The end of the school year brings about a season of giving in schools. The giving of memories and reflections of the ebbs and flows that come with a school year, the giving of encouragement as students and staff move onto whatever is next for them in future school years. For a lot of students and teachers it also brings about a season of physical gift giving as well. So today's blog focuses on some ideas for gift giving to teachers and to students.
Gift Ideas for students from teachers:
Pop it - Kids love them and its a great way to thank kids and commemorate the year for being full of fun. I love sharing with my students that they are "Popping with Knowledge" you can get a tag freebie below to put on each pop it key chain or larger pop it gift.
Crazy Straws - Kids love to drink from crazy straws and they are a fun filled way to slurp on some lemonade with students or have them take it home to use this summer. Grab your free gift tag in the orange link below letting students know how crazy much you are going to miss them!
Picture Frames with class picture- One of the ways that I did this each year was by taking a class photo a few weeks before the end of the year. I would then go to a Michael's Arts and Crafts, Hobby Lobby, or Dollar Store to get wooden DIY photo frames which cost me anywhere from a dollar to two dollars per student. I would get the number of photos needed developed and place them inside the students photo frame. I would then write or paint the years and grade on each frame for students with plenty of empty space. On one of the last few days of school each student would pick a colored sharpie (I normally used a pack of 24 different colors and each student got a different color) and students would sign echothers frames. I'd remind student to just write their names this wasn't a place for messages but just to remember who was in our class and commemorate the community we shared together.
Book - Each year at the end of the year I would get students books that reflected their journey with me over the year in the classroom or based on their interests. I would handwrite a message to my students on the inside cover as a way for them to always have a piece of me and our year together. I loved picking the books and loved even more reflecting on the memories from this past school year and writing each child a note. It is a fun personalized gift.
Sunglasses - This school year was bright and you can share it with your students by getting sunglasses. Grab your free gift tag for sunglasses by clicking the link below.
Gift tags for pop it keychains or larger pop its, crazy straws, and sunglasses. Get them for FREE right here!
Gift Ideas for teachers from students:
Gift Cards - I always loved gift cards from my students, especially to local places. Even though I wasn't living in the district I taught in I loved going to places in the community and supporting small business' in my students home towns. Gift cards are so practical for teachers and I always enjoyed them as they were something I always could find a use for no matter the amount a family gave. I was always so grateful for my students and their families.
Handmade Gifts - These are my number one favorite gifts. I had a place in my classroom for all of the handmade gifts my students had made over the years so that I could look at them each day and be reminded of my past students and often smile thinking of their unique beings and memories from our time shared together.
Candles - I always love a good candle and I always use them!
Plants - Plants liven up a classroom and home very quickly and I always loved having plants in my classroom to make the room feel less institutionalized and more welcoming so I always loved plants and flowers from students that would bring nature indoors.
Fun Office Supplies- All teachers are always excited for new pens, pencils, expo markers and other fun office supplies. I was never sad to receive any kind of office supply and I always knew it would be used!
These are of course only a few of the ideas that you could use for gifts to students or teachers. I know for me I loved giving my students something at the end of the year as I explained above but that isn't every teacher and thats okay. Same goeswith students from teachers. Sometimes its for economical reasons or because simply there is so much going on in your life it just didn't happen. It is okay. Most teachers never feel you need to give them something the best thing you can give them is your support of their childs education as a parent! I hope you have a wonderful end to the school year if it hasn't come to an end for you already! Happy Summer friends!
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