I know school is already out for many of you, but here in RVA we still have two more weeks. Only two more weeks until I get to spend every waking minute with my precious children. Oh joy….Oh rapture. That got me thinking about the wonderfully patient individuals who have been handling them all school year. God bless those teachers, those administrators, and don’t even get me started on what those poor bus drivers have to endure. We definitely can’t forget them.
If you want to thank those people who have managed to make it through the entire school year without running out screaming, a feat I’m not sure I’ll be able to match in just the first week at home with my kids, here are some great gift ideas that they will actually appreciate.
Truth.
Creative Gift Card Gifts- Teachers love gift cards. We all know this. However, for some, a gift card can feel impersonal. Change that by doing one of the following:
- Add to Their Classroom Library– Find a book that is age-appropriate for the grade they teach. On the inside cover, tape a gift card of your choice and on the back cover have your student write their teacher a sweet note or draw them a picture and sign their name.
- Fill Up Their Cup– Buy an inexpensive water bottle, large cup or mason jar and place the gift card in the center of it. Next add some things you either know your child’s teacher likes or things most people like such as hershey kisses, chapstick, a small tube of sunscreen, nail polish, gum, etc. Finish it off with some ribbon or a label with your child’s name.
- Supply Them with Supplies– Visit the Dollar Tree for inexpensive school supplies. Teachers always need extras! Put them all in a plastic bin or basket, tie a ribbon around it and tape the gift card on the top.
- Don’t Forget the Bus Driver– Use these easy printables to personalize your bus driver’s gift card gift or use these gift tags to add a more personal touch to any gift you plan to give them. My kids have two different bus drivers so I’ll be making them chocolate chip cookies.
Get Them Summer-Ready– Stop at Five Below and purchase a beach bag and beach towel and then add in a few of these other ideas: magazines, a beach read, sunglasses, sunscreen, protein bars, a water bottle, lip balm. If you want to get fancy you can attach one of these free printables to the bag from Havalah at Sisters, What.
Write a Note From the Heart– It’s been awhile since I’ve been teaching, but I still remember the sweet note that one of my students’ mothers wrote to me at the end of the school year eleven years ago. (OMG, that adorable first-grader is graduating from high school! Holy shit, I’m old!) Hearing how I’d helped them get through a particularly tough year was the highest praise and best gift I’d ever received. Teachers don’t go into the profession for the glamour and money, they do it because they want to make a difference. Telling them that they did a great job gives them a reason to keep on going!
Make Them a Teacher/Bus Driver Emergency Kit– I love this idea from Jessica at Timeout With Mom. This sweet kit contains everything they could need from extra deodorant to gum to wrinkle releaser.
I’m here to tell you that, at the end of the day, teachers aren’t going to care about the cutesy presentation and the rhyming, personalized gift tags. They will appreciate that you thought of them. There really isn’t a need to overthink it.
If you’ll be home with your kids all summer, like me, may the force be with you! I’ll be posting next week on setting up a summer schedule that will help kids stay on a routine while still having lots of fun.
♥ Erin
