Top 10 Powerful Kindergarten Classroom Setup Ideas

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Are you a teacher looking for some simple, but powerful ideas to set up your kindergarten classroom? The first step to a successful year is creating an inviting and organized learning space for your students. You’ll also want to think about how your classroom set up will go hand-in-hand with your classroom management strategy. A good foundation is vital for for your behavior management systems, and it all starts with your kindergarten classroom setup.

Here are ten ideas to help you set up your kindergarten classroom and create a positive learning environment for your students.

Furniture and Decor

Have you ever walked into a store that sells an absolute hodgepodge of products? Random items cover the walls and tables and you aren’t even sure where to look first? It feels very cluttered and disorganized and later you walk out having no idea what the store really sells. That is what we DON’T want for our classroom. Rather than clutter and a million things covering the walls and tables, our rooms should be organized and clean, and items and furniture placed intentionally. Think about how students will transition from one place to the next and set it up so it’s free flowing and easy to navigate.

Keep your wall space clean cut and organized. A print rich environment is ideal (the learning area is filled with words), but you also don’t want it to be overwhelming to look at. It should be easy and fun to look at (this is where you can go really crazy with all those fun classroom themes!)

Post Those Rules! (an essential for the kindergarten classroom)

Clear expectations and rules are absolutely essential to your kindergarten classroom. And it’s even more crucial that you place these rules in a spot where your students can see them and access them every day. Start the beginning of each day by going over the rules and do this every day for the first 3 weeks of school. (Try to put this in your sub plans as well, it’s always good to remind students of the rules whenever they have a sub!)

Be sure to have only a handful of rules, and make sure they’re in “kinder friendly” lingo. Another fun option is to brainstorm with your class on the first day of school what rules they think are important to have in the classroom. You’ll have to really guide them through this process, but the end result is class created rules which gives students more ownership and autonomy.

Visuals! Visuals! Visuals!

Our young students need visuals aids with anything and everything. This applies to classroom rules, procedures, schedules, etc. A great way to do this is by displaying visual posters on your front whiteboard. (where students can easily see it). Some ideas for visual aids for the kindergarten classroom are “How We Show Good Listening,” and the non verbal signs students give to show they need to use the restroom or get some water.

You can also use visuals during your small group/center time. The visual direction cards should be numbered so kiddos know what to do, how to do it, and in what order (this is a game changer for sure!)

Morning Routines

Start off the morning right by having a set routine that students follow. I always loved having students “sign in” (which helped me with attendance) and then they would answer the question of the day. Once they did that, they went to their learning area, which changed every day. Next, we would clean up, sit on the carpet, say the pledge, go over the question of the day, and then sing an alphabet song. The routine and structure of this became second nature to the kiddos, so we started each morning smoothly and effortlessly. This also helps minimize disruptive student behavior because kiddos know what to expect (and who doesn’t want that?!)

Classroom Jobs (teaching responsibility in the kindergarten classroom)

Assigning classroom jobs to your students can help them feel like they are a part of the classroom community. Jobs such as line leader, calendar helper, and table washer, can help students feel responsible and proud to be a part of the class. Rotate the jobs every week to give each student an opportunity to participate. Don’t forget to display them!

*Side note: You’ll also want to give responsibilities and teach autonomy to your kiddos. Teach them how to file their folders, put their papers in their backpack, zip up their backpacks, open their snacks, etc. You can even designate a student job for these- like a back pack helper who helps TEACH kiddos how to zip their backpacks (and alternate this job to a different student each week so all students can be the teacher).*

Classroom Schedule

Find a schedule that works best for you and your students. You may even have to switch up your schedule depending on the year and your current students’ needs. Either way, pick it, stick to it, and make it visual so that your students can look at it and refer to it. Go over the schedule each day, so students know what to expect. This can be incredibly helpful for any students with special needs that you may have, so they know exactly what the day is going to look like and there are no surprises.

Classroom Procedures

Teaching your kindergarten kiddos exactly HOW you want them to do something is critical. Two things you’ll want to do with your procedures: First, act them out. SHOW them exactly you want you want them to do and the correct way to do it. Second, is provide a visual aid for it (am I sounding like a broken record yet?! 😂) Some procedures to teach your students are:

• Beginning of the day routines
• End of the day routines
• Bathroom procedures
• Lining up
• How to walk down the hallway
• Rules for playing on the playground
• Proper way to play at the dramatic play
• How to use the classroom library/reading corner

Practice these procedures regularly until they become second nature for your students.

Songs and Chants

Songs and chants make the kindergarten world go round and nothing is more beautiful sounding than a well done call and response chant/song. Pick some fun ones and switch it up, so students don’t get bored. A few chants you can use are “Oh classy classy- Oh yessy yessy” “Ready Set- You Bet!” “Tally ho- Let’s go!” “Flat tire- Shhhhhhh” “Hocus Pocus- Everybody Focus” (great one to use in October!)

You can also do chants for how to cut with scissors, how to use glue, how to sit on the carpet, the list goes on and on! If you’re looking for a fun, visual on how to use scissors, grab this freebie here!

Transitions

Speaking of songs and chants, one of the best ways to transition is by using music and chants! I used a specific song for our clean up song (Linus and Lucy), a specific song to switch to the next table during center time (Hair Up from Trolls), and a song to transition to the rug (Star Wars! The kids LOVED that one!) We would also sing songs walking to recess, the library, and to the front gate for dismissal. It keeps young kiddos engaged and makes the transitions fun!

Brain Breaks

Everyone needs a break, and that’s especially true for our young kiddos. Stretching, dancing, or a quick game help your students refocus and energize. Go Noodle is a GREAT website to use, or even use a fun youtube video (Hint: Use seasonal/thematic videos based on your current topic of study to further support student learning!)

Final thoughts on ideas set up for your kindergarten classroom

Setting up your kindergarten classroom can be a lot of work, but with these ten ideas, you can create a positive and engaging learning environment for your students. With a comfortable and organized classroom, clear expectations, and fun learning activities, you can set your students up for a successful year!