We recently received this adorable bulletin board idea from Darcel and thought we'd pass it along, just in case you're searching for a fun spring/end of the year bulletin board! We like how you can draw a parallel between the transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly and the transformation that your students undergo throughout the school year - they start the year as kindergartners and end the year ready for the challenges of first grade, etc! Not to mention, a parallel can be drawn to their scholastic career as a whole; learning gives them 'wings'!

Hand Print Caterpillars

The best part about this bulletin board design is that you can get your kiddos in on the action! To create the hand print caterpillars, you'll need four prints. Have your kiddos help each other cover their palm and fingers (no thumb!) with washable craft paint, then press their painted hand to a piece of white card stock to create a print. Invite them to repeat this process three times, creating three prints side by side. This will become the caterpillar's 'body'. [NOTE: As Darcel and her kiddos did, you might consider alternating the colors used.] To create the head, have your cover only their palm with paint and add another print right next to the caterpillar 'body'. Once dry and cut out, these cutesy caterpillars can be arranged around the bulletin board!

Waiting for Wings!

• Background: Cover the top two-thirds of the bulletin board with bright blue background paper. Cut a strip of green bulletin board paper to cover the bottom third using scissors to shape the top edge to look like grass.
• Title: "Waiting for Wings!"
• Border: Spring themed trimmer or complimentary solid/patterned bulletin board border.
• Decoration: 1) The Tree. Draw or trace a large tree trunk shape onto brown bulletin board paper. For the foliage, cut a large cloud-like shape from green bulletin board paper. Attach both of these to the bulletin board and, if desired, stuff a bit of cotton batting or scrunched paper behind the shapes to add some dimension. 2) The Caterpillars. Use your kiddos' creations, adding faces and antennae to the caterpillars with black permanent marker and printing student names onto leaf cutouts to attach beside their work!