Looking for Easy but Special End-of-the-year Gift for Teachers

Being a former teacher, I know that parents mean well, but unless it's a gift card/certificate, it just becomes clutter. Now that I'm a parent with kids, I'm just doing gift cards with a note from the child that states what they learned/liked about the teacher.

Good luck

When I was a teacher I loved homemade baked goods, gift cards to book stores, school supplies for my classroom, gift card to a dinner out, homemade card from student...

Hey Marissa,
Here is a link that I saved for myself. I think it might help you, too! I loved the "apple" idea...

http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/162?cpn=2...

You could have your kids paint a pot, and put a nice rose bush in it. Then make a little tag that says thanks for helping me bloss'm and grow. I also sell necklaces. They can be can get pricey. But if others go in on them they are really nice. I'm doing a locket heart. And I'm adding an apple, cz letter, and birthstone. You can see ____@____.com I can give a small discount. J.

I'm a Kindergarten teacher, and to be honest, we like gift cards the best! You can make it personal by having your kids make the cards that go with it. If you really want to have your children make something instead, I suggest something practical that they can use in the classroom. You can buy an apron and have the kids decorate it. You could also buy some sort of container and have the kids personalize it.

My mom has made picture frames. You get cereal boxes cut them in to a wallet size for the picture and about an inch for the border, then you can have the kids decorate the frame and use their school pics if you have any left over after giving to family. its fun easy and cute when the kids do it (my sisters). also the teachers will have something to always remember you kids! Also economic in thins time and when you have muliple kids

Have you heard or Studio 8 Ten? Itisa non-profit art studio and gift shop where there are lots of great handmade products, and everything in the store is ade by adults with disabilities. We have journals,scrapbooks, plantable cards (that really grow...and you can buy them with a handpainted pot to go with..those are only $8!). There is candles, bath ad body products, and lots more. Very little costs over $20. I think our stuff is awesome for teachers. We are located downtown at 810 South Las Vegas Blvd, about 1 1/2 blocks north of Charleston, and there is free parking in the back of the building. It is such a cool place and worth checking out. We also do kids birthday parties, host artists, and lot of oter family friendly events. Open Monday-Friday 10A-6PM, and Saturday 10-2. We'd ov to see you!

A. Esler-Whelan
Project Manager
Studio 8 Ten

a gift card with your child's pic on it to any staples or office max or school project center. They are always grateful for any help with suppplies and this will give them a cute reminder of who it is from and how much you appriciate them.

My kids are the same age ;-) Every year we go over to Michael's Craft Store and I let them pick out a wooden item to paint/decorate. Cost is $1-5 plus decoration materials. Last year, my younger son picked a cross (he goes to a christian preschool) and then he painted it and glued those round, clear smooth glass stones onto it (different colors). My older son picked a small trinket box and he painted/decorated it, and put a photo of him with his teacher on the underside of the lid.
I also bought the teachers gift cards to Lakeshore Learning and the kids made cards.
The year before, we purchased a mug with the class photo on it from Shutterfly. We filled it with fun/decorated pens and pencils and gave it to her.
Another time, we made paper mache pencil holders (in the shape of a giraffe; took several days and required a little help from mom but turned out SUPER cute) Here's the link: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mgiraffe_pencil_holder.htm We filled them with colorful pencils (bought on clearance at party city or you could try the dollar store).
None of these ideas will exceed $20. I hope this helps. Have fun!

If I were a teacher, I would appreciate gift cards. Homemade gifts are nice, but when you get 10 or 15 each year, year after year, what to do with all of them?

When my oldest was in 1st grade we started a tradition with all the classes in her grade. We purchased an acrylic jar with a hinged lid and acrylic paint pens and let the children sign it. We collected $2-3 from each student in the classroom and used the extra funds to purchase items to go in the container such as candies or gift cards. The containers cost $15-$20, pens $2 each. Because we did it for all the classes we shared the cost of the pens among the classes. We did that for each year in Grades 1 - 6. Every year the teachers looked forward to their surprise.

Go to:
www.vistaprint.com or,
www.kodakgallery.com

They both have great gift ideas, reasonable pricing for anything.
The Teachers I gave these to, always LOVED it....I would put a photo (which I had taken during the year) on a calendar or cup or made them their own personalized stationary... and the teachers really loved it.

This year, I got my Daughter's Teacher a personalized pen set (From Vista Print), a photo "album" from Kodak, and some personalized post-it type notes from Vista Print.

Good luck,
Susan

Gift cards are always great, even small amounts like $5 or $10. I've also bought a terra-cotta flower pot and decorated it by writing thank you and the names of all the students on it. There are special pens that can be used to write on the flower pot; check Michaels. We placed a small inexpensive plant in it. Good luck!

Even though I'm not a school teacher, my hubby and I have taught in various capactities (Sunday school, sports classes, etc.), and I may not be speaking for all, but we really love home baked goodies that kids have brought us. Especially cookies and loaves of bread (like banana bread), or muffins, because they can always be thrown in the freezer and saved for later. Our whole family gets to enjoy it.
Also, do you have any friends that own home businesses? Like Mary Kay or something, you can give a gift certificate, so not only the teacher gets blessed, but your friend that owns the business does too.
We own a surfing lesson instruction business, www.alivesurfing.com, so we always give our kids' teachers a gift certificate for their family. But I know this kind of service would be more than most people would be willing to spend on a certificate for a teacher. Still maybe you know someone who has a business where $20 would give them something nice.

Going in with several other parents and getting a massage gift certificate :)

Marissa,
You can do a simple painting with watercolors and watercolor paper and it will look really nice. You can mount in on a posterboard and frame it with a simple paper frame in a contrating color. Then keep the paints for future projects. Send a homemade thank you card...

Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Mason Jar Cupcakes

I wanted to make an easy and inexpensive gift for
all of the amazing people that help make Jason's life
easier on Administrative Professionals Day.

But most of all, I didn't want to go to the store.
So I gathered supplies from around the house
(mind you, my house is better stocked than most craft stores)
and got to work.

First I enlisted the help of my appropriately attired sous chef.

You simply cannot go wrong with a box of Betty Crocker.

Thankfully I had just enough left over jars from the last time I made them.

I have found that this particular size works best.
They are the exact same diameter as my standard cupcake pan.
Each one fits two cupcakes and plenty of frosting.

I mixed the cake while Janey assisted.

Usually when I make cupcakes I like to use paper liners and
only make 18 per box because bigger cupcakes are better, right?

But for the mason jars, I skip the liners
(then I don't have to take them off and there
are no ridges showing in the jars)
and I spray the cupcake pans with Pam.

I also make 24 cupcakes which work perfectly for the dozen jars
that I am using, as well as the size that fits best inside.

While the cupcakes were baking I made the frosting.

I am an admitted frosting snob and can't resist a good buttercream.
But for these I needed something special. I had no chocolate in the house,
(It has been recently devoured by post-Lent-sugar-deprived yours truly)
so I grabbed my iced blended powder and
dissolved one scoop into the milk before mixing.

This happy accident might just be my new favorite version.

Here is the C&H 5 minute buttercream recipe I use:

1 box powdered sugar

1 stick salted butter at room temp.

1/4 cup milk

1 tea. vanilla

Combine and beat until creamy.

Now you have no excuse to by frosting at the store again!

When the cupcakes have cooled, place one with the bottom side down, into each jar.

I have found it easiest to put the frosting in a ziploc bag,

snip a hole and pipe it into the jars.

Put another cupcake on top of the first layer of frosting,
add even more frosting,
screw on the lid.

In my mind I wanted to use oilcloth for the toppers like these,

but that would require me actually having it.

Instead I cut 5 inch squares of cupcake fabric,
ironed Heat 'n Bond to each one to make them sturdier,
used my pinking shears to add cuteness,
cut notches,
wove ribbon through,
tied bows,
done for only about $1.50 each.

*Gift certificate to a restaurant, spa, movie theater, coffee house, etc.
*Scented Candles
*Note cards or stationery sets
*Basket with a mug, gourmet coffee or teas, etc.

I worked as an elementary school teacher's aide for six years. The best gifts we received were gift cards. Although handmade stuff is precious, from a purely practical viewpoint gift cards are very much appreciated. Please don't re-gift your excess stuff. Teachers can tell.

Hi M.,
You can have your little ones make book marks for their teachers- they can decorate them however they like, you can even add a picture of them to it. Then laminate it and get them a gift certificate to the book store. My nephew did this for his 1st grade teacher and she loved it. =)
Hope this helps,
Take care,
H.

Hi M.,

I am a pre-k teacher and have been for over 20 years. The gifts that I have enjoyed
the most are the ones that are memorable. I love it when the child tells mom
the things he/she loved the most about his teacher. I loved getting a picture of me
and the child together. You could have your child decorate the frame. I also loved getting
something I could use in my classroom. For instance, I do a Curious George Week and
they bought me a Monkey Game" or a teacher's store gift card. Hope this helps.

I looked on the interest for my 1st grader. #1 gift is a gift card...but, #2 is a heart felt card. I did end up calling all the families listed in the directory and lots of them were in the same dilemma and jumped at the chance to pinch in. I ended getting $75 for each teacher - 2 teachers total. I made a card for it....green cardstock..fold in half...nice teacher poem from the internet on front (printed on white cardstock and glued on front). Then, on the inside, just a thank you to both teachers "from all of us" followed by a listed of all those who contributed (also printed on white cardstock and glued on). On the other side of the inside, gift cards glued on each in the their own envelopes. I also did a special card just from my daughter. She taped (double side tape) her picture on a piece of cardstock and wrote something like "Thank you for teaching me. I learned a lot." The teacher made a comment that she loves looking at all her cards and it makes her feel good. I did my own card too....pictures of her with the teachers...nice sayings about teachers from the internet and my own words. I wrote down what my daughter said the night before her last day of 1st grade... really cute...she was crying and she really was going to miss them. If nothing else, just a heart felt card to say thank you.

When I was a preschool teacher I always loved it when the kids gave me movie tickets. The pay is bad, and you don't have much opportunity to go out for an evening of entertainment. The nice thing about movie tickets is, you don't really have to know what the person likes, they can use them to see any movie they want. You can buy them at the movie theater. Some theaters have gift cards, where you can put so much money on (you could put $20) and then they could get a ticket and a treat. Two tickets is nice, though, because then they can treat a friend.
I always liked a wallet sized good picture of the child, too. The ideas for cute frames are nice, but after you have taught 20 years you can't possibly display them all. But the pictures I keep, I have a photowall in my hallway at home for work kids, and when that gets too full, I put them into a photo album. If you are a scrapper (but I know this can get expensive), you could start the teacher off on that tradition, with an album and a decorated 3 page spread of this year's class in snapshots. She could add to it year after year with all the photos kids give her.

A great gift for $20 is a Scentsy wickless candle. The plug in candle and a bar of wax is $20. You can get them online at www.scentsy.com/danacarey