Inexpensive Teacher's Gift for End of Year

I thought this was SO cute, Im going to do it for my daughters teacher:
Little Reminders
"[These] will all be put in a tin that my kids and I will decorate with a note attached explaining each:

* Candle - an extra one when you are burning yours at both ends
* Rubberband - to remind you to be flexible
* Bandaid - heal hurt feelings, yours and theirs
* Eraser - to remind you everyone makes mistakes and they can be erased
* Marbles - to replace the ones you've lost
* Lifesaver Candy - You may be the one to save the bright light in a child
* Tissues - to wipe away the tears...yours and theirs
* Hugs and Kisses - because lots should always be shared" —kmattfield
http://slideshow.ivillage.com/parenting/teacher_gift_idea...

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I am getting the 5.00 beach towels at Wal Mart or Target and having the teachers name monogrammed on it. Im going to roll it up and tie it with a ribbon with a bottle of sunscreen attached with a note saying "have a great summer".
Another easy one, here is what I did for teacher appreciation week. I got metal planters off the dollar aisle at target, then went to michaels and raided the dollar stuff. I also found some fake potted flowers for 2.00. So in the planter I put the plant, a notepad and matching magnet and a personalized candy bar. total 5.50 each and very cute. My oldest daughter took the candy bars to many of her teachers and they loved them. fifty cents each and a few sheets of paper. Message me if you want more info on the candy wrappers) Good Luck and remember its the thought, not the price.

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I found some a few weeks ago at Wal-Mart and HomeGoods. I wrote about it for Burb Mom here: http://www.burbmom.net/teacher-gifts-asap/

I think with your budget those fancy file folders would be really fun.

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Hi there, I make homemade salt scrubs for only $5.00. These make perfect gifts because they come with a scoop and wrapped in clear plastic bags. I gave to my daughter's teachers as a gift. I live in the Midcities so contact me if you're interested and would like to arrange pick-up. http://www.diyminishoppes.com/shoppes/littlewhisperscreat...

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One year I received a potted plant. The mom bought a large ivy and split it up and potted in inexpensive terracotta pots. She had her daughter paint each pot for her teachers. I taught middle school math, so mine had a math theme. It was very cute, inexpensive and meant a lot to me. I still have the plant five years later.

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You have gotten some great ideas. I'm glad you asked this question. We are making cards for the teachers. We're folding construction paper in half, tracing the child's hand for that teacher, and each of us (mom, dad and child) are writting a small thank you/praise note inside. I'm now going to include a gift certificate to Walmart or Office Depot for supplies next year. Good Luck!!

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Once I put together 'relaxation kits', a couple of fancy chocolates, some tea bags, a small bubble bath bottle, 'champagne' (I got a chocolate one from World Market) and put them in little Chinese take-out boxes that I got at the container store. And a note telling how much you appreciate what they've done. Key point: something consumable!

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I have found a cute idea for a book mark on Familyfun.com. Here is the link- http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/te... It's really easy and we're going to put the teacher's initials for some of the beads, use yarn in the school colors, and try to find beads with our mascot for the other end. Hope this helps!

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Checkout www.blueberryfreckles.com You can purchase a stationery PDF file and then print yourself. The stationery files are $5 and then you can print as many as you want! You can personlize the name for each teacher. You can get cardstock notecards and envelopes for like $6 a set at Hobby Lobby (if you have one of their 40% off coupons, even better!) It won't cost you very much, but it will make a cute personalized gift for the teachers. You can also try checking Etsy.com for other people that offer the printable stationery files...I know they have them on there too. Good luck!!!

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I am a teacher and some of my favorite gifts have been inexpensive, yet thoughtful. I had a student give me a bottle of Smart Water for Christmas. It meant a lot because she and her mom noticed that I am into health and nutrition and am always drinking water and the "smart" was cute. I also had a student make chocolate covered strawberries by dipping them in melted chocolate chips. One time a student and her mom gave me a certificate and came and helped me clean my room on the last day of school. I hope that gives you some ideas. I just love the creative thought and I am sure your teacher will too.

Good luck!

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What about cake in a jar....www.myla-concepts.com

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Teachers are always in need of new supplies and my little one really likes to shop, so we head to the dollar store and pick out lots of teacher suppplies (they have lots for the teacher)and put them in a gift bag... it has never failed to be appreciated.

Starbucks and even walmart! $5 gas is gas.... Because remember daycare workers make between minimum wage and $10 an hour if lucky so even 5 bucks is great!

I got sick of bath items after a while. I like it when I got gift cards and a little picture made by the student.

The tea idea was great as well. Or you can raid the candy/gum isle at walmart and get a few peices and put them in a gift bag.

HTH

E.

I was a teacher for 6 years until this year, now staying at home anmd running daycare out of my home. Anyway, it is the thought that we appreciate the most, try a homemade craft with either baked goodies or some hand lotion. i also loved a picture frame with a picture of me and my student in it. The frames do not have to be expensive. One bought a frame from the dollar store and let their child use color pens to write on it (you could do the writing).

As a teacher, I agree with some of the other posts. My favorite gift is a gift card no matter what the price on it. $5 to sonic, starbucks, etc would be great.

A box of Chamomile tea to help unwind, LOL! I love the 3 coffee mugs I got over the years as I am a coffee and tea drinker. Maybe your child could personalize with markers. I like the potted plant idea too.

Teachers appreciate any gift and it's very nice to give to all 3 of them.

Teachers pay for supplies out of their own pockets. So get them supplies, such as paper , pencils, pens, puzzles the children can work on, books, or better yet gift cards to an office supply store.

My teacher friends have expressed a strong affection for gift cards. Most of them have too many apples! and trinkets.

michaels and target have great $1 spots...but i will say that my sister in law was a teacher, and she told me many times that she would rather have a $5 giftcard to anywhere than for someone to even spend $10 on knickknacks that she doesn't need....just a thought. teachers love gift cards, even if there isn't much on it....$5 to starbucks? blockbuster?

We've done gift cards for Half-Price books. Another one is a bag or jar with mints or mint patties. The attached tag says "A teacher like you is worth a MINT!"

Gift cards - ditto on Starbuck;s or maybe up it to a $10 Barnes and Noble or Borders - I imagine many teachers enjoy a "good read" during the summer.

My favorite gift as a preschool teacher was either note cards for writing thank yous or $5.00 gift card to Starbucks, Sonic, Braums, etc. Find out what your teacher likes and go fromt here.

I've always tried to see if any other parents wanted to chip in and all purchase a gift card or gift certificate. Even at $5 a piece, if you have 4 other parents contribute you end up with $25 vs. only 5. This works great if you know the teachers favorite restaurant or where she gets her nails/hair done.

When I worked at a daycare I always loved getting starbucks or bath & body works gift sets from my parents. Both are pretty inexpensive. Hope that helps!

I usually give $5 gift certificates. In the past, I've done Hobby Lobby and Half Price Book Store. This year, I did Popcorn Pappa gift certificates. I put the certificate, their business card and their popcorn menu in a cute cellophane bag and tied it with a ribbon and handmade tag. I think gift certs are the best!

Hi, Teachers receive lots of coffee cups, candles and small things with #1 teacher on them. I have been told by more than one teacher that they really appreciate gift cards.

Homemade, layered bean soup mix, homemade cookie mix, or homemade loaf bread mix in a canning jar with a pretty ribbon and the recipe...maybe also include cookie cutters if it is a cookie mix or a loaf pan for a bread mix, you know?
I did gingerbread cookie mixes for both my girls' pre school teachers at Christmas time and I did an eight bean soup called "friendship bean soup" for the end of the year, this included a homemade mix of the spices to include in the soup, too. You can get really creative and still be REALLY cheap. If you buy eight different 1lb bags of beans (less than $1 a piece) you can get five jars of soup mix out of them (1/2 cup of each bean in a pretty, colorful layering).

For about $7 you can get sunglasses lens cleaning clothes that have fine art prints on them. They are pretty and practical. I got a degas ballet one for a teacher and she loved it. They can stash it in their handbag and it will last longer than flowers or candles. I found mine at the gift shop next to Tom Thumb at Preston/Lebanon.

I found some books in the bargain book section of Family Christian for $2.97 each. You might find something there.

My friends who are teachers have often made the comment If I get one more apple I will scream. Home made baked goods are always a wonderful option. I have prepared casseroles for some of my child's teachers. Lasagna and a loaf of french bread has always been a hit. One teacher actually cried and said she had been teaching for 30 years and no one had ever made her dinner and it was the best gift she had ever gotten. I cooked for her several times that year. Starbucks gift cards are good too if you do not have time. Five $ might not go far at a food place but she can get a coffee drink and a cookie or snack at a coffee shop.

I got my kids' teachers some cute gifts at Michael's from their dollar bins. I got each teacher a Mary Engelbreit notepad, pack of notecards, two post-it notepads, and a bookmark with a space for a picture (that I'm going to put my kids' pictures in). They were $1 each, so $4 per teacher isn't bad. And, you could even do just two or three of those and it would be fine.

One more thing: it is the end of the year, and teachers will be getting a lot of gifts. If you don't want to spend $ on a gift, I KNOW teachers appreciate just little handmade cards (like construction paper, as one person responded) and those are free. Teachers get LOTS of gifts, so one fewer won't hurt their feelings! Coming from a former teacher.

Hope that helps.

How about a cute note that your kid has "written" on and that you have added your comments to as well. Maybe you could find out their favorite candy bar and/or soft drink and include those as well.

My daughter is giving her teacher a thank you card this year. If you wanted you could put a small votice candle with a card, that should be in budget.
Blessings,
J.
www.gliffik.com/J.

A package of nice note cards would be helpful for them to write thank yous to other students. Even better if you can personalize them. My son is older, so he designed cards himself on the computer, then printed them on note cards for each of his teachers. Tied up with ribbon and a personal card from him and the teachers loved them. You could have your preschooler used stamps or something to decorate the cards.

buy a large coffee mug, fill it with something-pre k scissors, a pack of crayons, a cute drawing from your child a ghirardelli pc of chocolate and then wrap it in cellophane and tie a bow at the top. voila!

$5 gift card to Walmart, Mardel, Target. That is best. I am a teacher, and we have so many school expenses that we pay for on our own. How thoughtful of you. Know that whatever you give, it is so nice to be remembered!

If you're crafty, go to Joann Fabric and buy t-shirts. They are on sale 3 for $9 right now, in lots of pretty colors. Then buy a package of iron-on paper for the computer for about $7. Use your computer to a slogan for the teacher (something like "Thanks for a great year!" or "World's Best Teacher" or whatever). Your child might be able to help you find the letters and choose a font, etc. Then insert a picture of your child (or, if you have a scanner, your child could draw a picture, you could scan it into the computer and use that). Print out the picture and slogan on the iron-on paper, iron one onto each t-shirt, and you have beautiful, handmade t-shirts!

I agree with many that have posted, that most teachers I know really do not need one more "apple" or teacher trinket even though they appreciate the nice thought..

As an Organizer, of course, I couldn't agree more. It helps cut back on the clutter, and the emotional guilt some go through when finally needing to part with years of these "treasures" at some point.

Consider a consumable gift (candy, treats, $5 cards to starbucks, or other food/treat card). Or USEFUL classroom supplies. Or a card to to an office supply store, bookstore, or teacher supply store. Teachers are always having to get things for thier classrooms, and would be happy to save $5.00 vs have another frame, or paper weight etc.

Your childrens' teachers are lucky to have such a thoughtful mom!

We did those teacher holiday tree ornaments from Hallmark but you could make your own...even a homemade book from the child about why they enjoyed this teacher, etc. Someone at work bought a flower bouquet and divided it into several small vases, the child made the card - it was cute. Good luck.

maybe a little late but a gif set for bath and body works are good and inexpensive