Getting crafty: Five ‘thank you teacher’ gifts you can make at home

As we come to the end of an extremely turbulent and unpredictable school year, the old tradition of ‘thank you teacher’ cards and gifts has not been forgotten. Your child might not have been at school for some time, but teachers have still been prevalent in the school setting or working in the background to provide the content, tools and support for home learning.

Each summer we think of the ways we can thank the teachers and assistants for their efforts in teaching and supporting our children throughout the school year. Maybe this July instead of heading out to the shops, we can keep the kids amused whilst also creating the perfect gift? And the great thing about a homemade gift is that it can utilise items from around the home and can suit any budget.

We asked Charlotte Baldwin, operations manager at IQ cards, a company that provide schools and establishments with the tools to fundraise by selling high-quality and unique gifts designed by pupils, to give parents some advice about perfect homemade gifts for teachers.

Cards

A card is one of the simplest parts of a gift to personalise from home. It is a task that can easily reflect your child’s age and ability, and younger children who love any form of messy play can be let loose with wax crayons, paint and chalks. A great keepsake for younger children is to paint a hand or foot and create a picture using the shapes made, or it can be left as a simple print. Older children can experiment more with a customised design, drawing pictures of the teacher and fun activities they might have taken part in over the year. And of course, you have plenty of room inside to craft that extra special thank you message.

Labels

Don’t worry if you aren’t able to make a gift, staple ‘thank you teacher’ gift ideas might include flowers, chocolate and maybe even a bottle of something sparkling, but why not give this a personal stamp by letting children design their own label or decorate a plain white gift bag. This will bring a smile to their faces, and will also be also handy for teachers to keep track of who all their lovely gifts have come from.

Pen pots

When trying to think of a homemade gift that will be useful in the daily role of a teacher, one thing that springs to mind is a pen pot. You can use any cylinder or square shaped pot or container as a base, and then the possibilities are endless. One idea might be to stick crayons or pencils around the outside to create a unique, decorative pen pot for any teacher’s desk. If you have a plain surface let children draw, colour and decorate their own design.

Initials

It is nice to send teachers a gift that they might be able to showcase for years to come, and making use of their name or initials could help make your gift last the test of time. For example, by drawing the first initial of their surname on a piece of paper or card and letting your kids decorate to their heart’s content – younger children can make a messy painting, leaving the job of cutting out the stencil to an adult. Older children might want to use something more intricate to decorate, such as crystals, stones or, following on from an earlier idea, laying crayons in a horizontal or vertical pattern cut to size to follow and fill the outline of the letter. These can then be framed or could even be turned into a 3D structure.

Mugs

When trying to think of a perfect gift that a teacher will use again and again, who can go wrong with a mug! You can buy a plain mug and paints/ pens which are designed to dry permanently on ceramic surfaces, enabling children to draw or paint their own pictures or, to make this easier, you can buy sets that include everything you need to bring your mug design to life. Although this might come at more of a cost than you might have wanted, think of it as giving your child an opportunity to be creative and keeping them amused, as well as providing a lovely homemade gift.

Charlotte says, “Working closely with schools to create personalised items as a fundraising tool, I see the importance and the demand for these items. They come straight from the heart and tap into the imagination of children, creating a truly unique gift to be treasured.”

The best part is that whatever homemade gift you choose to make with your little one, it will always be looked highly upon by anyone who has had the pleasure of working with your child. Each idea provides a level for any ability or budget to build upon, as well as providing kids with a fun and educational craft activity to do at home. It will also help to remind them that their school and their teachers are still there, and will be ready to welcome them back in September.