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Creative Ideas for Teacher
Gifts What do you do to
thank those wonderful teachers who inspire your children on a daily
basis? You have to think outside of the box and be creative to
produce something unique that your child's teacher will cherish.
For many years I was a homeroom parent for my two children and I spent
time trying to decide what to do for their teachers. We always did
something special for the holidays, teacher appreciation week and the
end of the year. I have accumulated a number of creative ideas
that I have shared below.
Great Ideas for Teacher's Gifts:
- Create a reading basket:
Purchase a wicker laundry basket and put in big bright letters MRS.
X's READING BASKET on the outside. Ask each child in the class to
donate his/her favorite book. Be sure to let parents know that
they must be appropriate for the grade level. Have the child
write a simple message to the teacher on the insider cover and sign
their name. Place all of the books into the basket. This
will be a present that the teacher will love and that will be used
for many years. My daughter's teacher loved this present.
- Make a teacher's reading
chair: Purchase a canvas directors chair. Based on
the number of children in the class evenly divide the canvas by
drawing squares using fabric paint or permanent marker. Have
each child put their handprint or a drawing in their square and
print their name. Depending on where you have the room you
should add the teacher's name and the year. We did this for my
daughter's first grade teacher and she loved it.
- Teacher's storage chest:
Purchase a large wooden chest from the craft store. Give each child
a square or circle of white paper (size depends on the number of
kids in the class), cut the edges with pinking sheers to give it a
creative look. Have them draw a picture, write a poem, create
a message or print their name. Glue all of the kids
creations to the chest and then use decoupage to cover the entire
chest to seal it. The teacher will have a memorable storage trunk.
- Create a night at the
movies basket: Start with a plastic popcorn bowl and customize
it using permanent markers or puffy paint. Then fill the bowl
with microwave popcorn, large candy bars, and a gift certificate to
the local video rental store or movie theatre.
- Create a memory book:
This is a two part project. First, have the kids each create a
page for the book. Create a blank page for them to fill in and
decorate. At the top of the page give them a question to
answer like: I love Mrs. X because.... or My favorite
thing that we did in 4th grade was.... or Mr. X is the best
teacher because.... Have them answer the questions and
decorate their page. Make sure they sign their name. Second,
ask parents to donate photos they took on field trips or classroom
events and then stop by school at recess and take some candid shots
of the class. Create some photo pages to add to the book.
Be sure to add a cover page with the class and the year.
- Create an art memory
book: Have each child do a watercolor painting on card stock
paper. Have them add a wallet-sized photo of himself or
herself to the middle of the painting and sign their name on the
back. Create a cover page with the class and the year.
Punch holes down the side of each page and thread together with
pretty ribbon.
- Create a special photo.
Divide the kids into six groups and give each a white poster board.
Then give each group a letter -- T-H-A-N-K-S. Their job is to
decorate the board with their specified letter. The letter
should be as large as the board. When the project is
completer line them up with their posters and take a picture.
End Result a photo of the class with the poster boards spelling out
the words THANKS.
- Gift certificates to
local bookstores, restaurants, school supply outlets, movie
theatres, or a local coffee shop are always appreciated. It is
always nicer if you can team up with other parents and purchase one
large certificate.
- Create a flower kit:
Purchase a large PLASTIC flower pot at the local craft store.
Have the kids each print their name on the outside back portion of
the pot with a permanent marker. Make a color copy of a class
picture and decoupage it on the front of the pot. Fill the pot
with potting soil, gardening gloves, a small trough, and most
importantly packets of forget-me-not flower seeds. Add a plant
marker made from a craft stick and paper to say "Forget-me-not from
your class of XXX"
- Italian Dinner Basket:
Create a basket that will allow the teacher to go home that night or
the next night and have a complete dinner ready for them.
Include, sauce and pasta -- ask for a parent to volunteer to them
make homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs. Add ingredients
for salad (packaged lettuce, cucumbers, croutons, Italian salad
dressing, olives). Include a loaf of Italian bread and
dessert. Remember dessert should keep with the Italian theme.
-
Candy
Flower Pot: Decorate a medium terra cotta pot with hearts and fill it will
Styrofoam. Cover the foam with moss.
Attach the candy bars referred to in the poem below to bamboo skewers
(tape to the back so that you do not ruin the candy)
Place skewers into the pot at varying heights, like a flower
arrangement, and attach the following poem.
Dear
______:
We want
to thank you for all you do for us. You do "Good
and Plenty" around here. You help us by giving us "Mounds"
of homework, so we can "Skor" well on
all or our tests. We know that the lessons you have taught us will
help us both "Now and Later" in life.
Sometimes you are a "Hot Tamale", and
other times a "Big Red", but we know
that you love us to (Reeses) "Pieces".
We also know that we make you "Nutrageous"
at times. We wish we could give you a "100
Grand" on "Payday" but all we
have is "Hugs" and "Kisses" and a"Symphony"
of voices saying Thank You....Happy Valentines Day. Hope this gift
brings a "Bit o Honey" to your day
Ideas for Teacher
appreciation week:
For teacher appreciation week we
always did a little something each day for our teachers and we asked
parents to send in a monetary donation as well as other items.
- Each child brings a
flower to school and hands it to the teacher in the morning with
a thank you card. Be sure to buy a some extra and stand
outside of the classroom for those who may forget.
- Give your teacher
something that they really like. For instance does your
teacher like to drink coke, eat granola bars, or love chocolate?
Then have each child bring in just one of the special item.
- Breakfast at school --
bring in fruit, mini muffins and milk.
- Have a class party.
Ask parents to donate munchies and drinks and purchase a cake.
One time we had the teachers picture put on the cake.
- Does your teacher have a
special hobby, coach a team or take a dance class. If so
purchase something and have the kids sign it. For example
a soccer coach would love a soccer ball signed by his/her class.
- Give your teacher a menu
from their favorite local restaurant and let them select what
they would like for lunch and have it delivered for them the
next day.
- Have the kids write a
poem about their teacher.
- Create one of the memory
books listed above.
- Take a well known kids
song and change the words to represent the teacher and the
class. Ask the music teacher to teach it to the kids
during their weekly music class.
- Day five was usually the
grand finale day where we would purchase something for the
teacher. We did the Italian dinner basket many times and
the teachers always loved it. We also gave many gift
certificates to their favorite stores.
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