Move over ghosts and goblins! It’s time to brainstorm some Thanksgiving bulletin board ideas for the classroom. There are plenty of themes surrounding this time of year that translate well into classroom decor — from gratitude to harvesting and even drawing inspiration from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Our team of teachers knows it can be difficult to come up with fresh ideas every year, so we’ve compiled a list of ideas including picks from our teacher team plus ideas from the clever minds of teachers from around the US.
Keep scrolling to get some visual inspiration for your Thanksgiving classroom decor, plus printables you can use throughout November. We’ve even included some ideas to use if you’re a school librarian or a school counselor and need some playful autumnal puns to build our bulletin boards for the holiday.
Thanksgiving Bulletin Board Ideas
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Photo courtesy of New Jersey third-grade teacher Ms. M
The big holiday parade is something many of your students look forward to, so why not use it to inspire our Thanksgiving decor?
This bulletin board has a little bit of everything, and we are here for it! Ms. M, a third-grade teacher in New Jersey, included photos of all her students holding their handmade Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons with string. Paper New York buildings complete the background, giving this bulletin board a lighthearted, whimsical display that still relates to turkey season.
Colors of Fall
If you teach pre-K or kindergarten students, combine a leafy theme with some of the colors your kids are learning in the classroom for a fall and Thanksgiving-themed bulletin board. At the top of your board, use letters to spell out “The Colors of Fall,” and create four paper trees underneath. Have each tree display a different fall color: yellow, orange, red and brown.
To enhance a lesson on colors with your students, you can have each student create a fall leaf in each of the colors to contribute to the board. You can have them practice their fine motor skills by cutting out leafy templates, or they can paint/color their own.
A Thankful Quilt
Are you looking for the easiest Thanksgiving bulletin board you can possibly make? This might just be it! Georgia teacher Ashley Warnix used Teach Starter’s “I Am Thankful Quilt” art activity printables to create this bulletin board for the hallway outside of her classroom.
Students each got a piece of the quilt to decorate, writing down the different things they are thankful for as part of a lesson on gratitude.
You can print your own quilt template for your class!
We Are Thankful For…
Photo courtesy of Maine early childhood educator, Jennifer
We be-leaf this Thanksgiving bulletin board display is adorable. Jennifer, an early childhood educator from Maine, put together this simple, yet effective bulletin board by having students write what they are thankful for on a paper leaves. We’re loving the dark green background and extra pop of colors from the border as well!
Thankful For My Little Turkeys
Grab the camera and have your students help you cut out these adorable paper turkey frames to create a feathery classroom display! Students will have a gobbly giggle over their faces in a turkey form, while parents will treasure these little printouts after Thanksgiving has passed.
Sweet As Pie
Want to go with a food theme this year that doesn’t involve turkey? Try a slice of pie! Title your bulletin board “Our Class is Sweet as Pumpkin Pie” (or just “Sweet as Pie”). After cutting a paper plate into “slices,” have each student paint their slice orange (if you’re doing pumpkin pie) or with their favorite pie ingredients.
This is an easy idea for younger students in kindergarten or pre-K, but you can level up this idea by having older students write something sweet they’ve done for a classmate or that a classmate has done for them on their slice of pie to add a social emotional learning element to the activity.
Give Thanks Turkey
Photo courtesy of 2nd grade teacher, Carla.
It’s turkey season, and fowl feathers are a fun way to create a Thanksgiving bulletin board. Second-grade teacher Carla created this cute Give Thanks bulletin board with her class. Each student wrote what they’re thankful for on the individual feathers.
Short on time for building yet another bulletin board? You can design your own lettering or use our blank letter and number cutouts to help expedite the creation process.
Gobble Squad
Celebrate your “little turkeys” with a Gobble Squad bulletin board that features each student in the class. This is a pretty simple bulletin board to make because the “hard” work will all go to your students!
Just take a photo of each student, and hand out a turkey template for the kids to decorate their own way. Add the photo of the face as the turkey’s “head,” post on your bulletin board, and you’ve got your entire Gobble Squad represented.
We Are Thankful For (Take Two)
Photo courtesy of Kindergarten teacher Rachel.
We know we already showed you one way to create a “we are thankful for” bulletin board, but there are so many fun ways to decorate your bulletin board with this concept, so we had to share another.
Kindergarten teacher Miss Rachel shows off her students’ creativity and gratitude in this adorable turkey-themed Thanksgiving bulletin board idea. We love how her black background make these feathery friends pop with color!
You can also use this idea with food items spilling out of a large cornucopia. Each student writes what they’re thankful for on a food cutout.
We Are Thankful For (Take Three)
Photo courtesy of California preschool teacher Ms. Stacy
One more idea that fits the bill! Ms. Stacy, a preschool teacher based in California had a similar idea for creating a “we are thankful for” board with her students. In this case, each student drew a picture of what they were thankful for on a colorful paper feather and an adult wrote in a thankful statement for them.
Attitude of Gratitude
If you’re noticing a surplus of the word “thankful” in the school hallways, change up your lettering this year with a board that promotes an “Attitude of Gratitude.” Have your class think of what they’re grateful for and write them on a paper leaf, turkey, pumpkin or any other fall-themed cutout, then post on the hallway bulletin board where other students can read each message.
So Very Grateful
Photo courtesy of 7th-grade teacher, Genelle.
Gratitude helps increase positivity and mindfulness. Seventh-grade teacher Genelle Castro had each of her students write what they were thankful for on individual leaves to make this bright, Thanksgiving bulletin board.
You can even choose to continue gratefulness practice throughout the year using these ideas and activities.
We’re Tree-Mendously Grateful
Speaking of trees, we have the tools for you to create one of your own with our printable Gratitude Tree Template! Have each of your students write what they’re thankful for on the colored leaves and stick them on the branches to create a tree bursting with gratitude.
Harvesting Knowledge
Fall is all about apples, pumpkins and collecting the season’s harvest. Apply this to your classroom with a board entitled “We Are Harvesting Knowledge” and display your favorite fall-themed cutouts, student work you’d like to display or some books your class has read lately.
Fall In Love With Our Work
Speaking of student work, use some recent projects to create a fall-themed bulletin board if you’re pressed for time! Add a leafy border and the title “Fall In Love With Our Work.”
We Are Thankful
Fall foliage and thankfulness, what more could you ask for in a Thanksgiving bulletin board? Have your students write what they’re thankful for on their own set of leaves and then assemble them into a personal wreath once they’ve finished coloring.
The finished board filled with leaves will give your hallway or classroom a colorful representation of gratitude to celebrate the season.
So Very Thankful
Photo courtesy of Kindergarten teacher, LeAnna.
We’ve covered “so very grateful,” but what about “so very thankful?”
Bulletin board lover and kindergarten teacher LeAnna Goldstein blends fall foliage, turkeys AND thankfulness into one beautiful display on this board. Like Ms. Castro’s board, her students listed what they’re thankful for on individual cards.
Thankful For A Latte
We know how much teachers love coffee, so the fellow coffee-lovers on the Teach Starter team designed this latte-filled Thanksgiving bulletin board. The printable We Are Thankful for a Latte kit comes with donut and latte elements along with thankfulness templates in the shape of coffee cups.
Students can write what they’re thankful for and paste their cups on the board with a donut, marshmallow, or pumpkin cup. Any pumpkin spice lovers out there?
Little Gobblers
Photo courtesy of preschool teacher, Miranda.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic handprint turkey craft to design a Thanksgiving bulletin board! This colorful “Grateful for our Little Gobblers” was cleverly executed by preschool teacher Miranda Davis. Before Thanksgiving break, have your students bring their bulletin board contribution home to share with family! Parents will cherish this little hand on the fridge.
Thankful Hands
Need another fun way to feature your students’ handprints on your bulletin board this Thanksgiving? Why not create “thankful hands”? Post the letters of the words in fall colors, and add your students’ handprints all around them.
Thankful Turkey
Photo courtesy of pre-K teacher, Miss. B
Like Ms. Davis, Miss B had her tiny pre-K turkeys create their own colorful feathers to create a colorful “Thankful” bulletin board. Your students can use finger paints, markers or colored pencils for this simple, yet effective display.
Use our feather templates or rounded feathers to complete this board if you don’t have time to create your own.
Thankful For My Gnomies
Cute little gnomes don’t have to be exclusive to the winter season! Use this Thanksgiving bulletin board kit to add friendly pumpkins, fall leaves and “gnomies” to your classroom or hallway decor. Each student will complete their own gnome by writing what they’re thankful for.
Give Thanks
Photo courtesy of preschool teacher, Kayla Matthews.
Don’t have a lot of time to set up a bulletin board? We have a “quick and easy” Thanksgiving bulletin board from preschool teacher Kayla Matthews. After tracing and cutting out your students’ handprints, use googly eyes to add a fun touch of personality to your little turkeys. Varying colored handprints will create a fun, festive look!
Native American Heritage Month
Photo courtesy of 2nd grade teacher, Kylie.
We know this isn’t a Thanksgiving board, but we couldn’t help but note that November is Native American Heritage Month — and there’s plenty of room for marking this important month. If you’re talking about the First Thanksgiving, for example, you’ll want to include Wampanoag perspectives and be mindful of avoiding stereotypes and false narratives about American history.
You might also use the month as a chance to simply celebrate Native Americans and their myriad contributions to America in addition to all your Thanksgiving festivities. Second-grade teacher Kyle Robbins celebrated with her classroom by sharing book titles written by or about Native Americans found in the school library. You can borrow the idea for your classroom, and make a point to read selections from the board throughout the month as part of your celebration of the month.
Go a step further with this idea and use our Indigenous Regions of North America Map for extra decor or to help research native tribes in your area or state.
Photo courtesy of New York middle school library media specialist Mrs. Casale
Thanksgiving Bulletin Board Ideas for School Counselors
Are you a school counselor searching for a good bulletin board for the Thanksgiving season? We dare say you may be grateful for these ideas!
- Find Your Flock – Thanksgiving is the season when we tend to gather with the people we love most, but what happens when your students are feeling like they just don’t fit in? A turkey-themed Find Your Flock is a perfect bulletin board to remind students their people are out there!
- Don’t Let Stress Ruffle Your Feathers — Another fun pun that pulls in turkeys, this board can focus on coping skills.
- Ways to Show Gratitude — Cover our board with fall leaves with simple ways to show gratitude written on each leaf.
- Be Sweet to Yourself — Focus on positive self-talk with a sweet pumpkin pie reference.
Thanksgiving Bulletin Board Ideas for School Nurses
- Don’t Be a Turkey, Wash Your Hands – An easy idea for a turkey-themed board! Simply cut out your title lettering and add a turkey or two to complete your decor.
- What’s On Your Plate This Thanksgiving? – Highlight some healthy foods, such as Brussels sprouts for a dinner-themed bulletin board.
- Thanksgiving + Exercise = Goal! – Tie in the holiday of the season with football and promoting healthy habits! A cute way to display this message is a paper scene of turkeys playing football with “goal!” in large letters.
- Fall Into Healthy Habits – If you’re a fan of fall foliage, create a leafy theme with this title and some healthy habits written between all the leaves.
- Are You Falling Ill? – Another tree-themed bulletin board can help your students be aware of symptoms to look out for this flu season.
- I Care for the Cutest Turkeys – Collect class photos from the teachers in your school and complete the look with some cute turkeys around the borders.
- Give Thanks for Great Health – If you’re healthy, that’s a lot to be thankful for and a good reminder for students passing by your bulletin board.
Thanksgiving Bulletin Board Ideas for School Libraries
Calling all librarians! There are plenty of great puns to combine the fall season with a love for reading. Use some of these ideas for inspiration or mix and match the titles with decor you’d like to create:
- Fall in Love With Reading — Print out some book covers that you think students will love.
- Leaf Through a Good Book — Display titles of favorite books teachers in your school love to read aloud.
- Fall Into a Good Book — Create a paper tree on one side of the board with paper leaves falling into a pile of book titles at the bottom.
- Reading Leaves Me Smiling — Create a smile out of paper leaves or simply spell out this title in fall leaves with a tree to one side.
- Gobble Up a Good Book — Tie in a turkey with some fall-themed book titles you think your students would enjoy.
- A Harvest of Good Reading — Throw in a tractor, add some hay and top off your display with a pile of great books.
- Carve Out Time for Reading — Display some recommended titles you think your students would enjoy over the Thanksgiving break.
- Save a Turkey, Feast on Books — Create a stack of book titles with a turkey on top!
- What Books Are You Thankful For? — Use the help of your students to compile a list of books they’re thankful for and display them on your board.
We hope these ideas give you some fun inspiration for the giving time of year!
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