I need ideas for Christmas gifts for teachers and childcare providers? Any ideas for something other than a coffee cup?
Mel
Bath and Bodyworks has scented hand sanitizer for $1.50. That is something teachers can use and it smells good. (11/18/2008)
By Leslie
How about gift cards to some of the office supply stores around? Our town has a specialty shop just for teachers . If you do to a gift card there would be great. Teachers are forced to spend their own money for supplies that our kids use. A gift card would help. If you want something personal how about getting together with other parents and building a scrabook or album for her or him. (11/18/2008)
By DEBRADJ.
I think a nice ornament with the child's name and year on the bottom or back would be great. That way they will think of the child for many years to come. Dollar stores has some really pretty ones. (11/18/2008)
By barbara
Though I only taught a few years (more than 25 years ago), my favorite gift was a Christmas ornament. I still have it and I still remember the little boy who gave it to me.
What I liked to give my children's teachers was a homemade relish, etc. in a pretty jam jar with the recipe attached, which included suggested ways to serve. (11/18/2008)
By pam
How about a basket of fruit, or a basket of office supplies? etc. But nothing that he or she should use to buy for the kids that are her charges anyway. That is kinda like planning on what they will give the kid. I have worked in schools and something that doesn't have to be used at school is really nice. (11/18/2008)
By sandy
One of the nicest gifts I have received as a teacher was a coffee cup with the class picture on it. Takes a little advanced planning, but was delightful. Other things that I enjoyed were candles, just about anything with an apple motif (an apple for the teacher, you see), a Tim Horton's coffee gift pack, a plant, a really nice key chain with a whistle on it. If you know something the teacher is interested in, and can go with something related to that, that is good.
By Louise B.
How about making a Teacher's Tote? Do you have access to a public library? and can you sew and quilt? There is a book called "Quilt Block Leftovers" by Sarah Phillips. This is what I am going to make for my granddaughter's teacher.
(11/18/2008)
By By Cee
In all my years teaching, the best gifts I ever received were notes from parents thanking me personally for my work with their children.
I also liked lotion, hand sanitizer, small candles, and school supplies. I spent hundreds of dollars a year for supplies.
At our school, we were told NOT to accept homemade goodies, for ourselves or any children's parties. I thought that was sad, but it became necessary. (11/19/2008)
By Janet
I got some small wooden books and some small apples. I painted the books, glued the apple on + painted subject and teacher's name on it, they luvved it. Also pencil holders (which child can do) I found they enjoyed things like that.
Good luck, Ruth (11/19/2008)
By Ruth Kennedy
Postage STAMPS -- something everyone can use.. and needs...can be included in a card, and whatever value you want to spend can be.
By JC.
I am in my sixteenth year of teaching. I am teaching in an elementary school, and two of my children are with me there. My children and I have done this project for about 6 years now. We buy canvas tote bags from a craft store, and then we decorate them with fabric paint, usually squeeze bottles, and we use foam stamps, and fabric markers (best for writing words). We write the teacher's name near the top, and the year, then our child's name at the bottom. We paint the foam stamps, which are subject related, e.g. in 2nd grade my son studied dinosaurs, so we used a dinosaur stamp. In 3rd grade the solar system, a sun and planet. The kids and I review different topics they studied over the year. We decorate front and back (Plan ahead b/c each side should dry overnight!). When my daughter had a male teacher, we instead decorated a canvas collapsable box in lieu of the bag.
All of the teachers have loved them, and we see them using them for years! My oldest, now in 6th grade still sees her Kindergarten teacher carrying her bag around!
I think this works very well for the end of the year, but you could also do something similar for the holidays. This project gets cheaper every year as we have a good collection of stamps and paints!
Supplies needed:
Old t-shirts for the kids to wear
Newspaper for underneath the project AND in between the sides of the bag (the paint can go through the fabric)
Fabric Markers
Fabric paint
Paint brushes
Foam stamps
Canvas tote bag or box
(11/23/2008)
By Kathleen
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