The Holiday gift season is upon us and now that I am a parent, I am faced with the challenge of finding a unique and special something for my child’s preschool teacher. The good news is that because I am in the profession of early childhood education, I can reflect on some notable gifts that I have had the pleasure of receiving over the past few years to inspire my own gift-giving. Even better, these aren’t going to break the bank and not one involves a coffee cup, the epitome of the classic teacher gift. And in this glorious age of Pinterest, these don’t involve a hot glue gun, a printable saying, or a trip to Hobby Lobby.
Go Beyond the Typical Food Goodies
Everyone loves to give and eat holiday sweets. The problem is when you have a class of twenty children that all bring their teacher a large bag of cookies, brownies, etc., this leads to an overload of sugary treats. Make your teacher’s day by filling her belly in a different way: bring or send her a lunch one day during the crazy last week of school before the holiday break. You can email or send a note asking what type of sandwich she likes, salad, something from your own kitchen, or a fast food restaurant, whatever is easiest. I know it seems silly, but for teachers that typically get 20 minutes to scarf down a lunch from home or nasty interesting cafeteria food, getting a lunch made for you or brought to school is a real treat. This doesn’t have to be expensive and can often be cheaper than trying to gather the ingredients needed for a baked goods recipe.
Make a Donation
In this age of overwhelming amounts of “stuff”, think about giving back to the school or the community in honor of your child’s teacher. Talk to the school librarian and see if there is a way to donate a book to the class or the library in her name. Ask if she has an Amazon Wish List of books for the classroom (I heard a teacher say at lunch today all she wants for Christmas is stuff for her classroom instruction- we are a real group of party animals). If there is some sort of foundation at the school, make a small contribution in her honor. I had a student do this one time and he gave me little print out with the information attached small gift card. This gesture really stuck out to me as being thoughtful and different. My fabulous sister-in-law introduced me to Just Give, an online resource for charity donations that allows you to give a gift card that allows the recipient to choose where the donation goes. Very cool indeed.
Involve Your Child
It absolutely cracks me up when children get to choose the gift they bring to me, mainly because they really get into it and are SO proud to give it to me. Last year a student brought me a package of pencils and thing of glue sticks. When I opened them, he excitedly told me how I think pencils are so important and how we need to not break them, so he got me some more since I like them so much. What teacher can’t use more school supplies? Another time a parent gave me a gift card to a local spa to put toward a massage because her son suggested it was a good idea since I had been complaining about my neck hurting. One year a child wrote an entire book for Jack about his first Christmas and another brought me a collection of New Orleans Saints cups because he knew I am a big fan. These were all the ideas of six year olds and meant so much to me. (An added bonus? Let your child wrap the gift. I’ve seen entire rolls of tape used to make a present out of a small candle and it was truly an amazing piece of art in and of itself.)
Jazz Up the Gift Card
Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good Starbucks gift card. Sure, it might not be the most original idea, but it certainly is a nice treat (unless your child’s teacher doesn’t like coffee). In general, you can never go wrong with a gift card. Period. The way to jazz this up or make it more personal are to really think about your child’s teacher as a person beyond the school walls. The year that I was pregnant, I got gift cards to Babies r Us, Baby Gap, and Target. One parent, who is also a friend, gave me a gift card to Spec’s with some wine glass charms with instructions to relax. To piggyback on the idea of involving your child, ask him or her stores where your teacher likes to go. One year the room parent must have suggested this because I got several cards to HEB and Michaels with notes attached about having fun at my “favorite” stores. I loved this idea! Gift cards for manicures or anything that involves pampering are great too. Don’t think that a gift card has to cost you a fortune and that you have to spend a lot!
Write a Note
Really want to touch your teacher’s heart this year at practically no cost to you? Take a few minutes to sit down and write him or her a note. I’m not talking a last minute, running out the door, putting generic how great you are sayings down on paper. Sit down and really write a note from your heart about how your teacher has impacted your child’s life and ultimately, yours. Think: What things have you noticed about your child since he has been in her class? What things does your child come home talking about, making school sound like the greatest place on earth? What little qualities have you noticed that you really appreciate? I’ve gotten some touching notes and this year my note to Mrs. S will say something along the lines of,
I can’t thank you enough for greeting me and my child each day with a smile and for continuing to be so positive and friendly when I pick him up, especially after spending the day with ten 3 year olds. Your enthusiasm is contagious and as a result, Jack adores you and loves being in your class. The warm and loving environment you have created is a testament to your dedication and I really appreciate you thinking about what preschoolers are interested in learning. Train week was a big hit and I love hearing about all of the things you do in the classroom. Every night we say our prayers and Jack always includes you in his list of people for God to take care of and I couldn’t agree more! We are truly blessed to have you in our lives and thank you for taking such wonderful care of my sweet (most of the time) boy.
I have sat in my classroom crying after reading notes from busy mamas. The time taken to write a note doesn’t go unnoticed and those moments of reading them go far beyond any material gift in terms of lasting memories. If your child is older, ask him or her to write a note or draw a picture as well.
Any Holiday gift that you give your child’s teacher is greatly appreciated because it means that you are thinking of him or her. These are just a few suggestions meant to make your life easier so you don’t worry about creating some major project or something that is a lot of work for you- a simple thought or gesture goes a long way! Just remember to stay away from those coffee mugs…
Have any great suggestions for teacher gifts? Please share them below!
