Pineapple Summer Bulletin Board
As the school year winds down and the countdown to summer begins, I always find myself looking for something cheerful and easy to brighten up our classroom walls one last time. I wanted a quick, low-prep idea that would keep my students engaged while giving our classroom a fresh, sunny vibe for the final weeks of school.
Enter: the pineapple summer bulletin board!
This project turned out to be the perfect combination of simple prep, creative fun, and colorful results. It gave my students a chance to use a variety of art skills – including coloring, outlining, painting, and cutting – while also adding a burst of tropical sunshine to our classroom decor.
The Inspiration Behind the Pineapple Project
The idea started when I stumbled upon the most adorable pineapple faces from Creative Clips by Krista Wallden. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a big fan of her work, and honestly, when I saw these pineapples, I was instantly obsessed!
Krista’s clip art features clean, black lines that make it perfect for classroom art projects. Her designs are simple enough for young students to work with, but they also have those whimsical details that give every piece so much personality.
Getting Started: Pineapple Summer Bulletin Board Materials
To create this summer bulletin board, I started by opening the pineapple images in PowerPoint and enlarging them. I wanted the pineapples to be big enough to make a statement on our wall display, so I sized them to fit perfectly on cardstock. Printing on heavier paper keeps them from wrinkling once watercolor paint is added.
I printed a few different pineapple options so my students could choose their favorite face, because we all know how much kindergarteners love to have choices!
Here’s what we used for this project:
- Printed pineapple templates (on white cardstock)
- Crayons for outlining
- Watercolors and paintbrushes
- Scissors
- Black construction paper for the background display
- The “Pineapple Summer” bulletin board sign (link below!)
Step-by-Step: Creating the Pineapples
We started by outlining the pineapples with crayons. This small step really helps the colors pop once students start painting. I encouraged them to use bold, bright shades like yellow, orange, and green—perfect tropical tones for summer.
Then we headed outside to paint! I love moving art projects outdoors whenever possible. Not only does it give students a little extra space, but it also helps with cleanup and gives them a breath of fresh air.
Each student used watercolor paints to fill in their pineapple. The combination of crayon and watercolor creates that wonderful resist effect where the outlines stand out and the colors blend beautifully. Some students chose realistic color schemes, while others went wild with rainbow pineapples, and both turned out fantastic!
Once the paint dried, we carefully cut out each pineapple. I love letting students do their own cutting whenever possible; it’s such good fine motor practice and gives each piece its own charm.
Displaying the Pineapple Summer Bulletin Board
When all the pineapples were finished, we assembled them on our bulletin board with a bold black background. I absolutely love how bright colors pop against black paper—it makes every pineapple shine!
For the centerpiece, I created a fun Pineapple Summer sign using a mix of beautiful KG Fonts, including one appropriately named Pineapple Delight. I designed the sign in PowerPoint, saved it as a PDF, and printed it in poster size using a method I found on Pinterest (and it worked perfectly!).
After laminating the sign, I handed it off to my husband to assemble while I “supervised” from the kitchen, otherwise known as making dinner. Let’s just say attention to detail isn’t always my strong suit, so I’m grateful for his help!
If you’d like to grab a copy of the Pineapple Quote Poster, you can download it by clicking on the picture below.
The finished summer bulletin board turned out better than I imagined. It was colorful, cheerful, and full of personality. It’s such a happy way to wrap up the year and celebrate all the sunshine ahead!
Extend the Fun with Pineapple-Themed Read-Alouds
To tie everything together, I love incorporating a few pineapple-themed stories into our reading block. Some of my favorites include:
These fun, lighthearted books are a great way to connect literacy with your art display and keep the tropical theme going.
Wrapping Up the School Year
This project is such a sweet and simple way to close out the school year. It’s quick enough to complete in a day or two, low-mess, and full of creativity—exactly what you need when energy (and attention spans!) start running low in May.
If you’re looking for even more end-of-year inspiration, check out these posts:
If you want extra summer review work for your students, check out this phonics and math worksheet packet! It’s perfect for those end-of-year days when you want to review and assess your students, making sure they are ready for 1st grade! It also works well as a summer work packet to send home!
With a little watercolor, some cardstock, and a few smiling pineapples, you can create a summer bulletin board that brings joy to your students and helps you end the year on a bright, happy note. After all, teaching is sweet—and so are pineapples!
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