Animal Bulletin Board Set at Amazon; Family Trees Wall Decal at Amazon; 8-Foot Tiki Tropical Umbrella at Amazon; Tropical Foliage Paper Roll at Oriental Trading; Safari Stuffed Animal Set at Amazon; Kids Teepee Tent at Walmart
Image: Teachers Mag: Teachers for Teachers
3. Learning Blooms Here
Teachers are known for planting seeds of knowledge that will grow forever. Plant the seeds while your preschoolers learn in your garden-themed classroom. Fill your room with artificial flowers, live plants, and a grass rug. They will be so engaged in their learning, they will forget they are in a school room.
Buy it: Paper Flower Kit at Michaels; Artificial Grass Turf Rug at Walmart; Kid Leaf Canopy at Amazon; Modern Greenery Bulletin Board Set at Etsy; White Picket Fence Stand at Oriental Trading; Floral Garden Stems at Dollar Tree
Image: My Reading Garden (Otosection)
4. Learning Is an Adventure: Camp Pre-K
Learning is not always confined to the classroom—it is all around us. From home, school, stores, vacations, and nature, we learn in any and all environments. Learning is an adventure, so make your preschool classroom feel like one. Allow students to pretend with a campfire, embrace woodland creatures, or be creative with storytelling time.
Buy it: Woodland Animals Wall Decals at Amazon; Forest Plush Bear at Target; “Woodland Friends” Welcome Bulletin Board Set at Amazon; S’mores & Campfire Playset at Target; Canvas Teepee Play Tent from Amazon; Tree Floor Cushions at Amazon
Image: Creative Teaching Press
5. Super Learners Unite
Most superheroes get their superpowers by accident, but learning in this amazingly ‘super’ environment is no accident. Creating this superhero preschool classroom not only builds students’ imaginations, it allows students the opportunity to express it. Early childhood is all about growing into a child’s identity. What better way than to have super-powered friends guide the way!
Buy it: Superheroes 4-Inch Letters Pack at Michaels; Superhero Classroom Set at Michaels; Message Bubble Poster Stickers at Dollar Tree; Superhero Bulletin Board Trim at Amazon; Superhero-Themed Hallpass at Etsy; Superhero Plastic Streamer at Oriental Trading
Image: CM School Supply
6. Come Inside, It’s Fun Inside
Most young children have been watching the Great Mouseketeer for as long as they can remember. This Mickey Mouse preschool themed classroom will give a sense of safety and familiarity to the youngest students as they start school for the first time! Though you will not have the ability to call “Oh Toodles!”, that won’t stop you from having Mickey and the gang on hand to help make the learning process hot diggity dog awesome!
Buy it: Red Kids Wobble Stools at Walmart; Black/Red Vinyl Wall Stickers at Amazon; Mickey Mouse Wall Decals at Etsy; Mickey Mouse Beanbag Chair at Walmart; Mickey Mouse Curtains at Amazon; Mickey Mouse Garland at Target
Image: Vicki Samuels
7. Come One, Come All, To The Greatest Pre-K Room of All
The greatest show on earth is often overlooked because it takes place in a classroom. Getting students excited about education can be as tiring as taming a lion or getting an elephant to jump onto a platform. This bright, colorful, and cheery world will get your students ready to light it up and not back down from learning. A million dreams are possible, and though a classroom can sometimes feel like a circus, this decor will at least help get you in the right mood!
Buy it: Carnival Circus Pennant Banner from Amazon; Circus Paper Lanterns from Amazon; Childrens Play Circus Tent from Amazon; ‘Three Ring Circus’ Decor Bundle from Etsy; Carnival Paper Door Banner from Target; Circus Signs Set from Michaels
Classroom Image: Schoolgirl Style
8. Preschool From the Wild, Wild West
There is a new Sheriff in town this Fall! Sheriff you! Take the cowgirls and cowboys out to the prairie with this rootinest tootinest Wild West preschool themed classroom. Load up your chuck wagons and head west in search of new areas of discovery waiting to be settled. Although robots and other technology seem to be all the craze these days, it might be more beneficial to slow down and take the littles back to a simpler time.
Buy it: Western Double-Sided Bulletin Board Borders at Oriental Trading; 2-Piece Paper Cactus at Amazon; Bandana Pennant Banner at Amazon; Western Cowboys Curtains at Walmart; Covered Wagon Tabletop Kit at Oriental Trading; Inflatable Campfire at Oriental Trading
Image: Kinder World Way
9. Learning Under the Sea
Sebastian tried to tell us that “where it is wetter, and where it is better” is down under the sea. Take your oceanic explorers on a wild adventure into the great unknown of sea discovery. This underwater theme can be used with creatures, submarines, or the awesome Bubble Guppies young students adore. This can be paired with the calm, soothing sounds and visuals of rain or trickling water.
Buy it: Blue Fluorescent Light Covers at Amazon; Under the Sea Metallic Fringe Table Skirt at Oriental Trading; String Under the Sea White Bubble Garlands at Amazon; Blue Kids Scoop Rockers at Amazon; “Under the Sea” Garland at Oriental Trading; Colorful Fish Wall Sticker Decals at Amazon
Image: Quotesgram
10. Rocking Our ‘Preschool Shoes’
Preschoolers LOVE Pete the Cat and all of the rockin’, cool things he does! Bring Pete along for the Pre-K classroom experience as you go all-out in your Pete The Cate preschool classroom theme. From his ‘groovy buttons’ area rug , bright colors, and Pete decor, students will be anxious to put on their school shoes to come to your classroom daily!
Buy it: ‘Pete The Cat: Keeping It Cool’ Bulletin Board Set from Michaels; Assorted Color Stacking Stools from Amazon; Pete The Cat Bulletin Board Calendar from Oriental Trading; Pete The Cat Pillow Buddy from Target; Multicolor Button Rug from Walmart; Chevron-Lime Bulletin Board Paper from Amazon
Classroom Image: Sprinkles to Teaching
11. Caution: Learning Zone
**WARNING, NOW ENTERING A FUN LEARNING ZONE** Help harness that preschooler energy for good in this construction zone preschool theme. Most scholars look at a construction zone as a place for demolition, when in reality it is a place to remodel, rebuild, or develop something new and amazing. To best service the needs of your pre-kindergarten students, have your classroom set up to help encourage knowledge while having a little fun at the same time.
Buy it: Construction Barricade Cardboard Stand-Ups at Oriental Trading; Construction Zone Alphabet at Etsy; 3D Cinder Block Cardboard Stand-Ups at Oriental Trading; Construction Zone Sign Cutouts at Amazon; Orange Playground Cones at Dollar Tree; “Under Construction: Learning Zone” Bulletin Board Set at Michaels
Image: Twinkl
12. Polar Preschool
I said BRRRRRR it’s cold in here and there must be some awesome learners in the atmosphere! Though not as popular as Elsa’s ‘Let It Go’, it might be easy to help our students find a cool way into growing their knowledge with this low temp classroom theme. Though it will be impossible to have snowball fights or sled races, young preschoolers can get excited to learn in a very ‘chill’ environment.
Buy it: Small White Furry Beanbag Chair at Amazon; Snowflakes Banner at Amazon; Glittery Bulletin Border Trim at Michaels; Winter Critter Bulletin Board Set at Oriental Trading; Poly-fil Fluffy Snow at Walmart; Sensory-Friendly Tent Fort at Target
Image: Sparkle Box
13. ‘Donut’ You Know, Pre-K is Sweet!
Students will be hungry for knowledge as they adore your ‘donut and sweets’ preschool themed classroom. Accent your room with bright, fun colors! ‘Sprinkle’ your walls and bulletin boards with party decor and inflatable accents. Donuts have been a classroom trend for a while, so you will definitely find decor to sweeten your room!
Buy it: Donut Sprinkles Garland from Oriental Trading; 12pcs Inflatable Donuts from Oriental Trading; Donut Plush Pillow from Walmart; Sprinkles Kindness Bulletin Board Set from Oriental Trading; 4’ Donut Shag Rug From Target; 12in Donut Paper Hanging Lanterns from Amazon
Classroom Image: Creative Teaching Press
14. The World of Pre-K (Eric Carle Inspired Classroom)
Young children are exposed to Eric Carle books because of their vibrant colors, friendly characters, and adorable story plots. Bring the love of literacy into your preschool classroom with an Eric Carle theme. Watercolor artwork, images from the stories, bulletin-board decor to match; all will come together to provide a classroom your students will love.
Buy it: “World of Eric Carle” Alphabet Bulletin Board Set at Michaels; The Very Hungry Caterpillar Area Rug at Amazon; Classroom Caterpillar Paper Lanterns Package at Amazon; The Very Hungry Caterpillar Valance at Etsy; “The World of Eric Carle” Early Learning Poster Set at Amazon; Very Hungry Caterpillar Pillow Buddy at Target
Image: And Now U Know
15. Soak Up the Learning
Just because summer is over does not mean you have to stay away from the beach. Have a beach ball of a time without the gritty sand or shark-infested waters with this summer breeze classroom getaway. Rock out with shades, incorporate the tropical vibe, and normalize a laid-back learning environment that makes the learning fun. Surf’s up!
Buy it: Surfs Up Bulletin Board Set at Amazon; Beach Plastic Tablecloth Roll at Oriental Trading; Dark Blue Shag Area Rug at Walmart; Sand Patio Chair at Target; Fadeless “Under the Sea” Bulletin Board Paper at Amazon; Wave Ceiling Decorations at Oriental Trading
Image: Teaching and Learning in Mrs. Gentrys Class
What are your favorite themed classroom ideas? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Like these preschool classroom themes? Check out these favorite preschool books to add to your collection!
