The end of term is coming fast and lots of parents are urgently looking for last minute affordable teachers gifts so here is few ideas which will hopefully help. All of these ideas can also be used for teachers assistants as I know they can be especially difficult to find items for.
1. Plant pot
Terracotta pots are very cheap and so easy to paint. There are so so many ideas and designs you could do or just give your child a paintbrush and let them go wild. The end result will come out even better if you give it a layer of white first give it a few coats, use acrylic paint and also varnish inside as well as out once the painting is finished. The pot can be filled with a plant or even stationary as shown below. My idea is to send this with a tag with something like “Thanks a melon”
Done by: both
Cost: £2 for the pot and varnish + £1-2 for each colour acrylic paint (lots will be left over)
2. Cheats hamper
If you still want to buy something but just add a handmade personal touch then a hamper of supplies is a great way to go. What you may not know is that many teachers buy some supplies with their own money so a hamper with pencils, glue, pens etc is great. Is not only thoughtful but also helpful. You could also have a hamper of fruit, snacks or even pamper items. Bows, ribbons, handmade tags, unique wrapping and notes are a lovely way to make this hand mad and you will save so much money doing it yourself. To do a snack hamper you could add tags to each item with pins and handmade notes. For example: “Thank you for being an extra special teacher”- extra chewing gum, “Thank you for being kinder than most”- kinder eggs, “class would have been unbearable without you”- gummy bears, “you are a quality teacher!”- quality street, “thank you for making for making me a smartie”- smarties and finally, “you’re the best teacher in the Milky Way”- Milky Way. I could go on all day!Done by: parents but the children can make notes
Cost: varies by what you add
3. Hand painted garden pencil stakes
This is a lovely gift idea for any teacher or teaching assistant. It is so unique but also something which will be used a lot! You could even pair it with a couple of plants or herb plants which are very cheap in supermarkets. This is very simple and you will get the best results using acrylic paint. For a project this size you could even use the little tubes in the pound shop! Start with some lolly pop sticks, and using masking tape section off each area as shown. Add a couple of coats of paint to each area and don’t forget to varnish! Leave the gap blank for the teacher to fill in their plant name.
Done by: both
Cost: £3
4. Crayon initial frame
Once again a nice cheap idea only requiring a few things! You get get crayons quite cheaply and all you need to do is sketch out a simple initial and snap the crayons to fit into the shape. I would recommend sticking this onto the front of the glass so it fits into the frame unless you have access to a 3D frame (about £3 from IKEA, the range or hobbycraft). The best way to glue it either way is using a hot glue gun. If you haven’t used one before it’s best to start slowly and test it before you use it. You can also add a the teachers name onto the coloured card/ paper behind the glass.
Done by: mainly parents but the children can break the crayons
Cost: £2 for the basic frame and crayons + around £5 for the glue gun and sticks if you don’t already own
5. Sweet jar
You can get a plain glass jar and sweets very cheaply. The key is the detail and you really can decorate this however you like. You can add fake flowers, labels, tags, ribbons, string or you could even paint it. If you are sticking anything on the top, hot glue would be the best way to ensure it stays on. Below is an example I’ve made with a simple handwritten note though you could print one or experiment with calligraphy (watch out for a blog post in the future on this!
Done by: both
Cost: £2 plus decoration
6. Printable apple shape with words
This requires a little computer knowledge but I think you’ll agree it’s worth it! I’ll talk you through my process but you can do it anyway you find easiest. So to do this I went onto the copyright free website pixabay but you can use any image as you are doing this in a private capacity. For this I will be using an apple shape but you could use any which you know the person you are doing it for will like or a pencil, star etc. I copy this shape onto some sort of design programme but I’ve just used Microsoft PowerPoint as this is generally a universal programme most have. I start by typing out words which can be the class names or just words which remind you of this person (inspiring, helpful, caring etc) into either word art or in individual text boxes. The sizes of words should all be different and you can use different fonts if you wish. Next you should move the words into the apple shape. If the apple is covering the letters just right click and send it to the back. Resize all of the words to fit best into the apple shape. Once this is done, you can recolour the text and delete the main apple shape so only words are left. All that’s left to do is make sure you’re happy, print and place into a simple a4 frame.
Done by:parents or older children
Cost: £1 for frame
7. Cupcakes
This is a lovely idea for teachers as not only is it a lovely treat but it can also be shared with either the class or all of the other teachers who work so hard. There are so many decoration ideas to make the cupcakes look even more special but the thought is the most important. This is a nice activity for you and your children and can so easily be scaled up for however many you need. Below is a very simple buttercream recipe but you can easily add to this (cocoa powder, flavours, decor etc). Most people know a simple cake batter recipe but if not search online for recipes or you could also decorate simple supermarket cupcakes if you are short for time, buy ready decorated ones or use a packet mix.
For 10 cupcakes:
140g softened butter
280g icing sugar
1-2 tsps milk
Beat the butter until soft, add the icing sugar slowly bit by bit each time beating until mixed. Add the milk and stir. You can simple spoon onto the cupcake or use a piping bag to create a swirl.
Done by: both (kids will love to bake!
Cost:£3-6
8. Bookmark
This is quite a simple idea but it’s one guaranteed to be needed and used. It’s a lovely gift to be paired with a book too. You can design something simple online or just let your child go crazy drawing and writing whatever they like. You could add a simple note on the back thanking them again and then just laminate and trim to size!
Done by: both
Cost: under £1
9. Handmade card
If you really are stuck for time what about a simple handmade card that your child has made. With a personal message from your child, this is something the teacher will truly appreciate as they will not only have something to remember your child by but also something to show them how far your child has progressed in their class. This really is one where your child can do anything they like just with gentle guidance as to what their message will be. All you need is a card and envelope and whatever materials they will use to decorate e.g. Pencils, colouring pens, crayons, glitter etc.
Done by: child
Cost: under £1
Thank you for reading and I hope you’ve got some good ideas! If you make anything in my list then tag me on twitter @meaningfulmake1 for a retweet and so I can see your amazing creations! Come back again soon for more tutorials including crafts for under 10s, calligraphy cheats and lots more coming soon!
Meaningful Makes 