How I Make Giant Foam Board Props for School Events and Parties

If you’ve ever priced custom standees or large event decorations, you know they can get expensive fast.

Over the years, I’ve created giant custom props for birthday parties, school events, PTO programs, holiday displays, Teacher Appreciation Week, and photo booths. Some have been simple character standees. Others have been nearly six feet tall and large enough to transform an entire room.

People often assume these decorations are professionally fabricated, but most of them are made using the same inexpensive method: printed graphics mounted to Dollar Tree foam board.

The process is surprisingly simple, relatively inexpensive, lightweight enough to move around easily, and sturdy enough to reuse year after year when stored properly.

Today I’m sharing the exact method I use to create giant custom foam board props for parties, school events, and holiday displays.

Why I Love Foam Board Props

There are plenty of ways to create large decorations, but foam board has become my favorite for several reasons.

First, it’s affordable.

Second, it’s lightweight.

Third, it can be completely customized to match any theme imaginable.

Because the finished props are so lightweight, they’re easy to transport, set up, move around during an event, and store afterward.

I’ve used this technique to create:

• Birthday party standees
• School mascot displays
• Holiday decorations
• Teacher Appreciation Week props
• Photo booth pieces
• Event signage
• Character cutouts
• Attraction-inspired backdrops

Once you learn the basic process, you can adapt it to almost any event.

Supplies You’ll Need

Here’s what I typically use:

• ChatGPT (optional for creating artwork)
• Canva
• CVS Repositionable Banner Prints
• Dollar Tree Foam Board (20” × 30”, approximately .213” thick)
• Masking tape
• Sharp X-Acto knife
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Scissors
• Fine-grit sandpaper (optional)

Most of these supplies are inexpensive, and many are reusable from project to project.

Step 1: Create Your Design

The first step is creating the artwork.

Sometimes I design graphics myself in Canva. Other times I use ChatGPT to help generate custom artwork and then bring those images into Canva for final editing and sizing.

Canva acts as my production software. I use it to:

• Remove backgrounds
• Add text
• Resize graphics
• Create print layouts
• Set exact dimensions

One thing I love about Canva is the ability to create custom-sized files.

For most of my large props, I create a file measuring:

24 inches × 72 inches

This matches the size of the repositionable banner prints I order later.

If your design is smaller than that, you’ll have extra printable space available. I never let that space go to waste.

Maximize Every Square Inch

One of my favorite money-saving tricks is filling unused areas of a print with additional graphics.

For example, when I created a 3.5 foot Roblox avatar standee for my daughter’s birthday party, the avatar itself didn’t fill the entire 24” × 72” print area.

Rather than leaving the remaining space blank, I added graphics for a “Pin the Hat on the Bacon” game in the unused section of the file.

The result?

Two projects printed for the price of one banner.

I use this trick constantly and highly recommend it whenever you’re ordering large-format prints.

Step 2: Order the Print

Once the design is finished, I export the file from Canva as a PNG and order it as a CVS Repositionable Poster Print .

Saving Money on Large-Format Prints

One question I get whenever I mention CVS repositionable banners is whether they’re expensive.

The regular price for a 24” × 72” repositionable banner is around $51.99, which can feel a little steep if you’re making multiple props.

The good news is that CVS frequently offers coupon codes for large-format printing. I never pay full price for banner prints.

Most of the time, I can find a 60% off coupon, and if I’m planning well in advance, I’m often able to take advantage of 80% off promotions. Because these discounts are offered so regularly, I usually wait to place my order until a good coupon becomes available.

At 60% off, a banner costs about $20.80.

At 80% off, the same banner costs only about $10.40.

That’s one of the reasons I try to maximize every square inch of printable space. If I have extra room on a banner, I’ll often add smaller graphics, signs, game pieces, or decorative elements so I can get multiple projects from a single print.

For example, when I created my daughter’s Roblox avatar standee, I used the unused space on the same banner to print graphics for a matching party game. For Paineland, I often filled extra space with smaller decorations, signs, or cutout elements that could be used elsewhere in the room.

A little planning can stretch one banner much further than you might expect.

This is one of my favorite event decorating hacks.

The banners are:

• Large format
• Vibrantly printed
• Self-adhesive
• Removable
• Easy to work with

Most importantly, they eliminate the need for spray adhesive or messy glues.

The adhesive on the back is strong enough to permanently mount to foam board while still allowing careful repositioning if necessary.

Step 3: Assemble the Foam Board Base

Before attaching the printed graphic, I build a foam board base that matches the size of the finished design.

For smaller projects (less than 20 inches by 30 inches), a single foam board sheet will be enough.

For larger projects, I simply tape multiple foam board sheets together using masking tape.

Dollar Tree foam boards measure approximately:

20 inches × 30 inches

Since the largest banner print is 24” × 72”, you’ll usually need multiple sheets taped together to create a surface large enough for mounting.

For extra-large projects, I continue adding additional foam boards as needed. Just lay them side by side and overlap masking tape on neighboring foam boards.

One example was a Santa Husky display I created for our school’s Holiday Shop. The finished standee measured approximately four feet wide and nearly six feet tall. I laid out and taped together 8 foam boards, leaving a total area that was 60 inches wide by 80 inches tall.

Because the design exceeded the maximum print size, it required two separate banner prints and multiple foam board sheets joined together.

Here is what the graphics I ordered looked like. In Canva, I duplicated the image that was as tall as I wanted, on the original image I slid the design fully to the right. On the duplicate image, I slid the graphic to the left. There was a slight overlap which allowed me to line up the designs on foam board. 

Here are the 2 printed banners side by side: 

Step 4: Attach the Printed Graphic

Once the foam board base is assembled, I cut the printed graphic from the banner using scissors.

Next comes the most important step:

Take your time.

I start at one edge and slowly peel away the backing while pressing the graphic onto the foam board.

Working gradually from one side to the other helps prevent wrinkles and air bubbles.

Although the repositionable adhesive technically allows you to lift and reposition the print if necessary, you’ll get the best results if you work slowly and carefully the first time.

The adhesive is strong enough that no additional glue is required.

Step 5: Cut Out the Shape

After the graphic is fully mounted, it’s time to cut out the prop.

I place the foam board on a self-healing cutting mat and use a sharp X-Acto knife to carefully follow the outer edge of the design.

A fresh blade isn’t always necessary, but a sharp blade definitely is.

If the blade begins dragging or tearing the paper instead of cutting cleanly, replace it.

For detailed areas, I recommend making multiple light passes rather than trying to force the knife through in a single cut.

Slow and steady produces cleaner results.

Fixing Imperfect Edges

Even with careful cutting, foam board edges aren’t always perfect.

If needed, I lightly sand rough areas using fine-grit sandpaper.

A few quick passes can make a surprisingly big difference and help the finished prop look much more polished.

Step 6: Make It Stand Up

One of the questions I get most often is:

“How do you make them stand on their own?”

The answer is simple.

I use the scraps left over from the foam board itself.

After cutting out the prop, I usually have several corner pieces remaining. I cut those scraps into triangular supports and attach them to the back of the prop using masking tape.

The exact dimensions don’t need to be perfect.

Typically, my supports are:

• Approximately 8 inches deep
• About three-quarters the height of the foam board they came from

I tape one edge of the triangle to the back of the prop, creating a hinged support similar to an easel.

Because they’re attached with tape, the supports can easily fold flat when it’s time to store the decoration.

Creating Larger Props

When a design exceeds the maximum 24” × 72” print size, I simply divide it into multiple sections.

To make alignment easier, I intentionally include approximately one inch of overlapping artwork between the sections.

That overlap gives me room to line everything up accurately when mounting the pieces to foam board.

This method allows me to create props much larger than a single print.

The Santa Husky display mentioned earlier required two separate banner prints and multiple foam board sheets but assembled beautifully using this approach.

There really isn’t a practical size limit beyond the amount of wall space, foam board, and patience you’re willing to invest.

Indoor Use and Storage

These props are surprisingly durable.

Most of mine are used indoors because foam board is not waterproof and can warp if exposed to moisture.

For storage, I simply fold the support stands flat or remove and re-tape them later.

The props slide easily between shelving units, against a wall, or behind furniture where they take up very little space.

Many of my props have survived multiple years of use with only minor touch-ups.

Examples of Projects I’ve Made Using This Method

This technique has become my go-to solution for custom event decor.

Some examples include:

Roblox Avatar Birthday Party Standee

A 2-foot-wide by 3½-foot-tall character standee created from a single banner print. I used the extra print space for a matching party game graphic.

Santa Husky Holiday Shop Display

A nearly 6-foot-tall school mascot display assembled from two banner prints and multiple foam board sheets.

Paineland Teacher Appreciation Week Props

From oversized signs to attraction-inspired displays, many of the custom decorations used during our Disneyland-inspired Teacher Appreciation Week were created using this exact method.

I’ll be sharing detailed tutorials for those projects in future posts.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a way to create large custom decorations without paying custom fabrication prices, this method is hard to beat.

The materials are inexpensive, the process is straightforward, and the results look far more professional than most people expect.

Whether you’re decorating for a birthday party, school event, holiday celebration, PTO fundraiser, or themed photo booth, giant foam board props can make a huge impact without a huge budget.

Once you make your first one, you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere.

Stay Tuned for More Tutorials

This foam board technique is the foundation for many of the large decorations I’ve created over the years, and it’s only the beginning. In upcoming posts, I’ll share step-by-step tutorials for some of my favorite projects, including the giant teacup ride standee, Paineland logo sign, Ear Welcome Wall topper, holiday displays, and other custom props I’ve built for school events and parties. If you’d like to see how this same method can be adapted into themed attractions, photo ops, and larger-than-life decorations, be sure to check out the rest of the series.

 

**I have included affiliate links to the products I used and can receive a small commission if a purchase is made after you click on a link in this tutorial. All items used in this tutorial were purchased by me and I did not receive anything in exchange.

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