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October bulletin board ideas are the fastest way to bring fall and Halloween into a classroom, a church hallway or an office wall. Most of them need nothing more than colored paper, a stapler and an afternoon, and many of them put the kids or your coworkers right on the board.
Below are 24 easy October bulletin boards, sorted from pumpkin patches to spooky spiders to boards for the church lobby and the breakroom. Each idea says what to cut, what to write and how to hang it. After the list you will find a five step build that works for every board, plus a short FAQ.
If you want a craft to pair with a board, try our pumpkin painting ideas or pumpkin carving ideas.
1. A “Hello Pumpkin” board with patterned pumpkins
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Start with a wood look paper backdrop and a big bold “Hello Pumpkin” header. Then cover the bottom edge with pumpkins in mixed patterns and colors, such as plaid, polka dots and teal.
Cut each pumpkin from scrapbook paper so it takes about ten minutes to make. A few paper leaves and a twine garland across the top finish the look.
2. An “Our Reading Patch” board for pumpkin book reports
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This one turns book reports into a pumpkin patch. Each student fills in a paper pumpkin with the title of a book and one thing they liked, then it hangs on a little paper vine.
Black paper behind the pumpkins makes the orange pop. Real faux leaves around the edge add depth for very little money.
3. A “Love Our Patch” board with crinkled paper leaves
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Crinkle brown butcher paper into a trunk, then glue real looking fall leaves in a swoop across the board. Black paper bats add a little spooky fun without making it scary for young kids.
Ask each child to decorate a small pumpkin with a smiling face and line them up along the bottom as the patch.
4. A red truck hauling a load of pumpkin crafts
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Draw a big red pickup truck on bulletin board paper and cut it out in two pieces so the bed sits in front of the pumpkins. Pile the pumpkin crafts into the back so they spill over the sides.
Googly eyes on each pumpkin make this one a favorite with preschoolers and daycare rooms. Add a couple of sunflowers at the corner for a farm feel.
5. A full barn and pumpkin field scene from recycled paper
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Build a little farm scene with a red barn at the back, rows of pumpkins in the field and a black picket fence across the front. Brown packing paper makes great cornstalks, and old wrapping paper works for the leaves on the tree.
It is a good board for teaching kids that not everything has to be bought new.
6. A fall hayride with every child riding along
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Cut a red tractor and a hay wagon from paper, then tape a small self portrait on each child’s seat. Black paper bats fly above and a field of jack o’ lanterns runs along the bottom.
It works well for a daycare or kindergarten door wall, because each child can find themselves on the ride.
7. “Carve Out Time to Read” with jack o’ lantern book reports
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White paper pumpkins with carved faces stand in for the jack o’ lanterns, and each one carries a short note about a favorite book. A teal border makes the white and orange stand out.
It is a neat way to hold the reading display for the whole month, because the pumpkins can be added one by one.
8. “Scary Good Stories” for creative writing displays
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Cut pumpkin shapes from orange paper and let students copy their short spooky stories onto a white label in the middle. Hang the pumpkins from a black board with a paper banner for the title.
It makes a great hallway display, since people stop to read the stories. Wrap the edges with burlap or orange ribbon for a rustic look.
9. A web of learning with handprint spiders
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Trace each child’s hands in white or gray paint, add eight legs and cut them out as spiders. Spread them across a black board with yarn or white marker lines for the web.
The words can change with the lesson, so use “Caught in a Web of Learning” for math facts, sight words or spelling.
10. A big spider guarding a web of Halloween books
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A giant black paper spider sits in the corner of an orange board, and small Halloween book covers sit in the web. Print the covers of your favorite spooky or funny books to hang up.
The headline “Get Caught in a Good Book” invites kids to borrow one from the shelf below.
11. Creepy twisted trees with peeking googly eyes
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Twist brown paper into bare branches across a deep blue board and hide big googly eyes between them. A few fall leaves keep it from looking too frightening.
The header “Read More BOOks” tells kids to take a book home, and you can add a leaf for every book finished.
12. A spooktacular row of grinning pumpkins
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Cover a black board and line up hand drawn pumpkins with friendly or spooky faces along the bottom. Add a bare tree on one side and tall paper cornstalks on the other.
It is a great class craft because every pumpkin can have a different face, and nobody has to draw perfectly.
13. “Whooo’s Ready for Fall?” with owls and a haunted house
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Start with a blue sky and green hills, then add friendly owls, pumpkins, bats and a little haunted house on the hill. Put each student’s name on a pumpkin or a leaf so everyone is part of the scene.
It is playful rather than scary, which makes it a nice choice for a school that is not fond of Halloween.
14. Happy Fall Gnomies
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Make a row of little paper gnomes, each with a different hat cut from patterned paper and a fluffy white beard. Add the name of each student under the beard.
The cream background and neutral patterns give it a modern farmhouse look that suits a classroom, a church nursery or a front office.
15. “Leaf Through a Good Book” with a book leaf tree
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Paint a brown paper tree on a green board and add real paper leaves in all the fall colors. Each time a student reads a book, they add the title to a leaf and stick it to the tree.
By the end of the month, the tree is full, and the reading progress is easy to see from across the hall.
16. “We Are Nuts About You” with squirrels and acorns
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Two cartoon squirrels hold a basket of acorns on a bright yellow board. Write each child’s name on an acorn so every student has a spot.
A garland of faux leaves along the bottom edge ties it to the season, and it is easy to reuse for the first week of school.
17. A scarecrow watching over the pick of the crop
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A tall scarecrow stands guard next to a paper tree with falling leaves. A patch of pumpkins sits at his feet, and the headline reads “We Are the Pick of the Crop.”
Use brown paper bags torn into strips for the tree trunk so the bark has real texture.
18. “We’ve Got Lots to Crow About” with a scarecrow and crows
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A patchwork scarecrow stands in the middle of a dark blue board while white paper crows fly around him. Ask students to write one thing they are proud of on each crow.
It is a good one for parent night because the board shows each child’s success at a glance.
19. “Fall Is Llamazing” for a silly twist
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Hang a hand drawn llama with a pumpkin spice latte on a black board and spell out the title with green square letters. Add fall leaves and a string of pom poms across the top.
A pun like this one is an easy way to get a smile from kids and coworkers alike.
20. “Pumpkin Spice Everything Nice” kindness cups
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Cut paper coffee cups with a pumpkin spice label and let each student write what being nice means to them. Stick the cups in rows across a black board with a big pumpkin in the corner.
The kind words can double as a lesson, and the cups are quick to cut from white paper and a strip of green.
21. S’more Math, Please, with a paper campfire
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Build a campfire from brown paper logs and orange and yellow flames, then add small paper s’mores that carry math facts or tips. A bare tree and a few fall leaves frame the scene.
It works for any subject, so swap the math facts for spelling words or vocabulary.
22. A latte learning wall for the breakroom or office
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Print a small paper latte cup for every person and hang them on a wood look backdrop under the slogan “A Latte Learning Happens Here.” Everyone can write their name or a fun fact on their cup.
It is a cute idea for a teacher lounge, a church coffee corner or an office kitchen.
23. A PTA board with a layered paper tree and 3D pumpkins
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Cut a trunk and branches from craft paper and glue dozens of fall leaves on in layers. Fold or curl strips of orange paper into little 3D pumpkins and set them along the base.
The layered leaves give a lot of depth, and the “Happy Fall Y’all” header works for a school lobby, a church foyer or an office entry.
24. A thankful and give back board for church or work
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Pin a few fall leaves and a paper cornucopia to a cork board and add the words “Let’s Be Thankful and Give Back.” Then post the details of a food drive or a service project beside it.
It is a quick, low cost board that moves the focus from decorating to doing something kind in November.
How to put up October bulletin board ideas in five steps
- Cover the board with fresh paper or fabric first, because the backdrop sets the whole mood. Black, navy, teal and kraft paper all make orange and yellow stand out.
- Add a border. Scalloped paper, a strip of burlap or a garland of faux leaves hides the staples and makes the board look finished.
- Cut your title letters last but hang them first, so the words sit straight and you can build the rest around them.
- Place the biggest pieces next, such as a tree, a tractor or a spider web. Then fill in with leaves, pumpkins or name cards.
- Step back across the room and check that you can read the title. If a corner looks empty, add a few leaves or a pumpkin.
For a Thanksgiving follow up in November, our fall basket centerpieces and Thanksgiving table decor ideas pair nicely with a thankful board.
FAQ
Quick answers about timing, supplies and rules for hanging decorations.
When should I put up an October bulletin board?
Most teachers put the board up in the last days of September or the first week of October so it is ready for the month. A pumpkin or leaf board can stay up through Thanksgiving, while a spooky board comes down right after Halloween.
What supplies do I need for a bulletin board?
You need background paper, a border, a stapler, scissors and construction paper in fall colors. Glue sticks, googly eyes, markers and a few faux leaves from a dollar store cover almost every idea here.
How do I make a board that is not too scary for young kids?
Pick friendly versions of the Halloween shapes, such as smiling pumpkins, owls, gnomes and scarecrows. Leave out gore and add bats, spiders and ghosts with big eyes, so the board stays playful.
Are there rules about how much paper I can hang?
Many schools and churches limit how much of a wall paper decorations can cover. Ask your office or fire marshal before you cover a whole hallway, and keep paper away from lights and heaters.
