Your students are about to walk through your classroom door for the first time—how are you going to welcome them? These back-to-school classroom door decorating ideas let you show off your teacher personality from day one. From simple but meaningful to artistic and impressive, these ideas cover every subject, every teacher type, and every budget.
Tip: Not allowed to decorate your doors because of fire marshal or safety rules? Many of these make terrific bulletin boards too.
Jump to:
- Welcoming and Inclusive Door Decorating Ideas
- Inspirational Classroom Door Decorating Ideas
- Kindness and Friendship Classroom Door Ideas
- Language Arts and Books Classroom Door Ideas
- Math and Science Classroom Door Decorating Ideas
- Animals and Nature Classroom Door Ideas
- Pop Culture Classroom Door Ideas
- More Classroom Door Decorating Ideas
Welcoming and Inclusive Door Decorating Ideas

1. Our Class Fits Together
You’re all pieces of the same puzzle, and you’re in this together! (Get that cute puzzle border here.)

2. Classroom Quilt
We love the idea of creating a classroom quilt, and what better place to display it than right on your door. Get the students involved in the classroom door decorations by having them create their own square representing them or something they love on the first day of school. Piece it together for a real wow!

3. Welcome to the Nest
Personalize this cozy door by having students decorate their own bird, write their name, and add one fact that makes them unique.
4. Colorful Pom-Pom Welcome
Welcome your students into the classroom with this colorful pom-pom door decor. Get the pom-pom cutouts, border, and welcome banner.

5. We Are Here
Bring those encouraging vibes from day one. Students will feel at home when they see their classroom door.

6. Sign Language Love
Welcome kids by reminding them to embrace diversity in all its forms.

7. Home Sweet Classroom
Your classroom is their home away from home. Make it feel welcoming!

8. Colorful Crayons
What’s better than a fresh new pack of crayons?

9. We Swim Together
Each of your students can make a fish that matches their personality. Let the creativity begin!

10. Amazing Things Happen Here
Simple, colorful, and full of excitement!

11. Inspiring Black Youth
These classroom door decorations were originally created for Black History Month, but they are terrific for back to school too.

12. Something Within Us
Such an important message for every single student to hear.

13. You Are Loved
Everyone needs to hear these things and know that there’s a place where they belong.

14. Hello, My Name Is …
If you’re looking for a simple, colorful classroom door you can throw together in a snap, try this idea. Here are the supplies you’ll need: colorful name tags, tassel garland, and a rainbow dots border.

15. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Make your students feel special with this underwater door decoration. How cute are those scuba divers?

16. Entryway Decisions
Showing your students you care about them while also recognizing their individuality is of the utmost importance. Have them start each day with a warm greeting, ranging from a simple thumbs up to a hug. Kids simply point to the greeting of their choice.

17. Oh Snap!
We love Instagram-inspired classroom doors. Fill it with summer photos or clips from experiences that students can expect in your class (the covers of novels you’ll read, photos of the field trip to the zoo, students reading outside in the spring …).

18. Young Minds Bloom
How pretty are those flowers? Your class will definitely feel welcomed walking through this gorgeous door.

19. Piece of the Puzzle
A puzzle border makes this door really stand out.

20. Move Mountains
Remind students of all they are capable of on the first day.

21. Stand Out
Stand out from the crowd with this inspirational door! Perfect for a circus-themed classroom.
Inspirational Classroom Door Decorating Ideas

22. Be Flamazing
This cute play on the words amazing and flamingo truly is flamazing. Plus, who hasn’t dreamed of riding a flamingo?

23. Ray of Sunshine
Brighten up the entry to your classroom with this desert-themed door. The sun is shining and we’re ready to learn!

24. Believe You Can
This is the perfect powerful message to greet your students on the first day!

25. Words of Wisdom
Positive sayings and plants? Yes, please.

26. Ready to Fly
What a great, positive message for students. Help them fly this year!

27. The Sky Is the Limit
Shoot for the stars this back-to-school season!

28. Grow and Bloom
This door’s message makes an impact in any language: Don’t just grow, bloom!

29. Beautiful Butterflies
Those hand-cut butterflies are truly astonishing! No time to do that yourself? Buy pre-cut paper butterflies here.

30. Shoot 4 Success
We love 3D classroom door decoration ideas. The real basketball hoop makes this classroom door so much fun.

31. Learn and Grow
The big ruler really makes this colorful design pop.

32. Chalkboard Door
Make it easy to have a new classroom door message whenever you want! Cover your door with chalkboard paint (be sure to get permission first), then chalk up a new message whenever inspiration strikes.

33. Spread Your Wings
Perfect for those first-day pictures.

34. Reach for the Stars
Your students will love participating in this Reach for the Stars activity!

35. Be a Pineapple
Pineapples send a surprisingly positive message.

36. Awesome Kids
Keep it colorful (and geometric) with this welcoming door.
Kindness and Friendship Classroom Door Ideas

37. Kindness Is Key
We love this play on the word key and the idea of promoting kindness from the moment you walk through the door.

38. Friendship in the Air
While this fun idea is shown as a wall hanging, it could easily be part of your classroom door decorations. Every student’s name is featured on its own heart so everyone feels welcome and included.

39. Fluent in Kindness
If you are a foreign language teacher who also loves to promote kindness, then this is the door for you!

40. You’ve Got a Friend
Here’s some more Disney love from everybody’s favorite toy duo!

41. A Flower Blooms
Such a great sentiment AND a gorgeous door!

42. We Stick Together
Use artificial flowers to add some color to a paper cactus. Punchy details bring door decorations to life!

43. Be Kind
Your students help make this door something special by adding their own ideas on how to show kindness to others.

44. Throw Kindness Like Confetti
Celebrate kindness all day every day in your classroom.
Language Arts and Books Classroom Door Ideas

45. Reading Gives You Wings!
Here at We Are Teachers, we love anything that encourages a love of reading!

46. Today a Reader
This classroom door decoration displays a powerful message for kids to absorb. And these reading monsters are so adorable!

47. I Am Enough
Some classroom door decoration ideas, like this one, really make a big impact! Take inspiration from the book by Grace Byers and remind students that they are enough every single day.

48. Pete the Cat
Pete the Cat will always be a favorite! This design really works because it’s big, bright, and friendly.

49. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Students will go coco-nuts for this DIY book-inspired door!

50. Reading Adventures
Welcome all the readers to your classroom!

51. Notebook Paper
What a wonderful way to display your students’ names. The design is simple yet perfect.

52. Welcome Book
This door is perfect for a library or an English class. So simple and cute!

53. Hungry Learners
Just like the caterpillar was hungry for food, your students are hungry for knowledge!

54. Welcome Door
Keep it simple with this notebook paper door! Add a pencil for a nice finishing touch.

55. Don’t Let the Pigeon …
Call out a kid-favorite book with this adorable back-to-school door decoration. Don’t let the pigeon in!
Math and Science Classroom Door Decorating Ideas

56. Bright Futures
Classroom doors like this can be personalized for any subject. Find paper sunglasses cutouts here.

57. Elements of Success
This chemistry-inspired door deserves a Nobel Prize!

58. Math Gives Us Hope
You may have 99 problems, but a clever door design isn’t one of them!

59. Math Is My Jam!
We love it when teachers are proud of their subject and display it boldly.

60. Calculate Kindness
That paper calculator is so much fun!

61. Blast Off!
Go on a space mission into your classroom this year. Prepare for liftoff!
Animals and Nature Classroom Door Ideas

62. Bring the Outdoors In
Since no one likes being stuck inside all day, why not bring the outdoors in with a cute camping theme for your doorway and maybe your entire classroom?

63. Just Keep Swimming
Welcome back an entire school of little fishies (and share a little Disney love)!

64. Puppy Smiles
Even if you don’t have an adorable classroom mascot like Dolly, you can still make classroom door decorations full of puppy smiles!

65. Happy Campers
The secret to this camping-themed classroom door? Duct tape!

66. Llama Fun
Here’s another easy one any teacher can do. Save time by buying these cute paper llama cutouts to personalize.

67. Wild About Learning
This door is perfect for a rainforest-themed classroom.

68. Monkeying Around
Using brown burlap for the branch adds some cool texture to this door idea. Have kids color their own monkeys for a personal touch.

69. Look Whooo’s Here
Those giant wiggly eyes make this personalized door extra cute.

70. Ocean Reef
Take a trip under the sea.

71. A Whale of a Door
This is a doorway your students will never forget!

72. Cat Class
Who doesn’t love being greeted by fuzzy kittens every morning?

73. In Tents
Grab some tent stickers and some cute garland to re-create this in-tents door.

74. Whale of a Time
This colorful door is over-whale-mingly cute!

75. Kids at Work
This door is one in a minion!

76. Ready, Set, Glow
Catch some fireflies this back-to-school season. Watch your class light up with learning!

77. Honey Bee
Your students will be buzzing with excitement when they see this classroom door.
Pop Culture Door Decorating Ideas

78. Coco: Live Forever
If this is one of your Disney faves, turn it into a classroom door! You can get a kit at the link, with text in Spanish or English (“Remember me and I will live forever”).

79. Classgram
Many students are too young to be on social media, so give them an option they can follow in real life instead. (Buy a kit to make this door from Teach Create Motivate.)

80. Learners Among Us
Whatever else might be sus, the learning in your classroom definitely is not!

81. Building Our Way
Speaking of toys, kids will love these 3D paper LEGO bricks.

82. A-maze-ing Year
Those old-school retro vibes are everything.

83. Superheroes in Training
That 3D effect is easy to create and really adds a lot of impact.

84. Incredible Year
Love the Incredibles movies? Try this door decoration!

85. On an Adventure
Up and away!

86. Cookie Monster
This board is super sweet. Om nom nom!

87. Joy of Learning
Turn your classroom inside out! This door is sure to spark some joy.

88. Emoji Door
Welcome your students with a smiling face! And a silly face and a laughing face …
More Door Decorating Ideas

89. Everyone Is a Star
Make your students feel like movie stars with this cute, VIP-access-only classroom door.

90. Whole Latte Learning
This door design will carry you all the way through fall so you can focus on the teaching.

91. Oversize Pencil
Here’s another take on the “sharp bunch” theme, with the door itself turned into a giant pencil!

92. Art Inspiration
Use colorful paper plates to make a paint set. So clever and so easy.

93. Best of the Bunch
Apples are a back-to-school classic, and this door is a bushel of fun. Try these apple cutouts to make your own.

94. Taco Bout It
If there’s one thing kids love, it’s food. Show some love to your class (and tacos) with this adorable back-to-school door.

95. Oh So Sweet
These Popsicle-themed, glitter-covered classroom door decorations are the perfect sweet start to the year.

96. Life Is Sweet
Pineapples and flamingos make for a really welcoming door.

97. Chicken Nuggets
We love these fast-food-inspired classroom door decorations. Perfect for little ones.