Planning a school carnival is exciting until you start thinking about decorations. Between tight PTA budgets, limited setup time, and volunteer crews that change every year, the decorating part can feel like the hardest piece of the puzzle. But it doesn’t have to be.

At CountyFairs USA, we’ve been covering fairs, festivals, and carnival events since 1999. We’ve seen school carnivals done beautifully on shoestring budgets and we’ve seen expensive setups that fell flat. The difference almost always comes down to choosing the right decorations, not the most decorations. Here are six easy carnival decorations perfect for schools that look great, cost little, and take almost no time to set up.

1. Colorful Pennant Banners

If you only buy one decoration for your school carnival, make it pennant banners. Nothing creates an instant carnival atmosphere faster than strings of colorful triangular flags stretched across a space. A single 100-foot roll covers a surprising amount of ground and costs less than $10.

Pennant banners work in almost any school setting. Stretch them across gymnasium ceilings, drape them along outdoor fences, or hang them down hallways to guide families through the event. The best part is they’re reusable. Fold them up after the carnival and store them for next year.

  • Red and white striped pennants give a classic big-top circus feel that screams carnival instantly.
  • Multi-color pennants in primary colors work for any theme and add energy to both indoor and outdoor setups.
  • Hang them at varying heights across your main entrance for a layered, eye-catching first impression that sets the tone for the whole event.

2. Balloon Clusters at Entryways

Balloons are one of the easiest carnival decorations perfect for schools because they deliver high visual impact for very little money. You don’t even need helium. Simple air-filled balloon clusters attached to doorways, booth corners, and welcome areas create a festive look that kids and parents notice right away.

An electric balloon inflator costs around $15 and speeds up setup dramatically. One or two parent volunteers can inflate hundreds of balloons in under an hour.

  • Stick to three or four bold colors that match your carnival theme or your school colors for a cohesive look.
  • Mix standard balloons with a few oversized ones to create visual variety without adding complexity.
  • Attach clusters to booth frames, doorways, and fence posts using simple ribbon or zip ties. No fancy balloon arches required.

3. DIY Carnival Booth Signs

A folding table with a game on it looks like a folding table. Add a bold, hand-painted sign above it and suddenly it looks like a real carnival game booth. Signage is one of the most overlooked school carnival decorations, and it makes one of the biggest differences.

The materials are simple and cheap. Poster board, foam board, markers, and craft paint are all you need. Include the game name, a quick “How to Play” note, and the prize levels.

  • Laminate signs or use foam board so they hold up outdoors and can be reused at future events.
  • Get students involved by assigning sign-making to art classes or student council as a pre-carnival project.
  • Use bright, contrasting colors like yellow text on red backgrounds or white text on blue for readability from a distance.

4. Bold Tablecloths in Carnival Colors

This is the simplest upgrade on the list, and it makes a bigger difference than most people expect. Covering every booth table with a bright plastic tablecloth in red, yellow, blue, or white ties the entire carnival together visually. Without them, your event looks like a collection of random folding tables. With them, it looks like a coordinated carnival.

Plastic tablecloths from dollar stores or bulk party suppliers cost less than a dollar each. For a more polished look, use a solid-color cloth as the base and add a contrasting table runner or a striped overlay for that classic big-top vibe.

5. A Welcome Entrance Setup

First impressions matter, and families form their opinion about your school carnival the moment they walk through the entrance. A dedicated welcome area tells everyone they’ve arrived somewhere special.

You don’t need anything elaborate. A simple archway made from PVC pipes and colorful fabric, a hand-painted banner, or even a large printed sign zip-tied to a fence does the job.

  • Add a photo spot at the entrance with a simple backdrop so families snap pictures as they arrive. These photos get shared on social media and become free promotion for next year’s event.
  • Use pool noodles and streamers to create a lightweight, colorful archway that’s easy to assemble and take apart.
  • Place a few tall inflatable decorations near the entrance to add height and visibility from the parking lot or street.

6. Hanging Decorations and Ceiling Swirls

Most school carnival decorating happens at table height, which means the space above eye level gets completely ignored. That’s a missed opportunity, especially in gyms and cafeterias with high ceilings.

Tissue paper pom-poms, paper lanterns, and hanging swirl decorations are inexpensive and easy to hang with fishing line or removable adhesive hooks. They add texture and movement to any indoor space.

  • Hang decorations at different heights to create a layered, three-dimensional effect that draws eyes upward.
  • Add LED string lights or glow sticks for evening carnival events when the gym lights go down and the midway comes alive.
  • Store everything in labeled bins by color and type so next year’s volunteer crew can set up quickly without guessing.

Quick Setup Tips for School Carnival Decorations

Even the easiest decorations need a plan. At CountyFairs USA, we’ve seen school carnival committees save hours of stress just by following a few basic setup principles.

  • Start with the entrance and work inward. The welcome area sets the mood for everything else.
  • Assign decoration zones to different volunteer teams so setup runs in parallel rather than one bottleneck at a time.
  • Set up the day before if your school allows it. Removing day-of decoration stress lets volunteers focus on games, food, and guest experience.
  • Focus on high-traffic areas first. The entrance, food area, and main game booths are where most photos get taken and most memories are made.

Make It Fun Without Making It Complicated

Decorating for a school carnival doesn’t require a professional event planner or a massive budget. These six easy carnival decorations perfect for schools prove that a few well-chosen, affordable items can turn any gym, cafeteria, or schoolyard into a festive midway that families remember for years.

The best part is nearly everything on this list is reusable. Buy once, store carefully, and your carnival committee will thank you for years to come.

Find more carnival, fair, and festival ideas at CountyFairs USA.