Teacher Appreciation Gifts to Make or Buy!
As the school year ends (May 24 for Douglas County Schools near Crystal Valley!), parents are on the hunt for gifts to make or buy for teachers – those special mortals who pour themselves into their students eight months out of the year. No wonder they need summers off! We found lots of inspiration, ideas and how-tos to pass along to anyone looking for an awesome “we appreciate you!” gift.
To Make, Craft and DIY
Pinterest, the go-to place for visual inspiration, features candle bouquets, lip balm enclosures (we’re talking Chapstick® butterflies!), a “bottle of chill pills” that look curiously like M&Ms® and dozens of cute sayings to print and frame or add to purchased gift cards and labels.
We found an unlikely source for our first round of teacher appreciation inspiration – The Dating Divas! They’ve curated more than 50 appreciation gift ideas, many of them with downloadable labels and gift cards, for all the teachers in your life. From gifts in a jar – think mason jars and mini-mugs – to frameable art and practical gifts teachers will appreciate and use every day.
Practical and Fun
The Divas curated a Pencil Mason Jar, from A Nightowl Blog, filled with candy and topped with a pin cushion for bulletin board push pins; an easy appreciation tote bag from Tater Tots and Jello, colorful subway art from Eighteen 25 to frame and be-ribbon for next year’s classroom wall; and a teacher survival kit from Pizzazzerie.com.
Amy at Positively Splendid has a lot of crafty pillow ideas, with quotable quotes that are sure to find a place on teacher’s chair or couch at home. She also has get-away-from-it-all packaged presents that will be a welcome summertime-off addition!
Thrifty Frugal Mom has 15 fun and inexpensive ideas for teacher gifts, and Happy Hooligans has a 40+ kid-DIY-ideas to get your students in on the act.
To Order and Buy
If you’re not the crafty type, or are just running out of time with all the school year-end things to do, link on over to Etsy and the page where you can order customized art, hand-lettered t-shirts, key rings, personalized pencils, and wall decals for all those beloved educators.
Turn the page (there are 26,000 teacher appreciation gift ideas on Etsy!) and you’ll find tumblers with “Don’t Make Me Use My Teacher Voice” emblazoned on one side, or baskets, stemless wine glasses, jewelry and bath bombs.
Today’s Parent consulted teacher confessionals to curate their list of Gifts Teachers Actually Want and you’ll find fancy French Lavender Candles, gourmet candy, wellness bath salts from Rocky Mountain Soap, movie passes, terrariums, and the ever-popular gift card idea.
We Love Our Teachers in Crystal Valley
The Douglas County schools that students from the master-planned community of Crystal Valley attend are some of the highest rated in the state. For families, that’s a key consideration when house-hunting for a brand new home. Bonuses of living in this Castle Rock community include being surrounded by nature, but near amenities, shopping, entertainment and dining options. Explore all the beautiful models and move-in ready homes from Richmond American Homes, Kauffman Homes, Century Communities and D.R. Horton – ranch and two-story designs, priced from the $300s.
