Put the Tension Back Into Your Classroom?

Kind of a funny title for a blog post, right? Actually I am talking about tension rods. In case you haven’t realized it before, tension rods can be used a ton of ways in your classroom! Tension rods are relatively inexpensive, as are S-clips or O-rings you might need to use as the hanging piece.

I am talking about tension rods. In case you haven’t realized it before, tension rods can be used a ton of ways in your classroom! Check out this post!

I have a few ideas I have come up with in the past, and I did a little scouring of Pinterest and the web to find even more useful ideas so you could use those that will work within your own space. Check them all out below!

What are some quick and easy ways to use tension rods in the classroom?

DIY Roll-Out-A-Center: This is a fun way to use a spring tension curtain rod without actually putting it in the window! It’s perfect for setting up a fun center area that’s virtually no-prep on your part!

Hanging Around for Chart Organization: Use tension rods to hang heavy or large items out of the way without needing any tools. I love being able to organize classroom posters by month simply by getting them off the ground or out of a storage box to visually see what is there to use.

Washi Board Tools (use a decorated tension rod as a pointer): This example showcases how to use an adjustable rod of any size that is appropriate for your students to make a pointer. This time you won’t be hanging the rod anywhere.

A Puppet Theater: I love, love, love this idea to hang curtains from a heavy duty spring to create a classroom puppet theater for imaginative play or even as a tool for differentiation!

Use paper and a rod to create curtains: Who needs fabric to create classroom curtains? Some fire marshals won’t allow fabric in the classroom due to fire regulations. Paper and a plain border create the same look and easily adjusts to whatever length or classroom theme you wish to display.

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Some more clever and cheap ideas for using tension rods if you have a small closet:

Cover shelving or closets: Have an open supply shelf you want to hide because it tends to get a bit cluttered? Easy to install tension rods to the rescue!

Another example of using a home decor item in the classroom to create a great hiding place for all those classroom materials you don’t want as distractions during an instructional time.

Create a Supply Center: Have littles who can’t always reach the supplies on higher shelves? Here is a fun solution using a rod and empty gallon water or milk jugs!

Organize Filing Cabinets: Who needs hanging file racks? Create your own for your student files in any space by placing two tension rods parallel to one another and placing the hanging file folders on top. Pop your files inside and you are an organizational magnet.

Create Beautiful Classroom Displays: Binder rings are one of my favorite organizing supplies in the classroom. Even better when you can use them for something unexpected! How about this gorgeous student display that just requires rods, binder rings, and clear sheet protectors? Love!

There are so many ways to be creative with tension rods! What do you think you could use them for in your classroom? I would love to hear your ideas in a comment below!