Are you looking for tips on how to hang string lights in your classroom? Teachers are using string lights in their classroom for ambient lighting. There are LED strip lights, LED string lights, and fairy lights with dimmers. For many types of lights, you can change the colors based on the holidays and mood you want to set in your class. If your school has block days, you can adjust the colors depending on which block day you have in school. You can also let a student choose a different color each day for an interactive atmosphere in your class.

I love to find awesome classroom decor ideas. As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a commission for purchases using my links. Click on the pictures to see the lights used on Amazon.

Where to Hang String Lights in Your Classroom

String lights can be hung around classroom windows, whiteboards, and ceiling panels. Here are examples of areas in the classroom that can have string lights.

Hang string lights from the ceiling: String lights can be run along the grooves of the classroom ceiling to add an interesting vibe to the room. These LED fairy lights have a dimmer and they come with a remote. See the right ceiling hooks you will need for this in this blog post.

Hang lights around your whiteboard area: These LED strip lights can be lined around your whiteboard and adjacent bulletin boards to give a beautiful glow.

Hang string lights around bulletin boards: The first illuminated bulletin board has twinkling lights on the front and a different kind around the edges. The second bulletin board is backlit with these strip lights.

Frame your classroom window with string lights: Most classroom windows have metal framing that is magnetic. This makes it so easy to hang string lights around it using magnetic hooks along window frame.

Get Mobile Lighting with a light tree: A light tree looks like string lights in a tree but the lights are actually part of the tree. A light tree can be moved around and plugged into different spots in the classroom.

Use string lights with neon light signs: This pink themed classroom has pink wallpaper, with pink string lights and a pink sign language neon sign. This is an example of using one color theme for the classroom wall decor.

How to Hang String Lights in your Classroom

String lights can be hung from your classroom ceiling and also be hung on your classroom walls. Ceiling hooks are used to hang string lights from the ceiling. Teachers decorate walls with string lights by bordering their whiteboards and bulletin boards with it, and by bordering the wall edges as well. See instructions for installing string lights on the ceiling and the walls, below.

If you are to move to a new classroom and would want to take your string lights with you, when you first mount them up on your wall, do not remove the peel-off strip. Just tape them to the wall (as is) and peel off the tape when you are ready to remove the lights.

How to Hang String Lights from Your Classroom Ceiling

Use strong magnetic hooks to hang string lights along magnetic surfaces on your ceiling. 

There are also clear T-bar ceiling hooks that go along ceiling rails. That is the grid of your ceiling. I would prefer to use clear hooks for this because they reflect the light of the string lights, and this adds more sparkle to your display. 

For along the edges, where your ceiling meets the wall, you can use thick double sided clear tape to hang LED lights there.

How to Stick String Lights to the Classroom Wall

There is a way to hang up string lights on your classroom wall without having to drill holes in the wall. Use thick double sided clear tape.

Super adhesive double-sided clear tape: The string lights can be lined up with a strip of adhesive tape that you can basically roll out and stick as you go. This EZ tape is one that teachers use for LED lights. I learned about how to hang string lights with double sided tape from a fellow teacher.

Always be sure to protect your wall from paint damage by prepping it with painter’s tape. You should put down lengths of painters’ tape along the areas where you want to put the double sided tape, then apply the double sided tape over the painter’s tape.

Large Bulb String Lights for the Classroom

Outdoor string lights can be hung from the classroom ceiling using strong ceiling hooks for a dramatic effect. The bulbs aren’t as large as regular bulbs, but they are larger than typical string light bulbs. These kinds of bulb lights are popular for upper elementary and middle school classrooms with a farmhouse theme. This is a practical way to beautify a classroom without making it look to cutesy.

If you have extra hooks and tapes from hanging up string lights, save the hooks for hanging up paper lanterns from your ceiling. The tapes can always be used for bulletin boards and posters. For making your bulletin boards stay up on cinder block walls, I have some helpful tips in this blog post.

Glass-free String Lights for Classrooms

Use unbreakable string lights: Plastic glass-free string lights for classrooms are prefered because you don’t have to worry about them getting pulled and breaking. These no-glass string lights are shatterproof.

How Teachers Are Using String Lights in Their Classrooms

49.2ft Globe String Lights	65.6FT Globe String Lights

33ft Smart Color Changing Globe String Lights	33ft LED Globe String Lights

Outdoor String Lights with Remote	White ceiling string lights for classroom

Pink string lights for classrooms. It can change colors.	Blue string lights for classrooms. They change color with remote.

Use vine string lights for around your whiteboard: These vine lights are both battery operated and can be plugged in. This teacher opted to plug them in and put them on a timer.

I hope this has helped you get ideas for how to hang string lights in your classroom.