Our children spend the bulk of their week with their teacher, and if you and your little one have been blessed with a fantastic educator, it’s only natural you should want to show your appreciation. Go beyond the tired old apple and give your child’s teacher a present that will accurately express your thanks for all they’ve done for your little one.
A Heartfelt Letter
You can’t underestimate the power of heartfelt words. Write a letter explaining how grateful you are and slip it in the mail to your child’s teacher—it will definitely become a treasured keepsake. Within the letter you can also prompt your child to tell you their favorite thing about their teacher or explain why their teacher has made an impact on them. As parents, we know sometimes our best lessons can come from the mouths of our tiny babes, and your little one might have something to say that their teacher would love to hear.
Classroom Supplies
You might not know it, but many teachers spend a small fortune of their own money purchasing classroom supplies for their students each year. Commend their selflessness and help their endeavor by donating various supplies for their classroom. From markers to crayons to scissors, depending on the grade they teach there are numerous supplies they could benefit from. If you’re unsure of what they could most benefit from, it’s always a sweet idea to get a gift card to a school supplies store, like Staples or GW School Supply.
Something Personalized
If you’re looking for a creative gift, consider getting your child’s teacher a personalized item that will show your heartfelt sentiments. You can design artwork for their classroom with their name emblazoned on its front to make for fun décor that can be hung for years to come, a customized mug to hold those necessary cups of coffee from the teacher’s lounge, or a photo canvas printed with an image of their current class. Personalizing a gift is a thoughtful way to thank your teacher and your present will become a standout.
A Special Art Project
Let your little one get in on the fun and think of a special project they can make for their teacher. Maybe it’s a scrapbook of photos you happened to catch of your child and the classroom throughout the year (make this one a classroom-wide project) or perhaps it’s just a sweet painting where your little one takes the reins.
Baked With Love
Teachers deal with multitudes of stress, and they deserve a bit of indulgence every once in a while. Enlist the help of your child to bake some sweet treats that you can wrap up and give to his or her teacher to help them get through long nights of grading papers and preparing lesson plans. Whether it’s cookies or caramel apples made especially for them, your child’s teacher will definitely appreciate it. If you’re not an accomplished baker, make it easy on yourself and have some yummy cookies from CookiesByDesign.com delivered with cute messages or designs frosted on them.
Make Your Appreciation Public
If you feel like the teacher in question deserves some widespread recognition, make it happen with your local newspaper. You can take out an ad in your paper expressing the wonderful efforts made by this teacher and how grateful you are that your child was able to learn from them. This will gain this special person recognition throughout your town and district, accolades which are no doubt well-deserved. If that’s too public, consider sending an email to the principal and superintendent of the school district to express just how exemplary their employee is.
A Homemade Dinner
If you and your child grew close to the teacher, and you feel comfortable inviting him or her over for dinner, pull out all the stops and make a home-cooked meal. Set the table, have your little one get dressed up for the occasion, and express your sincerest sentiments. This is a lovely way to say goodbye to a teacher who your child will be graduating from within a few weeks’ time.
Teachers put their hearts and souls into their job, and if you’re grateful for all the efforts an amazing teacher has made with your child this year, make sure you let them know just how much they are appreciated.
