Loading guide…
Loading guide content…
Write classroom instructions, reading prompts, and routines in a text box that wraps automatically. Format a heading or a few words, turn paragraphs into lists, and change the box's width while keeping the letters readable.
About 9 minutesBeginner friendlyParagraphs and classroom instructions
1. Choose Regular and add a text box
The Text panel has two separate options:
Option | Use it for |
|---|---|
Regular text | Paragraphs, classroom instructions, bullet lists, numbered routines, and text that wraps within a chosen width. |
Decorative text | Short display titles with curves, patterns, gradients, outlines, and shadows. See Add and Style Decorative Text. |
Choose the option before adding text. Switching tabs changes what you add next; it does not convert a box already on the board. You can combine a decorative title with regular body text.
Open Text. Select Text in the left tools panel. Show the tools panel from the top toolbar if it is hidden.
Choose Regular. It is beside Decorative above the font library.
Find a font. Browse the previews or enter a name in Search fonts. Use Filters to narrow the available fonts.
Select a font preview. BoardCraft adds and selects a text box with the placeholder “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.”
Find Text content in Properties. Adding the box opens the Regular text controls on the right. If you select the box again later, choose Edit Text in the toolbar to reopen those controls. Double-click the words on the canvas to open the inline editor.
2. Replace the sample and write paragraphs
Use Text content in Properties to establish your wording. For the reading example, enter these three paragraphs, pressing Enter between them:
Reading Corner
Choose a book you enjoy. Read quietly, then tell a partner about your favorite part.
Bring your book back when you finish.
Let the long paragraph wrap automatically. You do not need to press Enter at the end of each visible line: those line endings move when you change the width or font size. Enter creates a separate paragraph.
To edit on the canvas, double-click the words. Put the caret where you want to type, or highlight words to replace them. Double-clicking opens the editor with the text selected, so click within it before typing if you want to keep the existing wording.
Start another paragraph: press Enter in the inline editor.
Finish the inline edit: click outside the text editor and its floating toolbar.
Cancel the inline session: press Esc to restore the text from before that session.
Reverse a completed change: use Undo in the top toolbar.
3. Format the whole box or a selection
Regular text has two formatting scopes. Choose the controls that match what you want to change:
Where you format | What changes |
|---|---|
Properties → Regular text | The whole box. Font, size, color, and character styles apply across its text. Paragraph alignment and list controls apply across its paragraphs. |
Floating toolbar during inline editing | Highlighted words for font, size, color, and character styles; the current or selected paragraphs for alignment and lists. |
Use Properties to give the box a consistent starting style. Then use the inline toolbar to make a heading bold, emphasize a phrase, or format only part of the text.
Open inline editing. Double-click the reading text.
Select only “Reading Corner.” Leave the instruction paragraphs unselected.
Choose Bold in the floating toolbar. You can also change the selected heading's font size there.
Click outside to finish. Review the heading and body together. The finished example keeps both at size 64 with a bold heading.
4. Make a bullet list or numbered routine
Use bullets for a collection of reminders and numbers when the order matters. Write one item per paragraph first. For this example, create a second regular text box with:
Reading Routine
Pick a book.
Read quietly.
Tell a partner about your favorite part.
Open inline editing. Select only the three instruction paragraphs, leaving Reading Routine outside the selection.
Find the list button in the floating toolbar. Hover to read its current action.
Click once for bullets. From plain paragraphs, the tooltip reads List: off (click for bullets).
Click again for numbers. The bullet state reads Bullet list (click for numbered).
Click a third time to remove the list. The numbered state reads Numbered list (click to turn off). The wording remains as paragraphs.
Click outside to finish. Format the separate heading in bold if you want it to stand out.
5. Change wrapping without changing letter size
A regular text box has a wrapping width and an automatic height. A narrower width creates more lines; a wider width lets more words fit on each line.
Action | Result |
|---|---|
Drag the middle handle on the left or right side | Change the wrapping width while keeping the font size. Text reflows and the height adjusts. |
Drag a corner handle | Scale the text and its box together. Use this when you want larger or smaller lettering. |
Change Wrap width (in) in Basics | Set the wrapping width with a physical measurement. Height (in) is calculated from the content and is disabled. |
In Properties, scroll below the Regular text controls to Basics. Finish any inline edit before adjusting the width.
6. Adjust alignment, spacing, and padding
Choose Edit Text and scroll inside Properties to reach Paragraph, Line height, Letter spacing, and Padding.
Control | What it changes |
|---|---|
Align left / center / right / Justify | Arrange text within its available width. Left alignment is a useful starting point for instructions. Justify spreads words across the line; review the gaps in a narrow box. |
Line height | Adjust vertical spacing between lines. The example uses 1.2. Increasing it makes the box taller. |
Letter spacing | Adjust gaps between characters. Start at 0 for body text and change it gently. |
Padding |
7. Review and save the finished text
Finish inline editing by clicking outside, then use Fit to screen to review the whole board. Read each paragraph in order, check the list markers, and leave clear space between text and surrounding elements. Keep strong contrast between the wording and background.
Choose Save when it appears and wait for Saved. For autosave settings or a save conflict, follow Save Your Board and Resolve Editing Conflicts.
If you notice… | Try this |
|---|---|
An extra text box appeared when changing fonts | The left library adds text. Undo the addition, then change Font in Properties or the inline toolbar. |
The heading became a list item | Use inline editing to remove its list formatting. Select only the intended item paragraphs when applying a list. |
Formatting changed across the whole box | Undo, then highlight the intended words and use the floating inline toolbar. |
Text becomes taller after narrowing it | This is automatic wrapping. Widen the box, adjust the wording, or move nearby elements to make room. |
A bold or colored phrase lost its formatting | Editing the plain Text content field can rebuild the text. Restore the formatting inline and use inline editing for later wording changes. |
For a display title with lettering effects, continue with Add and Style Decorative Text.
