Art Class Posters, Storage, and Decorations that will Make You and Your Students Smile
It’s that time of year again…back to school! I head back to teaching art next week to Pre-K through 6th grade, and while I definitely wish the summer lasted longer, I look forward to many aspects of another year in the art room. One of my favorite activities before school starts is browsing for art room decor!
While I definitely can’t justify spending money on ALL these items, these are kind of a wish list of art class decorations and items that I’d love to eventually add to the art room. (All I need is just an unlimited budget and space!…) Some of these items are useful for art room storage and organization, some for teaching the elements and principles of art or famous artists, or for encouraging kindness and a growth mindset among students…other items are completely just for fun! (See “life size Bob Ross cardboard cutout” below!)
(If any of these items will work in your classroom or home art studio, they can be purchased by clicking on the links! Just fyi, some of these are affiliate links, which means I earn some revenue, at no additional cost to you, when you purchase using these links.)
Colorful Storage Caddies
I do actually have these caddies in my art room–they are so useful! I have six tables labeled by colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple), so these are perfect–each table knows to grab their color caddy. They have spaces to hold pencils, scissors, glue sticks, etc. so I don’t have to pass out every single supply individually. The top set also comes in a set of six neon colors (helpful in case you have more than six tables).
Bright Art Room Rugs
I don’t have a rug in my classroom this year, but in the past I had my tables arranged in a U-shape with an area rug in the middle of the U. It was a great place to have my pre-K and kindergarten students gather while I read them a story or talked with them before beginning a project. I almost want to rearrange my room this year just so I can add one of these rugs! (That last one is pricey but it’s my favorite–and each child could sit on one of the circles!)
Posters for the Art Classroom
Classroom Management
I will be adding the Mona Lisa Quiet poster to my art room this year (I have also seen many art teachers on Facebook say that they use the call and response “Mona!”…”Lisa!” to get kids’ attention, so I may try that as well). I like the idea of the art room rules spelling “ARTIST”, and I may try the Pete the Cat chart not as a clip-up/clip-down for individual students but perhaps for the class as a whole… (Maybe if the whole class stays in the top two spots they earn something like a pom-pom in their jar, working towards some kind of art class reward?)
Motivation and Encouragement
In my classroom I like to have a few encouraging words on the walls…some of my current posters have been there since the previous art teacher (so going on twelve years!). I think it’s time to replace at least a couple. I really want kids to understand that in art, as in all of life, we have to make many mistakes and wade through a lot of messiness in order to create something we are proud of. I particularly like the poster that says “Nobody’s perfect; that’s why pencils have erasers!”
Oriental Trading also has lots of great growth mindset and art-related posters to check out! (Love their crayon cutouts found here!)
Educational Art Posters
I always have a color wheel on my wall, and signs listing the elements of art…I also like any of the “Know the Artist” posters by Crystal productions:
I also think these procedural types of posters can be helpful (who wishes they had more wall space?):
Ok, now for more “fun” stuff!
Miscellaneous Fun Stuff for the Art Room
It’s a Bob Ross cardboard cutout! Need I say more?? My students would LOVE this!
…Same goes for the Bob Ross bobblehead!
These colorful wall decals and garlands would be a fun way to add some color (especially love the every child is an artist” decal).
I don’t have a space for any pillows in my classroom, but if I did I would add all of these! (I may get a couple for my own house!)
If you need to make curtains for the art room (or a funky outfit for yourself), check out this crayon rainbow fabric by the yard!
…Or hang any of these shower curtains as window curtains instead, or just to create a fun backdrop in the art room!
Also, there’s a company I just discovered called Natural Life with THE most gorgeous wall hangings and artsy, free-spirited decorations you can use in your classroom or at home… I just bought this set of beautiful file folders (not with the school budget, of course, but just because they are pretty and make me smile)–now even my desk feels colorful and happy! If you haven’t visited their site I encourage you to check them out!
This last one is a book, not a decoration, but I have to say, no art classroom is complete without Beautiful Oops! I read it to my pre-K and kindergarten classes at the beginning of the year, but it’s also a great reminder for older kids (and even art teachers) that we can turn mistakes into something beautiful!
What else would you add to this list? If you have a TeachersPayTeachers item for the art classroom or anything else you’d love for your art room decor, drop a link in the comments! (Or share a photo of your art room–would love to see it!)
Also, check out this list of cool art-teacher themed t-shirts so YOU can be as well-decked-out as your classroom!