My Classroom

DIY Dry Erase Calendar

How to create your own dry erase calendar under $5.

DIY Calendar created under $5.

Looking for a simple way to stay organized? Maybe you are looking to fill a space with a cute design. After countless hours looking for the right calendar in stores and exploring inspiration on Pinterest, I just could not find a calendar to fit my space nor could I find the style I was looking for. I wanted to create a big calendar in which all my students could see AND have it be cute, stylish, and fit into the overall design of my classroom theme. Bonus: It only cost me $4! I wanted to share with you how I created this DIY dry erase calendar.

Materials Needed:

  • dry erase board
  • dry erase marker
  • painters tape or masking tape
  • leveler
  • tape measure or ruler
  • X-acto knife
  • washi tape
  • optional: vinyl

First, you need to have a dry erase board. I used my classroom dry erase board but you could use any dry erase board or create your own using a big picture frame with glass.

A section of my classroom dry erase board.
I used painters tape to outline my calendar and made sure it was straight. I took washi tape and lined it up right next to my painters tape.

Using painters tape or masking tape, mark off where you want your calendar to be placed on your dry erase board. Make sure it is leveled so you don’t have a slanted calendar! Then, using washi tape, frame the outside of your calendar. Don’t worry about the corners being clean because you will cut off the excess washi tape later. When you are done outlining your calendar, take the painters tape off.

Next, use a ruler or tape measure and measure out how big you want your boxes to be. I wanted my boxes to be at least the length and width of a sticky note. I evenly spaced my boxes using a dry erase marker and a tape measure. Taking my skinny black washi tape, I placed horizontal strips to create five equal rows. I then took my skinny pink washi tape and placed it right under my black washi tape. It isn’t very noticeable, but it adds a little bit of character.

Make sure the boxes are evenly spaced.

After I finished the horizontal strips, I moved onto my vertical strips. Using the skinny black washi tape, I created five equal columns. Since I created this in my classroom, I didn’t feel like it was necessary to put Saturday and Sunday. If you do decide to include these two days, make sure to have room for two extra columns. Cut off any excess washi tape from all sides to make a clean and completed look.

The next steps are optional. Using my Cricut, I created and cut Monday through Friday labels. You can use a regular dry erase marker to create this or you can print and cut labels using Word or PowerPoint. I wanted a clean and simple look so I used black vinyl and my favorite font.

I left extra room at the top and the bottom of my calendar for extras and of course the date. Using black and pink washi tape, I created two parallel lines to create a space for the date. At the bottom of my board, I divided the section in half and labeled the sections “Goals” and “Notes”.

There are many ways to use a calendar in the classroom! Modeling how to be organized and prepared is a wonderful life tool to teach kids. Here is the final product of my DIY dry erase calendar!

Want to see more about this dry erase board and other DIY projects? Check out @FishmaninFourth on Instagram!