5 Handmade Gift Ideas for the Preschool Teacher in Your Life
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5 Handmade Gift Ideas for the Preschool Teacher in Your Life
Preschool teachers do so much to help our children grow and learn. They are the educational force that helps prepare our kids for grade school, high school, and beyond.
In the context of my younger daughter’s entire education so far, the preschool teachers might have had the greatest impact. My younger daughter, as some of you know, has some special needs. I talk about that here from time to time.
When my daughter was very small she had a lot of trouble with socializing, so all of her helpers, the therapists and doctors and social workers too, stated clearly that she needed to get started early in preschool so that she would grow the skills needed to help her succeed socially in school. In these early years her preschool teachers worked beautifully with the entire team of specialists to help our girl succeed. This was so valuable to her, and to us, that we would have given anything to these teachers for helping her, and sometimes loving her as if she was their own child, or grandchild.
From time to time even our little one wanted to show the teachers how much she appreciated their help. So we would make little notes and pictures and things that were simple but heartfelt.
As the school year slowly draws to a close, I know many parents and children will be wanting to show some affection and gratitude to these special educators. These handmade gift ideas are a great way to show our preschool teachers how much they mean to us and to our kids.
Handmade Gift Ideas the Kids Can Make
Handmade gifts are so much more special than a card or a gift basket. These handmade gift ideas tell your child’s teacher that they’re important enough to warrant some actual time taken out of the day.
Handmade Cards
Nothing is quite as cute as child’s handmade card. From their creative – if sometimes indecipherable – drawings and writings to their color choices to the big hugs that always come when they gift it, a handmade card pulls at the heartstrings like nothing else.
Paper Plate Crafts
Our kids’ preschool teachers love to remember their students at this adorable age just like we parents do. Why not give them the granddaddy of all homemade gift ideas. The paper plate/hand print combo. Just get yourself some washable paint, a paper plate, and have your little one leave his or her hand prints in center of the paper plate. You can then put a nice saying like “You’re the best teacher. Hands down” on it to add to the cuteness.
A Personalized Video
In this electronic age, a handmade gift can be more that paper plates or drawn cards. Why not take a video of your child giving the teacher a sweet message and then transfer it to a thumb drive so his or her teacher can have it forever. You can combine the thumb drive video with a card for a one-two gratitude punch!
A Finger Paint Masterpiece
Finger painting is a big part of preschool, so I think that makes it a winner on the handmade gift ideas front. You could have your child finger paint a masterpiece of his or her teacher’s favorite movie, pet, animal, or any other personal touch you can think of. It’s an instant keepsake that your child’s preschool teacher will treasure forever.
Photos from Your Child
Recently, children’s cameras have become a big thing. We see them in stores and online all the time now. Why not have your child take their little camera to school and snap pictures of their favorite activity area, friends, and of course, their favorite teacher. You can then put all of those pictures into a nice album for the teacher. It’s always fun and interesting to see the world through a child’s perspective, and it’s a great personalized gift.
My Personal Favourite – a Scrapbook
I hope you’ve gotten some inspiration from these handmade gift ideas for preschool teachers. Between reinforcing the interpersonal lessons we’re already teaching our children at home and preparing them for the K – 12 years by giving them a strong basic foundation, our preschool teachers deserve to be honored. These homemade gift ideas for our preschool teachers are a great way to do that.
Do you have any great homemade gift ideas for preschool teachers? I’d love to hear about them.
52 Comments
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
Those are all wonderful ideas. I think the teachers truly appreciate homemade gifts from the kids, too.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle
I was trying to think of something to add, but your article pretty much covered all the classics. I know we gave out many a hand made card.
touristmeetstraveler
These are a great collection of crafts. A preschool teacher would surely love to get a gift as creative as these.
Paula
I sure hope so. We often used to make them something handmade. One year we also gifted a spa gift card to a special teacher.
Tammi
My girls are always making cards and pictures for their friends and teachers, so I needed different ideas this year. These are great, thanks!
Christy Maurer
When I taught preschool, I appreciated homemade treats! The pictures by your child and of your child are cute ideas.
Paula
Christy: That’s great feedback to hear. Thanks!
krystal
Such great personalized ideas. We love making hand made cards and anything that has to do with painting!
Dawn McAlexander
These are some great ideas! If you don’t have much money, you can still show someone that you are thinking about them and love them without breaking the bank!
Mistee Dawn
These are all such great ideas! I homechool, so maybe I can get my daughter to make me a few of these lol.
Liz Mays
Those are really good ideas! I think a personalized “Thank You” video would be really cute!
Terry
One time I made a chocolate Hershey’s kiss flower bouquet for my Daughters teacher.
Nancy
Handmade cards are the best to receive from children. My nephew made me one for my birthday just a few weeks ago, and I’ve framed his other work he did for me in the past, it’s just so adorable and sweet.
Alli
I think it’s so sweet to honor a child’s teacher and handmade gifts are always appreciated and cherished.
toughcookiemommy
I love handmade gifts because they are so personalized. It lets the receiver know you took the time out to make the perfect gift.
Paula
I agree Maria, As a Mom I sometimes joke I want the jewelry but they give me great thoughtful gifts from the heart and that is priceless.
Shasta
Thank you so much for sharing these ideas. My daughter is in preschool and I feel like preschool teachers just don’t get enough credit. She has learned so much this year and I have been looking for ways to show her teacher just how much she means to us!
Paula
Shasta: You are so welcome. I know exactly what you mean, but looking back I swear they had the biggest impact on getting her to be able to attend school at all. They were really great with my daughter. I cried so hard when she graduated from that school. I knew public school wouldn’t be as supportive and I knew the teachers had loved her and really understood her. That was priceless.
Layne
Great tips! I love your idea about the handmade cards! It’s one of my favorite things to watch my kids make!
Liz Mays
Gifts made by the kids themselves are definitely the best. Teachers will really appreciate having mementos of their students.
Felicita Moncada
Love all these ideas! I love the idea of giving hand made gifts that the teachers can cherish for many, many years. Just so cute and I know the teachers will love it.
michele d
I’m not a crafty mom but those are some great ideas. Handmade cards is a thoughtful gift.
Christi from sexymoxiemama.com
These are such great ideas. We finally found a preschool teacher that we like and she deserves something special like this. Thanks for sharing.
Kae James
I love this. Although my son goes to Daycare, I always celebrate holidays with the kids but most importantly the teachers. Hey, why not? They watch my little critter half of the day when I am work. I like to give them things to make them feel appreciated.
sara
As a teacher I can tell you that we just LOVE handmade gifts from our little ones that we teach. It tells us that we’re appreciated truly, from their hearts.
Jeanine
So many great ideas! I can’t remember what we did when my oldest was pin preschool but nothing as lovely or sweet as mentioned. I think hand made is so much better, personal and sweet!
April G
I love the photo gift idea. It will not only leave an impression but something she could look at for years to come. 🙂
Rosey
The fingerpaint masterpieces are my favorite too. I love anything the kids make. 🙂
Jesica H
Thank you for the wonderful ideas and for reminding me to do something special as a thank you to my sons teachers! These things escape my mind way to easily!!!
Lynndee
Those are really great ideas! If I were a teacher, I would love handmade gifts. Handmade gifts are extra-special, for me. 🙂
Randa @ TBK
Oh a video! A video really sticks to my heart because it’s like a little “freeze” you can see what their voices sounded like in years to come.
lisa
These are great ideas. I think the teachers love getting personalized gifts from the little ones. It means they really tried their best to make something from the heart!
Bonnie @ wemake7
Awww these are really sweet and great ideas. I bet any preschool teacher would love to receive those.
paula h
These are some very sweet ideas! My 3 year old would love to make his pre-school teachers a gift, snap, school is almost done for the year too! Perfect timing! Thank you for sharing!
Jaime
I love the photos idea. I’d go a step further and try to create a scrapbook of photos from the kids in the group.
Chubskulit Rose
These are great ideas! I am sure that any of these would make a teacher’s heart feel loved.
Liz Leiro
I remember how much I loved my Pre-K teacher 🙂 She was such a kind, patient woman who taught us how to read, sing, use scissors, and share. All of the gift ideas you suggested are golden!
courtneyLynne
these are some great gift ideas! My daughters last day of preschool is in afew weeks! I may have to steal one of these ideas for an amend of the year present
Krystal
Fingerpainting would be so fun with my kiddo. That would be his preferred method to give a gift for sure.
Pam
Handmade gifts are the best to give and receive. Lots of cute ideas here. It has been a long time for me since I had a little one that age but I always loved anything to do with hand and footprints.
Mama to 5 BLessings
Great suggestions! Homemade is such a nice way to go – very personal and sweet!
Ann Bacciaglia
We love to make handmade cards. We used to make one for the kids teachers and a homemade ornament at Christmas time.
Michelle @ Dishes and Dust Bunnies
These are some wonderful ideas for homemade gifts! I think that homemade gifts are the best kinds to receive since there’s so much thought put into them.
Heather
Thanks for reminding me. I need to do something for our great teachers!
April @ Everyday Fitness and Nutrition
It’s been a long time since I’ve had any preschoolers but these are all great ideas. It takes a special person to work with young children and really shape them!
Dogvills
Those are lovely handmade gift ideas. I love handmade cards: they are so cute
Ourfamilyworld
Nothing beats homemade gift ideas. My daughter loves making paper plates ones and they are so cute
Kristen from the road to domestication
These are super cute ideas! I think any preschool teacher would love any of them!
mburbage
Great ideas! We’re trying to figure out what the kids can make for their teachers as well. Handmade always wins in the end !
Amber NElson
What a great idea. This gives me idea for my son’s teacher.
Fi Nà Neachtáin
These are really lovely gift ideas. You’ve just made me realise I’ll have to get my sons teachers something when he finishes up playschool for the summer.
Gabriel
I never knew how much impact each kid makes on a teacher until I graduated and had my 4th grade teacher send me a poem I had written for her all those years ago. Little touches help make the stress and long hours worth it for a teacher.