You've seen other teachers post about theme days at school and want to tackle one yourself. Maybe it seems like too much work or you aren't exactly sure how to design your own theme day for kids. Here are a few simple tips to help you transform your classroom into a fun educational day for spirit week, a class party, the end of the year celebration, or special holidays!
What is a theme day at school?
A theme day is a great way to add some excitement and break up the everyday classroom routines. Dressing up as a favorite character or transforming your classroom into a magical place can be fun for kids and teachers alike! It's a great way to make some memories and have fun while still learning in your classroom. If you really want to enhance student engagement at school, an awesome theme day is a way to do it!
Here are a few ideas for a special theme day that you could have in your elementary classroom:
- Pajama Day
- Beach Day
- Pirate Day
- Dinosaur Day
- Popcorn Day
- Crazy Hat Day
- Elf Day
- Camping Day
- Pilgrim Day
- Bubble Day
- Haunted House Day
- Ice Cream Day
- Snowman Day
1. Start With Your Standards
The very first thing you need to do when planning for a theme day is to begin with the end in mind. What do you want your students to learn during this special day? Before planning any lesson, you should always know the standards that you'll be teaching during your lesson.
The theme that you choose will depend on the standards you'll be teaching. If you want your students to learn a science standard about animals you may choose a theme like dinosaurs or the rainforest. Make a list of the curriculum standards that you'll be teaching during your theme day.
2. Choose Your Theme
Once you know the standards that you want to teach, you can narrow down your theme for the day (or week). You'll need props and books for an exciting room transformation. What do you already have in your cupboards and basement? Look around and see what you already have that could lend itself to an amazing theme day.
Are you a sports fan? Do you already have a lot of sports equipment, signs, clothing, etc that you could use in your theme? Maybe you can create your theme day around that! Do you have a special hobby or family traditions that would lend itself to a great theme day? Try to utilize as many items that you already have on hand to save time and money when creating your theme day.
Another place to get inspiration for a theme day is your local dollar store or craft store. Many of these stores have budget-friendly seasonal items that can be used to decorate for a theme day. Wander through the store for inspiration and pick things up at a discount at the end of the season.
Finally, another great place to grab the things you'll need to complete your theme day is your local party store. These stores are a treasure trove of great ideas for theme days at school.
3. Read Alouds and Videos
Once you've chosen your theme, it's time to gather together some good books or videos that will tie your theme and standards together. Look through your classroom or school library to see what you have on hand. It's not necessary to buy books when you can borrow them for free from the library or find them on YouTube.
Begin to think about how you can use your books or videos in your lessons. If you're a kindergarten or first-grade teacher, will you do daily read alouds for a few days leading up to your theme day? This can set the stage for your special day and give the students background on your theme.
Maybe you're planning a theme week. In this case, you'll need several books that you can use throughout your lessons each day. Choose your books wisely. Think about how your standards can be tied to the books you'll be reading. Are you teaching your students about story elements? If so, you'll want to choose a good book that lends itself to that standard. Choose some great mentor texts that match both your theme and your standards.
4. Planning Your Theme Day Activities
It's finally time to plan the activities that you'll be doing during your theme day. Think about how you want to organize your day. Will you have students traveling around to different station activities throughout the day? If so, you'll need to schedule for each activity. Grab this free classroom theme day guide and planning template to help you get started.
It's a good idea to have at least 6 different activities for a full day of learning in your classroom. A good idea is to have one or two ELA activities and one or two Math activities. You can also include a craft of some sort, a science experiment, or a social studies activity. You might even want to include a snack in your lesson plans for the day. The activities that you plan will depend on the theme that you have chosen.
If you're not sure what activities you want to do, Pinterest can be your best friend! Do a search for your theme and the standard that you want to teach. You're sure to come up with some fun and easy teaching ideas! This is also the time to start looking at the goodies that you've collected for your theme. Do you have some cute materials that will lend themselves to a fun game or other activity? Use your imagination. Your students will love it!
5. Gather Your Supplies
Once you have all of your activities for the day planned, decide on the supplies you’ll need for each activity. Make a list of every supply you’ll need. Include even the simplest things like paper, pencils, and glue. That will ensure that you’ll remember everything on your special day.
Create or purchase any worksheets you’ll be using during your theme day. Purchase any needed supplies or food you’ll be using during your special day. Two or three days before your theme day, prepare your materials. Run copies of any papers you’ll need, get materials ready for any crafts, gather your books, videos and music.
If you’ll be having the students visit stations, use plastic baskets or bins to sort your material for each station. Put everything you’ll need for each station in the bin so you can make sure you have all the needed materials.
6. Choose A Date And Enlist Some Help
Choose a date for your theme day and write it on the calendar. Will you need parent helpers? Send a request for volunteers a couple of weeks before your special theme day. This will give parents time to make plans to help out at school.
Will students be dressing up in costume for your theme day? If so, send a note home a week in advance telling parents how students should dress for the event. Two or three days before the event send a reminder note home with students and to parent volunteers about the date, time and what to wear.
7. Setting Up For Your Theme Day At School
On the day before your theme day, plan to stay after school to get ready. Decorate your classroom to go with your theme. Make it festive and fun. This will get the students excited when they walk in the door.
Set up all your stations the night before the event. Decide if you'll have all the stations in your classroom or some in the hallway. Decide how the parent volunteers will be helping – will they be in charge of different stations in your room? Make a plan of how you'll distribute the responsibilities to parent helpers so you'll be ready to assign tasks on the day of the event.
8. The Big Day Is Here!
It's time for your big day! Here are a few things to remember on the day of your event:
- Plan on how you’ll welcome students into the classroom. Will you have special music playing? Will the lights be dimmed?
- Where will students sit when they first come into the room?
- How will you welcome parent volunteers? Plan ahead of time where they will be helping and give them instructions when they get there so they know what to do.
- Will your day be directed by you with lessons and special activities?
- Or will your day be more student directed and self paced?
- If you’ll be having stations, how will students rotate around the stations? Will they simply move at their own pace or will they move in certain time intervals. Have a special bell or chime to ring to tell students it’s time to move on.
Most of all, have fun! Theme days at school are special days that students will remember forever. This should be a time of learning and enjoyment. If things don’t go exactly as you had planned, don’t fret. Nobody will know except you! Enjoy the day with your students.
When the day is over, take a few minutes to write down what worked and what didn’t work. Did you buy too much of something or not enough of something else? What activity did the students love? Was there an activity that flopped? Write all of this down so you'll remember next year.
Are you ready to begin planning your own theme day at school? Grab this free guide that will walk you through the steps for planning your own unique and fabulous day!
