Preschool Teacher Gift Ideas

Just today I saw the BEST teacher's gift. One of the children gave the teachers personalized totes from LL Bean. They were monogrammed and were filled with useful items from the Container Store. They were PERFECT!

I taught school for 34 years and always loved gift carts to a book store. I could use it to get books for the classroom and everyone benefitted.

S.

I've given windchimes before that they seemed to like a lot. I also think maybe something from Bath & Body like antibacterial hand soap or even the lotions. But, probably the best thing is a gift card.

I've learned through the years with my five children (and having three educators in my extended family) that teachers most appreciate things they can USE instead of "A+ teacher" apple nik-naks and stuff like that. One gift that has gotten rave reviews every time we give them is a set of handcrafted notecards.

On the bottom half of a sheet of paper, I stamp my child's fingerprints in different colors of washable ink. Then using a black pen I draw lines to turn each fingerprint into a flower, butterfly, the sun, etc., to create a cute scene. (Do a search for Ed Emberly's fingerprint books for LOTS of fantastic ideas!). Take the page to a copy center such as Kinko's and have them color copy it onto glossy cardstock (the end quantity will be double of however many copies you make). Cut the cardstock copies down the middle and fold in half so the scene is on the front. Add 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" envelopes (white or pastel- colored ones are available at office supply stores or Wal-Mart) and tie with a pretty ribbon.

Also, for an added touch...
before copying you can type in a cute font "Custom Made for Mrs. ______ using ______'s fingerprints" and the year. Do this twice on the reverse side and other half of the cardstock from the scenes. It will then appear on the back center of the folded notecards.

The project requires some effort but it makes a very nice gift and is inexpensive but special! Teachers always can use pretty notecards so they love it.

It's not difficult, but if you just don't want to try a project or don't have any time, then I'd suggest a gift certificate for a massage or a manicure or a tube of nice hand-cream. Again, all the teachers I know prefer things they can USE.

My sister just saw the gift that the room mother gave to her son's teacher.

The kids drew their faces and the girls faces became the center of flowers and the boys faces became the faces on bees. They were then somehow transferred to a planter and around the rim of the planter it said "Thanks for helping us GROW!". There was of course a plant inside. For younger kiddos you could just write their names and have them maybe use their thumbrints to make bees or butterflies or flowers or something on the pot with paint. I thought it was precious...and something the teacher can actually use!!! (Believe me...I'm a teacher and we get alot of stuff that we just can't use!!) Good luck!

This was a gift my daughter gave to her middle school teachers but I think would work at any grade level...

A couple of years ago (after my daughter completed the 5th grade) I bought small inexpensive flowering plants from Lowes. (I think I paid about $1.00 for each.) I wrapped the bottom in colorful paper/plastic and tied a ribbon around them with the following note attached.

To my gardener…
Throughout this year,
You planted a seed,
Nurtured and provided support,
And watched it grow.

Thanks for helping me “blossom”!
(My child's name here)

Her teachers loved them! Good luck and God bless!

here are some websites that should give you an idea or two... ;-)

http://www.personalizedpaperstore.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?C...

http://teachergifts.com/

http://www.homeroomdirect.com/

http://www.personalizationmall.com/Personalized-Teacher-G...

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfea...

I think good gift idea would be gift cards from a local store or to a nice restaurant. To me that is easier than picking out a gift that you aren't sure if they could use or not.

Gift cards!! I know they appreciate these so much more than the millions of candles and bath stuff they get every year. We've given Visa gift cards too which is great because they can use them anywhere. The only down side to these is that they do charge a small fee to purchase them.I would not recommend Amex GC because there are more restrictions to these. Also, if you've ever seen the "Willowtree" figurines they are precious! They sell them in Hallmark stores or gift shops.

Good luck and have a great summer!

I personally think gift cards are the best. Especially, a VISA or Mastercard gift card where they can use them anywhere they would like. You can purchase them at your local bank. Even a gift card to the mall would be wonderful, because there are so many choices to shop. Everyone LOVES shopping!

Preschool teachers love homemade gifts as much if not more than expensive ones. I was a single mom struggleing so not any extra for gifts. I was crafty though. I made schoolhouses out of felt and put my childs picture in the center. I cut out a front and a back put the picture in between the two pcs. Glued them together, used glitter paint to put the date on the front and my childs name on the back. I also attached a piece of ribbon so the teacher could hang it. That inside of a thank you card made a wonderful, personal gift.

Best Wishes,
B.-Texas
momsNcharge.com

Gift cards are a wonderful idea unless you have gotten close to the teacher and know what she is into. Like if you know what she collects or something. It is very thoughtful that you remember them. Alot of times parents take for granted what teachers do. They should be praised and appreciated!!

D. Mattern-Muck
Making your home a better place to live!
www.formyrugrats.com
www.safer4myrugrats.com

I love using GiftBaskets.com. They have a lot of neat selections for gifts. They are not cheap, but the products are well worth the price. Best wishes!

I found some really cute inexpensive teacher gifts at In-Courage on West Ave in the Elms shopping center down from the Starbucks. I bought my girls teacher a cute little beaded bracelet, that had a nice message on the box. I can't remember what some of the beads said now but it was like Kind, Patient, etc. It cost about $12, so not too expensive. They have tons of cute gifts ranging from inexpensive to expensive.

As a preschool teacher at at family center, we love to get things we wouldn't buy ourselves like gift cards to restaurants, Starbucks, etc or giftcards to bookstores or teacher stores to buy things for the classroom. We also enjoy things like candles and lotions(we wash our hands a million times a day). I've also gotten Christmas ornaments which I love to add to my collection. Don't forget to add a note of thanks along with your gift. It doesn't have to be expensive, it's the thought that counts.

Gift cards for dinner, a massage or school supplies to are always a good idea. Teacher spend so much of their own money on classroom supplies especially in the younger grades.

Hi S.,
Im a preschool teacher and i love to give gift ideas for other teachers. Gift cards are great to her favorite store or if you want to get a little more personal make your teacher a bag with your daughters hand prints or a piece of pottery from the mad potter that your daughter has painted. We love to get gifts that help us to remember your child. or how about a picture frame,Plastic one that your daughter has painted with a cute pic of her inside. i could keep going and going.... but i wont torture you LOL. if you have any questions you are more than welcome to email me: ____@____.com
A.

Funny today is my daughters last day and we gave the teachers plants. The note attached was along the lines of watching my blossom and bloom........

all the teachers i know appreciate the gift cards the most - a restaurant, office max or depot to buy stuff for the class, a spa or nail salon, starbucks or the mall. good luck!

Doing a scrapbook full of memories for the teacher is a nice touch, but also takes a lot of time & money. Check out this digital scrapbook that I had printed in a book for my son's Kinder teacher. (I removed the kids names & photos for privacy.) You can add your own photos and text.

http://tinyurl.com/66pmvu

A.
www.CreateHeritage.com

If you have pictures from throughout the year you could make a small scrapbook or you could have all the kids draw the teacher a picture and make a scrapbook out of that. On a side note You could also give her a 90 minute in home spa treatment if you are interested in that give me a call. There is no charge for the in home Spa and if you would like to buy her any spa products There many with various prices.

Good luck,
A.
____@____.com

Get her a gift card to a nice restaurant!

Hi S.,
They love it when you give them something they can use in their classrooms. Check out Discovery Toys 60% off sale at www.cindystoybox.com. Let me know if I can help in any way!

Peace,
C.

target gift card and a rose

Depending on the teacher's age, I've given a picture frame/candle... I've given young teachers fun, jeweled frames, and more mature teachers a more classic, antique frame...if I feel that it would be their style. You could also give gift cards to Starbucks or Target.. who doesn't love that!!