Class Teacher Gift ideas

Personalized teacher gifts are always a big hit. It helps to know what your teacher's interests are of course. But it also helps when the kids are directly involved in a piece of the gift. They are more excited about this than just buying them a gift certificate or present.
It is always great to get a volunteer or two and have them come in while the teacher takes a break. For younger students you may want to do the work for them, for older - let them use their own creativity or send the project home for them to spend more time on it.

1. Give the teacher a camping or beach chair with each child's name written on it. Again, each kid can do it or an adult can. Works well if the teacher camps or has a hobby that would use this!

2. Put together a Classroom Cookbook - Send home a note with each student to bring in their favorite recipe. They can make their own pages with the recipe on it, photo and another note to the teacher or you can compile the recipes yourself. We did a cool twist on this once with young students, where one or two parents ask the students what their favorite recipe is, and how you make it. We warned parents ahead of time so the kids had a little time to prepare. This was hilarious!! Some kids would say to bake something at 1000 degrees for ten hours, and other thins like that! We ended up copying it for each student to have and also used it for a parent gift as well. Then we'll laminate the page and put it in book form with round metal hoops. My sister did this when she was in elementary school and we still pull it out for a chuckle!

3. Dishes, platters or bowls - If you have a Paint Your Own Pottery place in town, purchase a big platter or bowl, then have the kids sign it with a pencil, then you can go over it with paint, then get it glazed at the pottery shop. This is very popular!! The pottery place owner can help you with more tips.

4. Custom T-Shirts - On the front you can put the class picture and the school year, and on the back write the students' names. Or the kids can put their handprints on the shirt with their names with fabric paint. Anytime you do handprints, be prepared for a big mess and the fabric paint does not come out of kids' clothes. Have extra paint shirts and rags available.

5. Handprints or fingerprints - You can put handprints on so many different things - flowerpots, t shirts, aprons, watering cans, quilts. See miscellaneous category for more handprint ideas.

6. Quilts - send a square of muslin fabric home with each child in a baggie with directions for the parents. Have them draw their "best" picture with iron-on fabric crayons. You can also have each child put their handprint and signature on them as well. This is something that can also be done in class with several adult volunteers.

7. Video with Songs & Messages - Have the students create a precious end-of-the-year/going-away gift of a videotape which could include them singing farewell and good-luck songs, along with footage of each child sharing a favorite memory from our time together and what they liked most about the teacher.

8. Decide on a gift basket theme to give to your teacher. Have each student bring in something that they can add to the basket. For instance, if your teacher likes golf or a certain sports team, have the students purchase or make something to go in the basket.

9. Give each student a brown paper bag on which you've written a letter of the alphabet. Inside put a note asking parents to help their child fill the bag with one or more small gifts beginning with that letter. To help them, offer a few examples: muffins or movie passes for M; candles for C... If you have less or more than 26 students, ask for volunteers or double up. Obviously skip the harder letters if you want!