Gift for Sons Kindergarten Teacher

This year, my daughter is giving her kindergarten teacher a body scrub consisting of sugar and olive oil. Easy to make and inexpensive. The olive oil absorbs into the skin after taking away the yucky old skin. You can add a scent to it, but I didn't since her teacher can then use any lotion that she likes and the smells won't conflict. I put the sugar scrub into a a nice container. We're also adding a small tube of lotion and a book for the classroom.

Have you ever seen those "Cookies in a jar" or "Soup in a jar" that you put most of the ingredient except like the eggs or butter in the jar, and attach the recipe and all they have to do is dump the jar in the bowl and mix (for the cookies) or follow the directions for the soup?? All you have to do is buy a couple of canning jars and most of the other ingredients you would have in your pantry - flour, sugar, brown sugar etc....or beans and spices and stuff for soups. If you are at all interested in this, let me know, I have a whole book of cookies that you can do this way, and a whole book of soups that you can do this way. I don't have them with me at work today, but I can get you some info. tonight or bring them with me to work tomorrow! Good Luck! Another thought might just be a gift card to Starbucks or something like that?

Greetings S.,
We made ornaments, or gave picture frames, and even a frozen casserole so that she didn't have to cook one night or a nice planter that she can grow herbs in. Nana Glenda

Hi

I usually have my son make all his own cards. We buy blanks ones from the craftstore and then he adds his drawings and or stickers we buy. He also writes something from the heart. I don't tell him exactly what to write other than thank you or whatever the occasion is.. then he adds what he wants.
So you could most definitely do a card designed by him and then add a gift ctf or something. does the teacher drink tea or coffee or jamba juice? I have also done a nice shampoo and conditioner set, maybe with nice lotion. I think most people are happy with the homemade cards (esp if from a child)

S.-
What about one of those cookie mixes in a jar? The treats are nice, but this way his teacher will be able to have treats when they want. Your son can help you measure the ingredients, decorate the jar, and write the label. You should probably do the directions.
Merry Christmas!

My grandma is an aide in the pre-kindergarten classes and whenever she receives gifts from the kids she loves whatever is received and is proud to show it off. My grandma gets an abundance of candy, homemade sweets and/or food, she's also received earrings, necklaces, robe, foot massage machine a variety of things. I am sure the teacher will appreciate everything that is given.

I would suggest making a card and maybe pick an ornament this way the teacher can always remember your child.

Good Luck!

Coming from a teacher - ornaments, soup mixes, cookie mixes, hot chocolate mixes (with out the mug - we get quite a few of them)or home baked treats (cookies, bread, candy) is wonderful! I always liked a homemade card with a photo of the child. I also always enjoyed books for the classroom. If a child gave me a book I always had them sign the inside of the cover. My students always enjoyed knowing I was reading the book they gave me and it was a happy reminder of that child each time I read it after they left my class. Just another idea.

When I was a kid, I made pot holders for gifts--easy to make and useful. I made them using a small loom and the stretch loops available at places like Michaels. You just put loops stretching from top to bottom and then weave loops over and under the stretched loops goig side to side. A five-year old might have a little trouble with the weaving, but if so, your child could pick out the colors for the pattern.

Also, when my son was little he made candy cane and wreath ornaments for gifts. For the candy canes he alternated red and white beads on a pipe cleaner and then shaped it into a cane. I don't know the name of the beads he used, but they were round with three points, sort of like a fan blade. For the wreath, he used largeround green beads on long red pipe cleaners, so he could make a little bow at the top with the ends of the pipe cleaner.

If you like perler beads, you can download a free pattern to make a pencil holder. We just made one for a friend of my daughter's and she loves it. I think I will have my daughter make another one for her teacher.

Perler beads are also known in stores as "Fun Fusion." You need to get the big square (only at Michael's?) but getting the beads at Walmart is cheaper. If you go to the perler beads web site, www.perlerbeads.com, go to the 3-D patterns and look for pencil cup near the bottom. It is homemade and something useful as well. There are many other ideas on the website too.

Hi,
Starbuck's card with a travel mug, gift certificate to Target or a grocery. Baked goods are fine, but check and see if s/he has special dietary requirements. I used to try and get parents together and give $3 or $4, it adds up. I have also given cute socks and a gift card for a pedicure. Good luck!

S.,
That's a nice thought that you want to make something homemade that your little one can help with....
But believe me, I would rather get some kind of gift card
(even $5.00 at STARBUCKS)that I could actually use, rather than some homemade thing I have to find a place for! We teachers LOVE kids but we are around all their 'homemade' stuff all day everyday & what do we do with all that 'stuff' we get?(dare say junkie stuff?)
The reality is most teachers (EVERYONE I HAVE EVER MET)
love to get gift certificates, movie tickets, etc. We know some parents are poor, but in a lot of cases we teachers are even poorer!And we are always spending our own money in class to make things better and special for your kids. So.... remember us at the Holidays or end of year but not with more junkie stuff! THANKS for reading, since you asked.
PS Most teachers would never ever admit this to parents!

I hate to tell you this but most teachers get so many gifts from their students half the time they don't use them. They are appreaciated in the moment but then they seem to be pushed aside. I know teachers who re-gift or throw out what there students have gifted to them. I think the best gifts for a teacher is the gift of your time in the class room. See if you can volunteer your time grading papers, reading to the kids, just enought to give the teacher a break. Another idea is a small gift card $5.00 to her favorite coffee shop, or her favorite lotion, or now a days how about some hand sanitizer she could use in the class room. I speak from experience as I send you a response, I worked in the school system for many years and at different levels of education the most a teacher needs or wants is support and a parents involvement.

I just had a student in my studio making a gift for her teacher and this student was 5. She made a scarf. Go to the fabric store and buy 12 inches of stretch velvet fabric.(it will be about 44" long) It comes in about 15 different colors and costs about $5 a yard, and you only need a third of that.(I get three scarves out of a yard) Fold the fabric in half lengthwise inside out, then get embroidery needle and thick emroidery thread to match,(easy for the child to use) then have the child stitch up and down all the way around the scarf, except one end, then turn inside out and stitch the end up. Really easy and fun and quick at the same time. They are so in fashion and she will definately wear it. Even men teachers can use a scarf. The child feels good when they see the teacher wearing it, and they will because it looks and feels so good.

Hi S.,

My daughter and I collected pine cones, spread on some glue stick and then both sprinkled and rolled the cones in glitter. Once dry, I drove a big needle through the top part, threaded through some fishing line and attached an ornament hook. We got Christmas baskets from the $ store, glittered/bowed those up a little and presented a basket full to each lady as the left the house on Thanksgiving - for them to use as Christmas decorations/ornaments on their trees. They were really a hit - especially because my daughter made them herself! If you don't have pine cones in your neighborhood, you can pick them up from many places these days - Michaels, Raleys has some, they seem to be everywhere. Hope this helps!