‘Tis the season for festive holiday chaos and designing this year’s Christmas classroom door! Looking for ideas as fresh as a dip in the ocean on a scorching December day? Our Teach Starter teacher team has checked our list (twice) and compiled some inspiration for you to create a door to remember this Christmas.
With a little paper, a few downloads and some holiday magic, these bright and cheerful door displays will have your students excited to enter the classroom and start the countdown for the summer holidays. Read on for Christmas classroom door ideas, plus summer and holiday doors to celebrate the season with inclusion in mind.
Christmas Classroom Door Decoration Ideas
Before you dive in, we suggest that you don’t restrict these to the classroom door — if curious little hands are likely to undo the hard work you and your class have put into building these door displays, why not create a holiday display inside your room?
Explore tonnes of ready-to-download Classroom Decor printables!
There’s something here to bring Christmas cheer to everyone!
This Class is Only Silent At Night
Photo courtesy of Brisbane Year 5 teacher Miss Morrison
Are your students finding it hard to sit still in the lead up to the holidays? We feel you! ‘This Class is Only Silent at Night’ is sure to get some laughs from some of your coworkers if you choose this classroom door theme. Decorations are pretty open-ended with this title. Consider Christmas lights on the outside of a house or a starry night sky glowing above a decorated tree.
Elf Surveillance
Photo courtesy of US-based teacher Ms Bee
Santa Claus is comingggg, to your classroom! US-based teacher Ms Bee put her kids’ faces on little elf bodies to mimic Santa’s helpers. You can easily recreate this look using our ‘Elfie Selfie’ elf photo templates below.
To create the Santa Claus in the corner, you’ll need some red and white paper plus white cotton balls. The blue paper background makes the little elves really pop!
Take an Elfie
Photo courtesy of Year 3 teacher Molly
Speaking of elves, you can give a digital twist to Santa’s workshop like Year 3 teacher Molly did on her classroom entrance! This works great if your classroom door has a window. If not, see if you have a colleague with a window who’d enjoy this activity for both of your classes!
To recreate this door, have each student poke their head through the window and take a snapshot. The paper cutout of the elf in front of the window will make each student look like they have an elf’s body.
Molly’s students coloured in a cell phone template, and their photo was glued in the centre. Want to borrow her decor? Use this idea with our ‘All About Me’ Selfie template below!
Letters to Santa
Enjoy the elves but not the selfies? Combine writing skills with your classroom holiday decorating this school year. Santa’s elves will love helping collect his mail from this classroom door decoration. Parents or guardians who might drop in for your school’s holiday festivities will get a sneak peek at what their children are asking the Big Guy for this year (and not sharing!).
You will need:
- Large coloured paper roll for backing
- Printable Letter to Santa writing template
- Up-cycled cardboard box for a mailbox (we used an old cereal box, some crepe paper and cotton balls!)
- Cardboard roll for a mailbox post (ours has been decorated with crepe paper and some ribbon)
- Busy Little Elves heading using our Blank Letter Set
- Elves — ask your students to colour these adorable Create an Elfie Selfie templates and attach a photograph of their faces! (alternatively, have students play our Roll an Elf Activity to create their own hilarious elf character)
- Green triangles to make grass
- Scrap paper snowflakes
Santa’s Workshop
Another elf theme can simply be decorating your door with the words ‘Santa’s Workshop’ or ‘Santa’s Workshop: Busy Elves Inside.’ Just like Santa’s elves are hard at work making toys each year, your students are hard at work finishing all their crafts, projects and assignments before the break. Cotton balls, candy canes, teddy bears and other toys would make great decor for a workshop theme.
Santa’s Nice List
Is your class on the naughty or nice list this year? Consider Santa’s Nice List as a Christmas door theme to praise your little learners!
This is a super versatile theme as you can get creative with cut-outs of Christmas trees, snowflakes, reindeer and even a Santa popping out of the chimney! Add all the students’ names listed on the Nice List, and you’ve got a festive door to bring cheer to your classroom.
Santa’s Nice List — Reward Door
Alternatively, you can use Santa’s nice list door decor idea as a classroom reward system!
Reward your students for making it through these past few months with something to smile about: A place on Santa’s nice list and your classroom door! Each student can write their own name on the door to make themselves feel proud of their positive behaviour.
You will need:
- Christmas wrapping paper for backing
- 4 sheets of paper for Santa’s ‘Nice List’
- 1 length of tinsel large enough to frame your door
- Stars (from our Christmas Picture Templates resource).
To make Santa’s nice list, we printed a title on a plain piece of paper and stuck it to the second piece of paper end to end. We rolled up two sheets for the curly ends and with a little clear tape magic, and voila — a fun door to welcome students to the classroom for the holidays.
I’ll Be Gnome For Christmas
Gnomes are always a hit for the holidays, and our Christmas Gnome Craft Template serves as a great base for an easy Christmas door themed around ‘I’ll Be Gnome for Christmas.’
Alternatively, you can also use our Funky Christmas Gnome craft templates so students can practise their zentangle skills.
Oh, Christmas Tree!
We’ve repurposed a number of our Christmas resources as door decorations to help you and your students dress up this jolly Christmas tree. Please note the use of the angel may not be appropriate in public schools.
You will need:
- Large coloured paper roll for backing
- Green kite-shaped pieces of paper for the tree
- Gold paper star
- Student-decorated paper ornaments (print these simple ornaments here that students can take home for the holidays!)
- ‘Gifts’ for under the tree made from squares of wrapping paper and ribbons
This tree would make a great classroom display too! Use it to gather your class’s Secret Santa gifts if you’re short on space and don’t have room for a real tree in the classroom.
Whoville
Photo courtesy of US-based teacher Connie Dorosky
The Grinch came out to play in this fun Christmas classroom door from US-based teacher Connie Dorosky. Crumpled brown paper creates a cave-like exterior with a ‘keep out’ sign drawn onto the entrance. This is a perfect theme for all the Grinch lovers out there!
Means a Little Bit More
If you’re a Whoville and Grinch enthusiast, use a meaningful quote from the story to decorate your door: ‘Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.’ Include a coloured paper design of the Grinch pondering or even him holding his little dog Max.
Holiday Classroom Door Ideas
Do you want a classroom door decorating idea that’s holiday-appropriate but doesn’t scream Christmas? We’ve put together some of our favourite ideas with a focus on summer, inclusive holiday season themes and more!
Surfing Santa Theme
You may have seen ‘surfing Santa’ illustrations on t-shirts, Christmas cards and mugs to put a little humour into Australian Christmas culture. So, why not brighten your classroom door with a surfing Santa display? Picture Santa riding the waves in board shorts and shades against a backdrop of palm trees and sun-kissed skies!
Cool Down With Popsicles!
Photo courtesy of Gold Coast Year 6 teacher Shan
Enjoying an icy cold popsicle to beat the Australian heat is a favourite pastime, and Gold Coast Year 6 teacher Shan has the right idea! Instead of a Christmas door display, why not opt for a popsicle theme to get keen for the summer break? You might even want to treat your students to a real popsicle to celebrate!
Oh Deer! Classroom Door Decor
We love that this classroom holiday door idea plays on the holiday spirit with a fun pun while also being inclusive of students who don’t celebrate Christmas. After all, reindeer are simply animals!
Print these fun little reindeer for an easy door set-up, add your students’ names and the words ‘Oh Deer,’ and you’re all set! This also makes for a simple classroom display for the holidays.
Happy Llamadays
Instead of ‘Happy Holidays,’ add in a llama for a fun and inclusive twist to make ‘Happy Llamadays.’ You can choose to have your llama dressed in a straw hat, board shorts, or even tangled up in holiday lights. We’re sure your class will have a lot of fun dressing up their llamas!
Check out our Llama-Themed Classroom Decor Pack.
Our Light Shines Bright
Working as a class is a team effort, and everyone shines when each person does their part; that’s why we love the idea of a classroom door display titled, ‘Our Light Shines Bright.’
You can use this idea with Christmas lights directly on the door or make an extra glowing Christmas tree with ornaments with all your students’ faces. The star on top could have a photo of your entire class or a snapshot of your school!
We Are a Bright Bunch
Use the same lights template, and put a small twist on the classroom door with this fun idea that celebrates your students’ smarts. Use string (or craft twine!) to create your holiday light string, and each bulb can be printed off on coloured paper. You can also opt for using simple white bulbs to make this classroom door decorating idea work well beyond holiday time.
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