Things You'll Need:
- Various supplies
- Time
- Energy!
-
Step 1
FOOD: What teacher doesn't appreciate something yummy! A box of chocolate, a canister of nuts, smoked salmon, crackers and gourmet cheese, etc. All the basic food gift ideas work when looking for a teacher gift. However, something homemade is always more special when it's possible. And if this is for your child's teacher, how about involving your child in the process? What about tracing your child's hand on paper and then transferring to stiff cardboard...then using that as a template for cutting out some sugar cookie dough? Each handprint cookie could have a candy glued in the palm (with frosting) or painted fingernails with red fruit roll-up or red candies (for female teachers). Or sugar cookie hearts, flowers, the teacher's favorite animals, etc. If you want to go more gourmet and like candy-making, homemade truffles or peanut brittle, peppermint bark, fudge, meringues, or cookies of all varieties. Your local cake decorating store will have nice white boxes of all sizes to present it. Other options for food is the make-your-own idea: soup mix in a jar, cookie mix in a jar, etc. What if your teacher has health limitations and can't have a lot of sugar? Homemade granola or dried fruit (pureed and rolled out/dried into fruit leather) are great options too! As are nuts that are taken out of their package and wrapped up with a nice card.
-
Step 2
INSPIRATION: There are endless "quotations about teachers" (search Google for those search terms). Take a nice tin canister or jar and make sure it is clean. Make a neat label for the front (and wrap it in different paper if it's a used canister with a label already on it) that says something like, "Inspire!" or "Read Me for Inspiration." Then collect a lot of different quotations about teachers, education, learning, etc. Put them in a Word document, change the fonts around, and print out as many as you can (keep the font size medium-sized), cut them out and stuff into the canister. They will surely appreciate all the time and energy you put into their gift!
-
Step 3
PAMPERING: Spa gift certificates, basket for a movie night with popcorn kernels and a movie rental gift card, restaurant gift certificate, lotion or soap, or a pretty scarf. There are so many ways to show your teacher that you understand they need time for themselves too!
-
Step 4
CRAFTS: Kids love to make things and especially for people who mean a lot to them! A potted plant with a terracotta pot that's been painted by your child, a memory book with an interview of what your child remembers/likes about their teacher with photos added in, a candy bar card (You're teaching is worth 100 Grand!), a portrait of the teacher drawn by your child and framed...all just a few examples of the many ways you can show appreciation!
-
Step 5
The greatest help for gift ideas is actually the teacher! Take a look around the classroom for ideas on what their favorite color might be, peek at what's on their desk to see if they have a pet, what candy they might like, etc. Ask your child what the teacher might have said about this or that. And you can also get ideas from the principal!
