How to Use Bulletin Board Letters in Your Classroom
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Unleash creativity and add pops of color to your classroom with bulletin board letters! These versatile, vibrant letters are an easy and effective way to spice up your bulletin boards, wall decor, and even your door. With a wide range of styles, patterns, and colors, bulletin board letters allow you to create eye-catching displays that will grab the attention of your students and make learning fun and engaging.
There are so many ways to use these in your classroom. So today I’m sharing my best bulletin board letter tips and tricks! But that’s not all. I’m also offering a FREE set of bulletin board letters to you! Read on for all the details!
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
So Many Uses!
Have you ever bought a bulletin board kit and thought “I wish I could create a totally custom saying with this display…” Now you can! I get tons of requests for special sayings that match my bulletin board kits. So I started creating matching sets of A-Z letters so teachers could create their own unique displays.
Use them to create a display with your favorite quote. Or to welcome students to a learning center. You can create large wall or hallway displays with these letters too! Or even add your name, or class slogan, to your door! I always include punctuation and numbers 0 through 9 in the A-Z letter sets I create. So the possibilities are virtually endless with these sets.
Check out even more ways to use these letters throughout the year while improving classroom management with seasonal and holidays themed bulletin board letters!
Printing Tips for Bulletin Board Letters
Now, I’ve got several pro printing tips for you! First, always print your bulletin board letters on cardstock. I recommend using 110 lb. paper, like this cardstock from Amazon. You can also find great options at Walmart. This will help your letters stay nice longer. And the thicker paper makes your color prints brighter and more durable.
Secondly, you’ll want to print by page number. Each of my bulletin board letters sets includes a helpful tips and tricks file in the download. And in this file, there’s a reference guide to which letter prints on which page number. So all you have to do is determine the letters you need for the saying you’re creating. Then find the page for each letter using the helpful page number guide. Write those down, and select “Pages” in your print settings. Then type in the specific page numbers you want to print – separated by commas.
Whether or not you choose to laminate the letters is up to you. I always recommend laminating if you’re planning to reuse something for multiple years. And also for anything that will be displayed in a high-touch area. For more thoughts on laminating and printing, check out my classroom decor printing tips.
How to Change the Size of the Letters
You might have a large display area you’re decorating – like a wall or hallway. Or perhaps you’re creating a smaller display welcoming students to a book nook. Whatever the scenario, you may want to change the size of your bulletin board letters. And it’s easy to do!
Each of the letter sets I sell print one letter per page, when printed as-is. So each letter is approximately the height/width of a standard sheet of paper (give or take, based on the shape of the letter). If you need your letters smaller than this, you can easily print multiples per page or just shrink each letter. Or, if you need your letters larger, you can enlarge them. Here are the steps showing how to resize your bulletin board letters during printing.
Best Way to Cut the Letters Out
In the bulletin board letter sets I sell, I include JPEG files of each of the letters that can be used with cutting machines (like Cricut). However, my best advice is to just cut out the letters by hand. In my opinion, it ends up taking less effort to do it this way! With your stack of printed letters and scissors in hand, put on a show, start cutting away, and before you know it, you’ll be done!
Another time-saving tip is to utilize parent helpers for this step. There are some parents who would love to volunteer, but aren’t able to do so during school hours or in the classroom. This is a perfect project for them! Print the letters you need for the month (or the semester – if you’re really organized). And ask a parent volunteer to cut them out for you!
Tips for Securing Bulletin Board Letters to Your Displays
One of my favorite tools for creating any decorative display is washi tape. Use it to place your letters (and any other decor items) to your wall, door, or bulletin board. You can easily adjust and move the items around still, until you get everything just where you want it. Then secure the letters by stapling them in place. Or, if you’re decorating a door (or other surface you don’t want to staple into), secure the letters with double sided tape.
Here’s another popular method of placing letters on a display. This technique works great if you want your letters in a straight line (rather than curved). On a flat surface, like a table or the floor, line up your letters in a straight line in the order you want them to be. You can use a long ruler or the straight edge of a desk to make sure your letters are all level. Then, place a single strip of painter’s tape across the top of them all. Gently press the tape into the letters to make sure they stick. Then pick up the tape on each end and place it along your bulletin board (or wall, etc.) where you want the letters to go. Staple each letter in place, and then carefully remove the tape.
For even more ideas on how to center your letters on your displays, check out these bulletin board decorating tips!
FREE A-Z Bulletin Board Letters
Now for the fun part. Grab your very own set of FREE A-Z Bulletin Board Letters! There are 3 different style options included in this free download, along with punctuation and numbers. You can create so many unique displays with these letters! Download this freebie by subscribing to my email list below.
Using Bulletin Board Letters in Your Classroom
The options are endless! Be sure to check out even more fun styles and colors in this Bulletin Board Letters Mega Bundle. With over 18 themes included, you can mix-n-match creating completely unique displays for years! And for amazing seasonal options, grab these Seasonal & Holidays Bulletin Board Letters.
You’ll never run out of fresh new looks for your displays all year long! Easily transform your classroom into a colorful and interactive learning space with these letters!