I enjoyed looking at classroom environment pictures on Pinterest this summer when I was trying to plan how to arrange and decorate my classroom. Here’s a little tour around my classroom. I used polka dots in my room this year, and a lot of things were made with scrap book paper. If you use scrap book paper to decorate, I recommend buying one of those big tablets of scrap book paper, because everything is already color coordinated for you.
{You can click on the photos to view them larger.}
I just love these shelves! I’ve never had so much storage space.
Several people on my Facebook page helped me figure out how to paint these cardboard boxes this summer when I couldn’t get spray paint to do the job. Many thanks to those of you who gave me ideas. This is the result. The boxes are just cheap cardboard boxes ($0.88 from Walmart), and I painted them white with tempera paint and a foam roller. I put polka dot scrap book paper on each box for decoration. The labels came from MyGrafico.
I saw a lot of these pennant banners on Pinterest and just had to make one for my room. To make it, I cut scrapbook paper into triangles, punched two holes in the top of each triangle, added page reinforcers, then laced grosgrain ribbon through the holes.
I found these boxes in the Target Dollar Spot, covered them with polka dot scrapbook paper, and attached them to the white board with magnetic clips. They hold my remotes, chart markers, dry erase markers, erasers, and board clips.
I also have some close-up pictures of the House Center and Reading Center. Here are some pictures of my previous Pre-K classroom.
Don't worry - we never sell or share email addresses!
Thanks for letting me nosy around your room – it’s so big, how many children do you have in the class.
Thanks, Kierna! I have 22 children. Just remember that camera angle makes a room look larger than it really is.
I love how the storage boxes turned out with the scrapbook paper and labels, very nice! The banner is also a nice touch. I’ve seen them too but I’m too chicken to try and make one myself. I also like how the background on your site matches your classroom polka dot theme 😉
Thanks, Vanessa! The banner wasn’t hard at all. I’ve seen some online that people sewed with a sewing machine, but I’m into doing things the simple way!
Cute stuff there, Karen!
Do the big empty block walls get covered with projects, too, or do you generally leave them? I think I would have them covered up with cork board ASAP if I were allowed to do so! I love having lots of bulletin boards!
Sorry, I’m new to your blog. 🙂
Heidi
Hello Heidi! Thanks! I am planning to put photos of the children on the block walls (I like to have a few 8x10s printed up). I might put some artwork there, too.
Hello,
Just came across your website and it is a wonderful resource. I taught Pre-k for 2 years and am now teaching kindergarten. I love the pics of your classroom (love the polka dots!) and all the resources on assessments and the project approach. Can’t wait to try out some ideas!! (Especially the Skittles experiment from the science section.)
Thanks for sharing your love of teaching,
Samantha
Thank you, Samantha! Have a great year in Kindergarten.
Just stumbled on your website. I am in a DISCOVERY BASED college class. I have been assigned to present a project on WEATHER. If you have any suggestions or ideas, they would be welcomed! 🙂
Love your classroom!
Anita
I have some weather activities here: http://prekinders.com/weather-theme/
Hello,
I am teaching kindergarten ‘k5’, and i was looking for a site that can help me in my classroom and, one of my friends showed me yours and it is a special resource i really like it. I am very thankfull.
Have a great day.
thanks!
Popping thru for the first time, from Vanessa’s blog. Don’t ya just LUV poping around into brilliant new resources. It’s hard to stop. I’m also newly addicted over at Pinterest….. the most amazing resource since sliced bread. Hope that your year is amazing in every way. You’re obviously prepared and eager.
I look forward to getting aquainted over time.
Debbie
RainbowsWithinReach.blogspot.com
I’m really working to get my blog connected to a wider readership & would welcome you at my slice of the rainbow! (At Pinterest, too!!!)
Thank you so much for stopping by, Debbie! It’s nice to meet you!
Wow! I am a librarian at a public library. What a great resource! Thanks for sharing!
LOVE the little boxes you got from the Target dollar spot!! You should come link this up on my blog Target Treasures!
Hadar
Thank you, Hadar!
I am obessed with how huge your classroom is (or appears to be in pictures) the storage space in unbelievable!! Lucky you, and adorable polka dot boxes. I am also a “polka dot kid of girl”. Can I also admit that I will be copying your mirror “windows” in the kitchen center just as soon as I can get myself over to Target. Thanks!
Miss Timaree
specialprek.blogspot.com/
Hi! Nice to meet you & to discover your blog! Thanks so much! I promise, the room is really not large. 🙂 It’s actually on the small side. I do love that storage space – it’s awesome!
I have just discovered your website, I’m a mom of a 2.6 year old boy, and i ABSOLUTELY LOVE your work!! These hang up boxes are a GREAT way for me to put the art supplies out of his reach yet still in his line of sight, so he can remember and ask if he feels “crafty”! I will make them out of card stock, and use chip magnets (bag closers) and probably use 3M adhesive to stick to the wall (they remove without damaging painted walls)
Thanks 😀
Thanks! Hope your boxes turn out well.
Just curious how you covered the dollar boxes for the chalkboard. Did you modge podge, glue? Am planning to make them! 🙂
Hi Traci! It was nothing but good ole double-sided Scotch tape. Have fun!
Where did you get your carpet in your classroom?
I inherited the carpet (was in my classroom when I came along), but I think it is a Lakeshore carpet.
How big is your classroom?
I don’t know the exact dimensions, but it is not big. The camera makes it look larger than it really is.
Thanks a lot. I really like your classroom design.
Thank you, Maria!
Where did you get your lime green polka dot border?
Jessica, I just picked it up at the local teacher store. I don’t remember the brand name, but it might possibly be this border: http://www.teachercreated.com/products/lime-mini-polka-dots-scalloped-border-trim-4669
I have been teaching for 10 years, but this will be my first year teaching PreK. Your website has been an incredible resource!! Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Karen. First off, I love the website. Are those place mats that you use in the literacy/math center?(the beige ones)
Hi Michelle, yes those are place mats.
I love your buckets on your board! I have the buckets, but can’t find magnets strong enough to slip off the board. Any suggestions? I might try command hooks as my buckets have a ribbon. Thanks!
My buckets had ribbons also, but I took them off. I bought some metal magnetic clips at Staples. They are pretty strong magnets, but I ended up using two of them on some buckets that were heavier.
What do you store in the boxes that are labeled “BLOCKS CENTER” & “SCIENCE” etc?
Those boxes just have materials for teaching or for centers. The blocks center box has things like a wild animal set, forest animal set, Lakeshore bamboo blocks set, and other things. I change out the centers every month to give the kids different things.
The science box has some Lakeshore science materials, some seashells, jar of insta snow, etc.
Thanks! I’ve been using stuff from your site for a few years now! Just now found these pictures! Good luck this year!
Hi,
I just found this kind of stuffs and had so much fun as I see the ideas that you made.
I hv 18 children. Storage makes all the difference. Thks.
Hi Karen,
I have loved your site it has been very helpful. I was wondering if you had any help for me in how you are run. We are a state based program using Creative Curr. and Teaching State. Gold – it has been very frusrating trying to do everything the state mandates. I was wondering if you had any experience/ insight to share.
Thanks, Emma
How are you display your children’s art work I know in your previous class you did with individual pictures are you still doing that?
Hi, I don’t have a photo of my artwork display, but will try to take one soon.
I noticed you took alot of your furniture out of previous room to set up your current. Do you like having your circle time in the middle if so how does that work? Do you use the large erase board for a focus wall. I also didnt notice your play house are is it by the computers and if you serve lunch what other table do you use beside the 2 large ones. We have a small room and r thinking of purchasing the kidney ones too and maybe using a rectangle in the science area as another table for lunch. Thanks
Hi, the reason I have different furniture is because I moved to a different school. I always put my circle time area in front of the white board, mainly because that’s where the computer projector screen is as well. I use the board for pinning up charts that we make together, but I rarely write on the whiteboard except for reminders to myself. We have a lunch room at my school so we don’t eat in the classroom. I prefer the kidney shaped tables, I at least like to have two of them in the room. I like them because they allow me to sit with my students and see each one. I can also reach every child better.
Hi, love your classroom ideas, organization is very important in the classroom. I noticed a calendar near your polka-dot boxes. Do you have a calendar routine for preschoolers and is it done on your whiteboard? I’m trying to adapt my calendar routines to my white board but are having a hard time keeping magnetic materials up and organized, they seem to shift around.
My calendar is a regular desk calendar that I’ve attached to the white board with magnet clips. I am planning to write a post explaining my calendar in the near future.
This is by far my favorite website! I am a licensed child care provider and I own a licensed family home child care. Because my business is so small and I don’t the funds to purchase a curriculum for my business, I often go on different types of websites to get ideas for lesson planning, I must say I was able to get some great ideas and printed out some activities to do with my students. Please post some ideas for newsletters as well. You did an amazing job and I just want to say, Thank you for sharing!
I love your classroom! its very pretty I love the polka dots idea, and the way your room is arranged. I just cant stop looking at the pictures. 🙂 Great Job! where do you buy your supplies and things for your classroom from?
Hi,
I really enjoyed the tour of your classroom and you really had some great ideals that you saw on pintrest.
Yolonda
Hello,
I just wanted to tell you how much your site has helped me. I am currently in school to get my BS in ECE and I recently came across your site for an assignment. I thought you made it easy to follow and you had some really great ideas that I would love to use in my class one day.
Thank you,
Crystal Langston
Thanks, Crystal! Glad you enjoy the site & find it useful!
Hello Karen,
I was just admiring some of the things that you did with your classroom organization. I like how you used your creativity to come up with such innovative ideas. I look forward to setting my classroom up next year with some of the ideas that you shared with us. Thank you!
Kiyana
I love your page ! I love the word cards, they are amazing !! Just what I needed
Hi Karen, your website is awesome. Thanks so much for all the fresh creative and innovative ideas. I look forward to being a lifelong fan.
Karen,
I was just surfing the web looking for good teacher resource websites for an assignment for classroom management. Not only did I love your website and will recommend it to my classmates but you also gave me some great ideas on designing a preschool classroom – that is next week’s assignment. Thank you for putting you ideas and strategies in this website for other teacher. I appreciate it!
Your website is truly remarkable. This is my 26th year teaching school, and I have taught everything from 2nd grade to 12th grade (high school band). This year I will be teaching Pre-K DD. I am so pumped after reading your site and looking at your classroom arrangement photographs. Our entire group of three Pre-K DD teachers are new to teaching in this area, but we are very excited. We get our children next week. Every day we come together sharing books, web sites, etc. that we have found. Yours, by far, has been the most exciting. By the way, we are known on our hall as the DD-Divas. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks so much! 🙂 Glad you’re enjoying the site. Welcome to Pre-K!
I just love your classroom. It is quite large, and very organized. I have an odd shaped classroom and sometimes it’s hard to change around and redesign. I’ve been looking and searching for organizational tips for small or odd shaped spaces. If you have any suggestions please share them, thank you.
We are planning on redoing our classroom and love yours. We have a few questions. Where do your children put their belongings? And where do you store your mats/cots? These seem to take up so much room in our classroom.
Thanks Jennifer! I have cubbies for their belongings. Both the cubbies and cots are outside of our classroom in the hall. We have a wide hallway.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am moving from Kinder down to Pre-K next year and am looking for ideas. I love your site.
Hello Karen,
I really enjoyed viewing your website and pictures of your classroom. This was quite helpful to me as I had to research classroom setups. The ideas that you gave are some that I may try during the next school year. Thanks for the tips and information
Hi Karen,
I love your website!. I have borrowed so many great ideas from you to incorporate into my classroom! I am hoping that you can help me come up with a creative idea to solve a unique situation in my new classroom. I am starting a new job and I will be sharing my room with the church on Sundays and some evenings, so I will have a conference-sized table permanently in my classroom. It is approximately 10′ x 4′ in size. I am planning to cover it with some type of vinyl covering to protect it from nicks and bumps because it is a very nice , wooden table that is extremely heavy. Any ideas on how I can incorporate it into my small classroom would be greatly appreciated!
Hello,
I absolutely love your classroom. I love the space, and it is not too overcrowded but also looks very welcoming, open, and inviting. I like the natural light from the window, and the writing area. You make it look so fun and interesting! I do not think I have ever seen a Pre-K classroom this huge and you planned it all out so beautifully!
Thank you! I can assure you, it is not huge. Camera angle makes it appear that way.
Very nice!!!!!! 🙂
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas on classroom centers. I am currently studying for my Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education, and have found your site to be so helpful and informative. You have great suggestions on creating a warm and nurturing classroom environment!
Thanks again,
Sherie
Karen,
Love you web site.
I’m wondering how you do helpers in your class…I may be overlooking that on your page.
Also, how often do you switch up your dramatic play centers?
Thanks so much!
Hi Dee, I only have one job — the leader. The leader gets to lead the line and help in class with any tasks that come up that a child could do. I just take volunteers for holding the door and wiping tables.
I change the dramatic play center each month. We always have a “house” because that’s what all kids are most familiar with, and we have an additional area that stays for a month (vet, doctor, grocery, etc.)