A good bulletin board decorates the space. A great one helps your students feel seen, supported, and understood.

Looking for school bulletin board ideas that actually work this back-to-school season? Trust me, I’ve been there – staring at blank walls wondering how to make them both beautiful AND functional for our OT practice.

Last year, I had one of those lightbulb moments. I was walking past my bulletin board (you know, the one I’d been meaning to update for months) when I overheard a teacher say, “I wish I understood what sensory processing actually looks like in my classroom.” She was literally standing three feet from my wall, but my display wasn’t doing its job of educating anyone about what we do.

That’s when I realized something game-changing: our interactive bulletin board displays aren’t just decoration – they’re our most powerful advocacy tools. They work 24/7 to educate staff, support students, and spark those conversations that make our jobs so much easier.

After trying everything from Pinterest-perfect boards that fell apart in a week to overly complicated displays that nobody looked at, I finally cracked the code. The best OT bulletin board posters do something magical – they teach while you’re busy seeing clients. They explain sensory needs while you’re in an IEP meeting. They advocate for our profession even when we’re not there to do it ourselves.

So what if your bulletin board could help teachers understand visual perception skills? What if it could give students calming strategies right in the hallway? What if it could finally show everyone that OT is about so much more than handwriting?

Here’s what I’ve learned works – 7 bulletin board ideas that are practical, purposeful, and honestly pretty easy to put together. Each one has been tested in real schools with real kids (and some very patient custodians who helped me hang things at just the right height ).

Ready to transform those blank walls into working tools for your practice? Let’s dive into what actually makes a difference…

1. OT Bulletin Board Posters

Also known as the “Oh wow, you do that too?” posters.

These printable visuals are a game changer for explaining school-based OT to teachers, parents, and students. Stick them in a hallway, your therapy room, or on your office door. They’re colorful, clear, and cover the many areas OT supports in schools.

2. Whole Child Posters (Free Download)

Because every child is more than a test score.

These posters remind students and staff alike that learning and growing isn’t just about academics. They highlight skills like emotional regulation, independence, motor development, and more. These are perfect for calming spaces, SEL walls, or even parent meeting rooms.

3. Visual Perception Posters

Visual perception terms can be confusing. These posters make them click.

There are so many terms to learn like visual discrimination, figure-ground, and spatial relations. These posters explain each one in plain language with classroom-based examples so anyone can understand how they impact a student’s learning.

4. Sensory Processing Posters

When people understand sensory systems, they understand your students better.

These posters introduce the eight sensory systems and the three subtypes of Sensory Processing Disorder. They offer real-life examples and explanations of how sensory differences affect behavior and learning. Perfect for hallways, staff rooms, or parent nights.

5. Calming Corner Posters

A little peace and regulation goes a long way.

These calming visuals from The Butterfly Teacher help students self-regulate and feel supported. They’re beautiful, inclusive, and easy to add to a cozy nook with pillows, sensory tools, or flexible seating. A calming corner is great for all students, not just those with identified needs.

6. Make Your Board Interactive

Let your students be part of the display.

Interactive bulletin boards help students feel seen and involved while keeping your space fresh and fun. From reading walls to kindness challenges, even weekly puzzles or STEM prompts, there are so many ways to turn your board into a meaningful part of the day.

We Are Teachers shares a great roundup called 40 Unique Interactive Bulletin Boards to Engage Your Students with tons of easy ideas you can try right away.

7. Set Up a Reading Strategy Wall

Reading is more than decoding, it’s thinking, connecting, and understanding.

This Pinterest find is a great example of a bulletin board that supports reading comprehension. It breaks down strategies like predicting, visualizing, and asking questions. It’s a fantastic resource to keep up all year long.

The key is making them interactive and personal. When students see their own learning reflected in these displays, or when they can contribute their own insights and experiences, that’s when the real magic happens. It transforms a simple bulletin board into a collaborative learning space that evolves with each cohort of students.

What are some of your favorite bulletin board ideas? Do you create the same bulletin board for each new school year? Comment below and share your favorites!

What to do when a child is still mouthing everything…

So, I am addressing this issue this week because it is only the first week of school and already a bunch of teachers and some friends have asked for advice about their student or their own child in regards to kids putting inedible objects in their mouth.  Here is what I told them:

During infancy, children go through a developmental phase of putting things in their mouth.  Toys, feet, clothing and everything else goes right in the mouth.  This continues throughout  the toddler years, and then they eventually outgrow it.  At least, you hope they do!

Chewing on the neck of a shirt is a common form of oral input for kids who are sensory seekers.

So why are they doing it? 

It is possible that your child is seeking oral sensory input. This means that they crave the sensations of having things in their mouth and may feel pleasure from the sensations of sucking, chewing, or licking. It might provide them comfort when they are upset or make them comfortable when they are relaxed and playing. Sometimes it even helps them to focus and pay attention. It depends on the kid!

So what can you do as a parent or a teacher?

As a teacher you should speak to the child privately about it.  Tell them that you have noticed this habit and you are concerned because of germs, they are ruining their nice clothing, etc.  Tell them that you would like to help them break this habit.  With the child’s help, decide on a non-verbal signal that you will use to remind the child not to put things in their mouth.  An example could be tapping his desk as you walk by, making direct eye contact and nodding at him, etc.   The purpose is to alert the child of the behavior, not to alert his classmates or embarrass him.

Also, talk to the parent.  Inform them what you are seeing and why you are concerned. They may have not noticed or they may not realize that the mouthing is developmentally inappropriate.  Or, they may have some background info in regards to why it is happening (dental issues, speech therapy issues, sensory issues, etc.) .   Tell the parent that you are open to helping the child to break the habit and let them know about the system you came up with (like the nod or the tap).  If you are open to it and the school allows it, tell the parent to send in sugar-free chewing gum.  If the child is craving oral input, chewing gum once or twice a day may be enough input to wean them from the habit.   Don’t worry about what other kids will say if one child gets to chew gum.  Explain that it is simply a tool that “Johnnie” needs in order to focus and do his work.  Point out that some kids have a pencil grip and some kids don’t.  Some kids have a cushion seat and some kids have a visual calendar on their desk.  Gum is just another “school tool” that some kids use, and some kids don’t.  End of story.

Gum can be sensory “tool” at school

These are all options to send in for snacks so your child can receive extra oral input throughout the day. You can also give them things that require hard sucking through a straw, such as drinkable yogurt—the thicker the better. Make sure you give them a straw! Notice that I wrote “sugar-free” for the candy objects. Sour is great, but sugar can lead to increased hyperactivity and a consequential crash when the sugar high is done. Try to give them really crunchy cereal for breakfast before they go to school.

For drinks at school, send in water bottles with a sports cap.  Ask the teacher if the child can keep the bottle on the desk.  These tops are chewable, and they are much more socially appropriate.  Try to use a thermos with a plastic straw. If possible, put a regular straw inside the short straw of the thermos.  This will encourage your child to suck up their drink, rather than to tip the spout into their mouth, which does not provide as much sensory input.   At home, use a silly straw for regular drinks, because they require more sucking.

After school, provide your child with non-food sensory input items.  Teach them how to blow up balloons and blow bubbles of all different sizes.  Try to spend some time giving your child sensory input through their mouth every day.  This will help them learn how to self-regulate the amount of sensory input they need.  Use a vibrating toothbrush instead of a regular one.  Set a timer or sing the ABC song and use the toothbrush for a little longer than usual. If they like it, brush more often. It can’t hurt!

Sucking is harder to do than just drinking

Some objects are available through therapy catalogues that are specifically geared for kids who crave oral sensory input.  Chewelry, Chewy tubes, and Pencil Toppers are just a few.  You can try these out and see if they help at all.

These suggestions are simple solutions to help a common problem.  If your child continues to persist in putting inedible objects in their mouth, see your physician or contact an Occupational Therapist or Speech Therapist for help.

Do you have any other techniques that have worked?  Please share with us!

~ Miss Jaime, O.T.