Teachers work hard all year and deserve our thanks each and every day. When Teacher Appreciation Week rolls around each year in May, it's the perfect time to go above and beyond to show your favorite teachers you care.
There are many craft and gift ideas teachers will adore, and when you involve your kids in easy projects, you help them learn gratitude and the great feeling that comes with doing something nice for others.
This Teacher Appreciation Week, consider these awesome ideas for saying "thank you" that are guaranteed to make your child's teachers smile.
Breakfast buckets
Preschoolers often have more than one teacher. An easy way to start their day on the right foot is to bring in breakfast buckets for everyone. Start with small metal or plastic buckets you can get at the dollar store in a variety of colors. Then stuff with breakfast goodies such as yogurt, muffins, granola bars, fresh fruit, etc. Kids will jump at the chance to help pack these tasty treats for their teachers!
Customized hand sanitizer
Teachers struggle all year to keep germs at bay. One of the best tools in their arsenal is hand sanitizer. Grab some bottles in delicious scents and have your child create a customized note before gifting. A cute addition is to have them add a hand print to a piece of paper and then write "Hands down, you're the best teacher around." (Parents can do the writing if it's too tough for little ones.)
Thank you fill-ins
For Mother's or Father's Day, you've probably received one of the adorable sheets where your child filled out different things they like about you. The answers vary from enduring to hilarious and it's certainly a worthwhile keepsake. You can do the same for your child's teachers with this free printable from TheSuburbanMom.com. They can help fill in each section, including favorite memory, favorite subject and more.
Teachers make the world go round
Have an old, dated globe just gathering dust in your house? Turn it into cool classroom decor in an instant! Remove and paint the sphere one solid color, such as blue with acrylic or spray paint. Once dry, carefully add the teacher's name in big letters such as "Mrs. Nelson" on one side and on the other side add a customized quote or statement such as "Teach big and change the world." Then help your child add his hand prints in the open spaces. Place it back in the globe stand and you're ready to gift.
Teacher portraits by students
Teachers always enjoy when students put the time and effort into creating something special just for them. If you're not sure what craft to tackle, consider having your child draw a picture of the teacher. It doesn't matter if it looks more Picasso than Rembrant — the teacher will love this one-of-a-kind piece of art. Tuck in a little gift card to the local coffee shop, breakfast cafe or dollar store (a favorite for teacher supplies), and you have the perfect thank you with minimal effort.
Teachers work hard all year and deserve our thanks each and every day. When Teacher Appreciation Week rolls around each year in May, it's the perfect time to go above and beyond to show your favorite teachers you care.