crafty people help me come up with a cute handmade gift for DD teacher

[Spinning]

This is the first year we have had a male teacher I am at a lost as an end of the year gift! I have a feeling he would love something made by the kids. He is young and this is his 2nd or 3 rd year of teaching.

I bought some of that polymor (sp) clay but can't think of anything to make! I thought a picture frame. I know you can mold it over a frame and then bake it. Any other ideas?
I also thought of a book mark, pencil holder etc...but I thought for sure everyone on here would come up with great ideas.
My DD is 7 loves crafts and is in first grade.
Bring on the ideas!

 

[Suzy Mouse]

This is what I did for my DD's teacher. I bought one of those chalkboards at ACMoore (about 4X 6 or so). I also bought those wooden charms...teacher related and hotglue them on the edges (usually on the corners...top middle and bottom middle). On the chalkboard I wrote the teacher's name with a paint pen. I attached "crayon" ribbon to the top (one side on the ribbon on each corner) so he can hang it. He loved it!!
I hope this helps!

 

[Spinning]

That is a great idea! and I love the fact it was also for a Male teacher! I may take my daughter to the craft store tomorrow. I also thougth about maybe a pencil holder made out of tiles. I really want it made by her!
Thanks!

 

[Suzy Mouse]

Another thing I do....
THey sell Galvanized tins 4.5" at the craft stores. I put the teacher's name on it with the paint pens add stickers then usually put candy in it. You can also put pens, pencils, stickers, etc in it if you wish.

Wrap it in the cellaphane wrap and you're good to go!!!

 

[yummy72]

Somethings we have given our teachers in the past :

stepping stone (DD made it herself with her handprint, little tiles etc... for a teacher that loved to garden)

homemade breads, cookies, apple butter, jam

cocoa mix (this was for Xmas, but you could to lemonade mix)

coffee mugs filled with mini packages coffee and homemade biscotti

This year I found a really cute old fashioned looking glass candy jar with a stainless steel lid and filled it with gumdrops, we made a tag that said "Thanks for being so sweet"

Sometimes for male gifts (including Father's Day and stuff) I'll take a big insulated mug or those big plastic cups fill it with candy bars, beef jerky, peanuts, sunflower seeds, golf balls... I have done a variation on the same them with "have a great summer" filled with lemonade mix, sunscreen, chapstick, band aids, bug repellant, and also a more feminine version with packages of tea, cookies, and chocolates.

Also I've done little bags for the teachers full of candy using the names of the candy in the note example "Thanks for being such a great teacher, you're worth a *Hundred Grand* and that's nothing to *Snicker* about. Have a *Carefree* Summer (gum) You're a real *Lifesaver* You get the idea...

HTH!
Candi

 

[Twinsplus1]

Over the years my husband has gotten some really gifts from families and also from the class. The candy jar works great but better for the Holidays or Teacher Appreciation week so that he can give out the candy as a reward. Some other things he has received and loved are: a gift basket with popcorn, movie box candy and a gift certificate to rent movies, a bottle of wine (believe it or not!)with crackers and cheese and gourmet goodies (ok, ok, I REALLY liked that one), a starbucks giftcard with all kinds of gourmet coffee goodies like biscotti, etc. However, his favorites have been a gift card to Dick's a local sporting goods store (he has taught tennis in the summer), a Home Depot Card (he's very handy) and last year he recieved a gift card to a local nursery (he loves to work in the yard). The last three were all "class" gifts so they were for very generous sums. I think the nursery one is neat because he can look at the tree he bought and remember his class but he also remembers that the tool he bought at Home Depot was from a certain class too. I've had several room moms call over the years to get ideas on the interests of my husband. Maybe you could call his wife if he's married.

Just recently, for teacher appreciation week, I surprised my twin's teacher with a gourmet lunch from the class. I had mentioned in a note to each students family what we'd like to do, if they decided to contribute they could send in a dollar or two. Regardless, it was from the entire class. I had enough money to purchase a great shrimp salad sandwich with a side item, a big iced tea, apple crumb pie dessert and a beautiful Gerber daisy with a cute dragonfly plant stake for the teacher and the student teacher. We set it up in the faculty room with linen napkins and a candle. Boy were the other teachers jealous! LOL It was really cute to see how tickled the teachers got!

Good luck!

 

[Twinsplus1]

I realized my post really was not about a handmade gift, sorry.

The other room mom in my kid's class had the kids write and draw pictures of what they liked about their teacher. She then took the pages to Kinko's and had them cover and bind it. It cost about 5 bucks and was very cute and the teacher loved it! Hope this helps.

Robyn

 

[Spinning]

no problem. Those ideas are always helpful! I just think this teacher would really like and appreciate a home made gift from a student.
End of the year can be stressfull and expensive! We usually do a group gift with money/gift cert. but when I really think a teacher did a great job I like to give a little something extra!
sounds like the students must really like your husband!

 

[J&D]

One of my students gave me a basket full of candy today. Each type of candy was numbered, and the numbers corresponded to those in the following paragraph which was included in a card:

"It's been a great year! I've had so much fun. These #1 I'm surrounded by have been very entertaining. Perhaps you've heard some #2 when you said the wrong thing. I know we often pushed your buttons, but we really weren't trying to be such #3 . You have been a real #4 and one of the best teachers in the entire #5 . If it were up to me, you would be paid #6 for all you do. Thank you.

Your favorite #7."

#1= Nerds
#2= Snickers
#3= Airheads
#4= Life Saver
#5= Milky Way
#6= 100 Grand
#7= Sugar Babies

I thought this was a cute idea.

 

[holycow]

These are all really great ideas!
J&D That is so cute with the candy!

HC

 

[MerryPoppins]

Here are some more candy ideas:

Hershey's Hugs and Kisses - "Hugs and Kisses" for all you do for us"

salt (those little packages from McDonald's) - "Because you are the salt of the earth"

$100 Grand Bar - "You are worth a $100 Grand to us!"

pack of gum - "Thanks for sticking with us"

a rock - "You are the rock in the foundation of our school"

Treasure bar - "You are a real treasure".

How about a picture frame that is the size of their class photo? Or take a class photo yourself and frame that. Teachers like that kind of thing.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Just thought of another I have used. A decorated flower pot with a plant. DD and I painted them and picked up a plant at our local Walmart. Then we put a tag on each plant that said something about the teacher planting seeds of knowledge that would bloom for years to come. They were really cute.