Christmas Gifts for Day Care Providers

You could make a movie bucket! Target has the popcorn buckets and stand up popcorn holders in the $1. isle. Then either fill the bucket with popped popcorn or a few bags for them to do themselves. You can also add in some individually wrapped bags or boxes of candy and a rental movie voucher or a low cost movie. If you do this for each of the teachers it may be less costly than shopping for individuals, because you can buy in bulk and spilt between all of them. Or you could just send home a letter to all the parents in each classroom asking if they would like to donate $ to the gift card cause. Once all the money is collected you can divide the total amount of money collected among the total number of teachers in each class and get each teacher their own gift card.

I would do personalized thank-you notes to each one, with a gift card of maybe $5 or $10 to Starbucks or a smoothie place. I have friends who are teachers and they love gift cards (even with very small amounts) and thank-you notes.

If you bake, bake them something and give them a $10 gift card. It is the thought that counts. not everyone can give expensive gifts or higher value gift cards. Since you are trying to spread the wealth evenly, I think that will work and will be appreciated.

I have two kids in a center part time - it is definitely tricky, especially when you consider a transition from one room to another mid-year!

In the past I have done the $5-25 gift cards - I think it is true that even a small amount, with a hand-written note, is appreciated. The tricky thing about food is that some folks diet or have special restrictions, although the lunch idea could be a good one. Perhaps you could talk with the center director? Maybe there is someplace in the area where they like to go for sandwiches, and perhaps the director might even know favorite choices.

For the last two years, we've paid for a masseuse to come in to give 15 minute chair massages - she brings her own chair. I check with the director to get a count of the main teachers in the rooms, and have managed with a 2 hour session (about $150) each year -- we schedule it for early Jan. The teachers have been very appreciative.

Evey year I get a bunch of 5.00 panera gift cards so I can do quick gifts as they can cover coffee and a bagel, sandwich for lunch or soup. I write a notes of thanks for their service and that is it. While some may expect more or feel they have to give more I have paired down on everything including holidays. I cut back to ensure if there was a job loss that we would be well prepared so life could stay the same for my kids. While workers in any industry can put a claim to not being paid what they are worth, they chose the industry and what people are willing to pay is what the market will bear so don't give for that reason.

I am a home Daycare and most of the things i have received over the years have been gift certificates for 2 for a resturant, or something to pamper myself since I'm with children all day, and a couple times I was given gift cards to various toy stores for the daycare. Hope this helps. J.

My son made his teachers and friends dough ornaments last year for christmas. It was so much fun. He painted them and even passed them out, he was 3 at the time. It would be a fun family activity.

I've been in your situation and we did little manicure sets for each. Nail file, polish and lotion wrapped in tissue paper was a great hit. I have also done a gift for the class. Extra or "special" art supplies that they may not always have. Maybe even donating a little time to come in and help with a special project or story time is good, too. It kind of gives the teacher a breather as well. They will still be in the class but kind of in the background. The kids enjoy it a lot! I've been on both sides and have always enjoyed when parents or grandparents come in and hang out.
Good luck and I hope this helped you out!

We never did gifts for the day care teachers other than teacher appreciation day/week, then they got flowers, and all the moms pitched in for lunch from a nice sandwich place to be brought in. I have always left x-mas alone because of all the holiday options. I guess what I am saying is that you should not feel obligated and that anything you do will be nice as long as it comes from your kids.

BOOKS!

Books are great gifts for teachers in any classroom setting. They never have enough and a gift book to the classroom is enjoyed by all the children. As a former teacher, books were always my favorite gift. (you can only have so many coffee mugs, ornaments, bath products, etc....)

I love helping people to select great books for gifts and I love to help them to earn books for free. If you'd like more information, please send me a message or check this website: www.UsborneBooks-n-More.com

K.

I worked in a daycare and got a cup with treats and pens in it once. You can get those at the dollar store and be creative.

I gave ours a pair of those fluffy socks...they were on sale and I didn't have to spend much money and they loved them! It was cozy, comfortable and practical.

I think a nice gift basket, made up of specialty foods, fruit or candy, for the entire group to share would be great or you could order in lunch for all of them on a set day.

I go to vendors that our church has yearly. I have bought each of my son's teacher a Pamered Chef cook book for a dollar each! Both teachers loved the idea!

Fruit basket (you could save money by making yourself). Muffins or other baked goods in a basket. Bake lasagna and place in individual disposable bowls and take them all lunch. What about a smaller denomination gift card to dunkin donuts or something like that?

I did not read through all answers, so my apologies for being redundant...I just wanted to re-iterate one I did read...as a provider (home) myself, gifts are NEVER expected, but VERY much appreciated! And it does not matter if it is some chocolates w/ a small candle, a $5 gift card to somewhere or a $50 gift card...that you are thinking of those teachers and acknowledging how important they are to your child is a big deal! Since you have so many you wish to acknowledge, keep it simple...some fun ideas I have done to give to my daycare families (as their providers) is I made jars of dry soups or dry cookie ingredients...you could attach a box of brownies or something to the soup...it's somewhat personal and most people love that stuf. You can find all kinds of "dry" recipes online. Good luck...and good for you for being such a caring and thoughtful person!

Like you, we used to spend quite a bit of money on each teacher. Last year, I bought $10 gift cards from some of the nearby food places (Potbelly, Panera, Starbucks) so that it would cover at least 1 lunch. We also bought a small box of candy, such as the 4-piece Frangos or Fannie May to go along with the gift card. I've also given a pair of movie passes in case your work sells them. Pizza or sandwich trays go a long way. If you bring it or have it delivered around 11am, everyone will probably get to eat.

i worked ata day care about 10 years ago and never got a gift card for that amount! very generous of you. Most people did $10-15, a lot gave ornaments and some nothing. Id do a smaller amount, maybe a bit more for the main teachers. Chances are the evening teacher you see has been with your kid for an hour at most.

Updated

i worked ata day care about 10 years ago and never got a gift card for that amount! very generous of you. Most people did $10-15, a lot gave ornaments and some nothing. Id do a smaller amount, maybe a bit more for the main teachers. Chances are the evening teacher you see has been with your kid for an hour at most.

$10 Target gift card to each possibly along with a home-baked treat??

you could do an edible arrangement - it's fruit and the workers know to save some for the afternoon group

A lunch will work if you do something like a large sandwich ring(s), platter of cookies and salad....something not hot and can be eaten throughout the day on their breaks.
Even a nice large platter of cookies before the place shuts down for a long break would be enjoyed and shared by all.
OR consider $15-20 gift cards for Starbucks, Panera, etc. Still a very nice gift at $15-20, I think.

Daycare providers are not paid very well. Even in places where you might spend a fortune, it does not show in the worker's pay. Any gift card would probably be more than appreciated. I think a gas card would be nice. With the price of gas...there is no one that wouldn't like a little help filling up the tank. You could even do a $10 gas card and then put it in with some homemade fudge or brownies...something along that lines. Or go to your bank and get a prepaid visa card....that way they can spend it on whatever they want. Just be careful that you don't do a prepaid card off of a rack...you are charged an extra convience fee on top of the cost of the card (read the fine print on the back). Lunch is a nice idea but that would be tough with morning and afternoon staff being different. I also like the popcorn idea from mommydoodle.

They have some great gift sets at Bath and Body Works and you can
always find coupons for them. If for some reason they don't like the
scent you choose for them they can easily be exchanged.

I worked in day care for 7 years and first off, not every parent gave me something, so don't feel obligated. But I will say, it was much appreciated and did make me feel loved when a parent did so. Some of the gifts I recieved where anything from a $10 gift card to Starbucks or a Christmas colored tupperware container filled with homemade cookies. I know I would also get a lot of Bath & Body items (which is an option for me this year for my son's teacher). They always have little items you can put together or a bottle of lotion with those cute holiday fuzzy socks. And I read below about the popcorn idea and that is great. I have actually done that for my boss. You can go and buy some kind of cheap popcorn tub, throw some microwave popcorn in it and possible some movie theater style boxes of candy. You can get those very cheap at Walgreens.

A fruit basket or edible arrangement would be great. Everyone could enjoy the delicious apples, oranges, pears, grapes, grapefruit, etc. Get creative, you could make a fruit basket yourself.

I also love cookies too but everyone is usually watching their weight which is why I would lean towards a fruit basket.

You could host breakfast and lunch for one day, this way you have covered the enitre bases. Doesn't have to be expensive either. A few pizzas or heros for lunch and donuts and coffee for breakfast.

I hope this helps.

I always order something small and personalized from www.personalizationmall.com.

I would say to talk to the director and ask if you could put a note on each child's cubby asking the other parents if they wanted to contribute $ 30 each. Then you could take all of the money from the parents ans split it up and get each teacher a gift card. I have done this in the past as well as have had parent's do it for me. One year my gift card was close to $100. Good luck to you.