Showing appreciation for teachers is a great way to honor the hard work they do and remind them of their impact on students’ lives. Teachers give so much of themselves throughout the school year and often go unrecognized.
Encouraging your little one to make gifts for teachers is a great way to build positive relationships and start a lifelong habit of giving. Whether your child makes a special handmade gift for his teacher or helps create an appreciation tray for the classroom, these DIY projects are sure to bring a smile to any educator’s face.
This blog post will provide creative, DIY ideas for gifts that will make teachers feel appreciated. These gifts are easy to make, and all include a personal touch that teachers will adore.
12 DIY Gifts for Teachers
As parents, we are the ones who teach our children basic learning before they have their formal education. When it comes time for our kids to go off to school and become students themselves, the teachers are the ones who continue to teach them, nurture them, and guide them. Teachers are our most valuable resource because they are there to help our children learn and grow into their unique selves. Teachers deserve more than just a hug from kids; they deserve gifts as well. Thankfully, there are many gift ideas that your child can make for teachers. Here are some great ones:
1. Gift Card Bouquet
This is a great, simple way to let teachers know you appreciate their hard work and dedication to your child. Even if you have a teacher who usually gets gift cards or doesn’t like receiving gifts, this craft is still a great idea because it feels personal and special when kids put their thoughts into their gifts. Your little one will surely enjoy making it. In order to start, you just need to gather the necessary craft supplies.
You need a flower pot, a flower template, gift cards, wooden skewers, floral foam, cardstock, a hot glue gun with glue sticks, adhesive, and candy. It’s also great to include buttons, a chalkboard tag, and a ribbon. For complete instructions, you may visit Cutesy Crafts.
2. Teacher Appreciation Candle Craft
A teacher appreciation candle is a perfect way to show your thanks! With a few simple supplies, you can create a beautiful candle that will remind your teacher of your appreciation each time they light it. Start with a jar of your choice, and fill it with natural soy wax. Then, pick a scent your teacher will love and add some wax fragrance oil. Finally, add a wick and let it cool to create the perfect teacher appreciation candle.
3. Crayon-covered Jars
You can create a cute craft by using a jar with an assortment of colors of crayons. Crayon-covered jars are used as a decoration for a teacher’s table or desk, but they can also serve as a candy dish or pencil holder. In order To create it, you need a jar, some crayons, Double-Sided Tape or Hot Glue. The process is easy, and the result is very attractive. Your child is sure to love it and be proud as he presents it to his teacher. You may visit Felt Magnet for the complete tutorial.
4. Personalized Mugs
This is a simple yet elegant gift that your child can make for his teacher. It’s fun to personalize the mugs and make each one unique. You can color the mug using oil-based Sharpie paint markers or DecoArt glass paint markers. Encourage your child to add his personal touch to all the mugs. This includes his name and a special message for the teacher. It is sure to leave your teacher with an unforgettable memory and smile. Living Well Spending Less has provided a great tutorial if you want to know more about this craft.
5. DIY Tote Bag
Not all teachers have cute tote bags. This is a perfect gift idea for those teachers. It is also cheap, easy, and quick to make. This bag can be used as a storage tool, lunch tote, or anything else the teacher wants it to be. HGTV has provided step-by-step instructions on how to DIY this beautiful project.
6. Chalkboard Frame
A chalkboard frame is a fun teacher gift that you can’t go wrong with. The process is easy to follow and the materials needed are extremely inexpensive. For the frame, you’ll need a wooden base that you can buy at your local craft store. You can also use a wooden picture frame around the house; just be sure to paint it. Also, you need chalkboard paint and a brush. By providing your child with a variety of options to customize his frame, he can make one that is truly special for his favorite educator. Kiwi Co provided the tutorial.
7. Ice Tea with a Tag
If you are looking for a simple yet personal gift, you should try this creative idea. This one can provide a meaningful experience and will surely warm a teacher’s heart who works hard in the class all year long. What’s good about doing this craft with your child is that you can bond in the process, and it will serve as a good reminder of your child’s earlier days in school. You can explore lots of choices when it comes to customized messages. For instance, Thank you for your hard work, We Learned a lot today, or It would be impossible without you. For the complete tutorial, please visit Mama Cheaps.
8. Mason Jar Lid Christmas Ornament
This is a really easy and simple project that every child can do. It is a fantastic gift idea for teachers who have everything, but this will be something they will keep and treasure for years to come. All you need is a Mason jar lids (one per child), a Hot Glue Gun, a Small photo of each child, and Scrapbook paper. Pre-K Pages provides a great tutorial on how to make these ornaments.
9. Colorful Pencil Vase
The concept is the same as Crayon-covered Jars, but this one uses colored pencils to create a beautiful and colorful vase. This is a meaningful gift for your teacher, containing various colors and looks very attractive. You need a vase of choice, colored pencils, Colorful paper, glue or double-sided tape, scissors, and a hot glue gun. Your little one will be very excited about doing this process. She may ask for additional colored pencils in order to make the vase look more beautiful. If you have any questions or problems during the process, you can refer to Thrifty Jinxy for the full tutorial.
10. Marbled Paperweight
This one is a great project for teacher appreciation because it will look beautiful on any teacher’s desk, and it’s also useful. If you want to create something unique and make your teacher feel special, this is the right idea for you. Of course, you will need to have some skills in working with this because the steps are not simple or easy. But, if you have already worked with this material before, this project won’t present any problem to you. You can find the instructions here at Kiwi Co.
11. Survival Kits for Teachers
This is a good idea to show your gratitude to your teacher. It can be done by the whole class or just one child. All you need to do is prepare a survival kit for the teacher containing all of the basic supplies that she could need in an emergency. You can use a small mason jar and include band-aids, flashlights and batteries that are weatherproof, and other things like pencils, pens, or anything else you think the teacher may need. You may refer See Vanessa Craft for the complete tutorial.
12. Pencil tags
This one may take an amount of time to do, but it’s worth it. It’s incredibly adorable, and your son’s teacher can hang it on their door or keep it on a shelf. It can be a great decoration for the teacher who enjoys arts and crafts. You need a Cricut cutting machine, wood, transfer tape, Cricut tools, and a Cricut mat. If you are interested in knowing the complete process, then please visit Leap of Faith Crafting.
Final Thoughts
Showing appreciation for teachers doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. From hand-painted mugs to personalized notepads, these 12 DIY teacher gifts are sure to bring a smile to any educator’s face. Not only are these gifts thoughtful and creative, but they are also budget-friendly and easy to make. So, grab some materials, flex your creative muscles, and show the teacher how much you appreciate them.
Our staff and teachers here at Baby Steps Daycare are all truly amazing. They work so hard every day with our children and give their best. No wonder lots of kids at Baby Steps Daycare love them! They showed it in many ways, like giving gifts to their teachers, making crafts, and having fun in the classroom when they needed a break. The teachers become more than just a teacher to the children. They become a friend or even family. We would like to thank our teachers for all that they do and for always putting smiles on our children’s faces every day!
If you want to learn more about Baby Steps Daycare, call us at 347-644-5528 for Rego Park or 347-960-8334 for Forest Hills. And if you want your child to be a part of Baby Steps Daycare, please contact us!
