From commercials to book covers, visual presentations usually catch your attention for one of two reasons: they are undeniably great or completely miss the mark. Your child can have the greatest science fair project in the world, but if it doesn't correctly showcase the idea, the project might be overlooked. When creating a display board, illegible text, jumbled images or poorly organized information can prevent your child from producing a great science fair project. Make sure your child's great research doesn't go to waste, and follow these tips to design a science fair display board worthy of recognition.

Choose the Right Display Size

A functional display board is the backbone of a science fair project, and its layout helps students present their research and conclusions in a logical format. If you are tempted to automatically go by the standard tri-fold presentation board, save yourself from possible frustration by planning out the display elements first. Choosing the right board size eliminates the need to try and make extra space or add filler materials later.

Make a checklist at the start of the science fair project, and create a brief outline of all the information your child needs to include, especially if you have several images. Throughout the preparation, create mock-ups of your presentation materials to make layout decisions without gluing any elements to the board.  Then, once you're comfortable, you can glue things on the board. Display boards are made from cardboard or foam, and modular presentation boards are available if you need to expand the size of a tri-fold display. For smaller presentations or additional space, use a single-surface buddy board. Regardless of the option you choose, make sure your display board complies with any provided guidelines, especially for high-level school competitions. 

Learn From the Best 

A quick Internet image search is all you need to find examples of great science fair projects. Pay attention to how these presentations achieve balance, such as color scheme, title size and photo placement, and incorporate these elements into your own design. For example, attractive presentations have enough white space between information elements to prevent a cluttered appearance, making them easier to read and scan. Rather than grouping all photos or text together, good presentations alternate these elements so huge sections of continuous text do not overwhelm the readers.

Be careful to individualize the science fair display board so it doesn't get lost in a sea of science fair projects. Make sure it stands out. While other science fair display boards can inspire and improve the presentation, make sure there's enough of an individual look to be memorable.

Use Printed Text

Avoid subjecting science fair attendees to reading tiny handwritten words with inconsistent sizing and spacing. You may be proud of your child's lovely penmanship, but other attendees are sure to appreciate the ease of reading printed text. Section headings on science fair projects also need to pop, making your child's title and general concepts discernible to people across the room. Give your title an extra boost in crowded rooms by using an attachable title header card that rises above your main display.

Stick-on letters are one smart option for creating large, colorful lettering, and your child can use a ruler and pencil to draw erasable guidelines to line up the stickers evenly. If you are still concerned about uneven headings, consider using printable display labels you can customize with your computer. Use large fonts in easily readable colors, and break up sections of information with bullets.
Just to be certain, it's a good idea to print a sample of the text that's going on the board and stand back to see if it's legible from a few feet away. After all, you don't want it to be easily read only when you're standing up close. Make sure the headers are large enough to see. 

Subdivide Your Presentation Board

Control how your reader progresses through the project details by using subtle elements to break up the sections of the display board. Ideally, a well-planned board reads from top to bottom and progresses from left to right. For example, list the starting research and the questions your child wants to answer on the first tri-fold panel, the materials and procedures in the central panel and the conclusions on the third panel.
Cut construction paper into thin strips to create simple divider lines you can position to group different sections of information that naturally belong together. Or, use markers and a ruler to help your child draw divider lines. Use a pencil first to ensure the line is straight, and trace over it with the marker.
You can also use color blocks for the difference sections beneath the printed text. This allows for differentiating between the sections without having to use strips or lines to break up the presentation. 

Showcase Your Child In Action

Another creative way to spice up your science project display board is to use photos of your child going through the experiment. People are very visual. Photographs help you stand out from the other display boards showing only text and pictures. Also, it can help keep your student top of mind so everyone can identify with the little scientist who created the project, not just the science fair display board.

Here's how to go about it. Lay out the material and take a photo and take more photos as your child puts the project together. Show the experiment in the best light. Remember, this should almost be a photo journal displaying how your child put the project together and a sample view of what the results looked like. Viewers should feel like they can use this visual guide to recreate the experiment, if so inclined. 

Put the finishing touches on your awesome science fair project by making sure all text is easy to follow and contains no spelling or other errors. When images are essential to the science fair project, use high-quality photo paper for crisp color and detail, and add captions to help readers understand how the images relate to the findings. Most importantly, make sure all paper is glued securely, taped or stapled to the board to prevent all his or her hard work from falling apart at the fair.