This year for teacher appreciation week we will be giving each teacher a “days of the week” pill box filled with little treats and sayings. I found the pill boxes at the dollar store.
You may download the sayings if you like –
(I didn’t use the “We are lucky to have you for a teacher” saying. It would go nicely with a lottery ticket!)
Fabric covered tacks fill one of the compartments to tell them they are sharp!
I used Jessica Jones’ fabulous instructions to make the fabric covered thumbtacks
Some purchased colorful clips fill the next compartment
Next up marble magnets
These are simple to make with glass gems (floral department at the craft store), E600 craft adhesive, a 3/4 inch hole punch, 3/4 inch magnets and decorative scrapbook paper, wrapping paper and or magazine scraps. First punch out a circle and glue it to the back of the glass gem. I removed air bubbles by moving paper in a circular motion to distribute glue evenly and then pressing hard. Allow to set. Next glue the magnet to the back of your papered gem. I found it necessary to sort my glass gems to find the largest ones with no scratches or imperfections. If your glass gems are smaller try using a 1/2 inch hole punch and 1/2 inch magnets.
A measuring tape tells our teacher that they really measure up
Change for the soda machine fills another compartment
Small little post-it notes (the kind for marking a page) just fit to say, “Just a note to let you know we think you are a wonderful teacher!”
Some mints to say thank you
Wrapped all up with a little gift tag that reads:
A daily gift for all you do,
Teaching my child each day through.
Making a difference without taking a rest,
As a teacher, you’re one of the best!
teacher-appreciation-gift-tag-for-pill-box
Hopefully our teachers will feel appreciated each day!
I am a veteran teacher and I love this cute idea! This would be something the teachers at my school would be showing colleagues because it is so crafty and clever. Thank you for the thought that went into a gift that is not necessary but certainly appreciated.
What a fun idea! Cindy, even the CONTAINER is useful on this gift (for medicine or vitamins or just storing little things). I love this idea for other people, too, not just teachers. Thanks for taking the time to share your idea. Also, if teachers never hear enough how well they are doing, then they should love getting a week’s worth of that message from at least one student. My husband is a teacher and any kind of school supply gift makes his day.
Oops, I wasn’t finished. 😉 I got fired up and hit the submit button by accident! ! What I wanted to say is that I think if a parent (and child) takes the time to make a teacher something, then the teacher should be grateful. Period. A gift is a gift. And the other poster saying they were dismissive of cheap gifts.. Seriously?
I don’t expect our teachers to keep their “macaroni” necklaces for 30+ years until they retire, but a smile and a “thank you” are more than appropriate.
Ok, so I’ve let this stew for a while. I was so offended by Ellie’s post that I just didn’t even know what to say. So I didn’t say anything for months. Until now.
I’m not a teacher. I’ve not had to endure the hardship of receiving countless mugs, cheap bubble bath or any other “undesired” gift.
As a teacher, I would appreciate this gift. I can always use tacks, sticky notes, magnets, ect. Especially cutesy one like these mentioned. Cheesy or not, this is still sentimental because the child would have worked on it. I would prefer something like this over lotion, candles, ect. My mom printed this, so my little brother can give this away this year. Thanks for the idea!
This is adorable! Small yet meaningful handmade items are always the best!
Thanks for sharing! :o)
I can’t help but think that it would be a safe thing to just ask the teacher what she would like to receive. this idea presented here is very sweet and I know for a fact that there are plenty of teachers out there that would be thrilled to receive it. If you don’t think this is the case then just ask.
Once a teacher told the families that if they really wanted to give a gift then they could give her a rubber stamp with a fun or positive message or design on it. She collected these stamps and used them as encouragement messages on the children’s school work.
The truth is that no one HAS to give a gift and if you receive one being grateful and appreciate is also a teaching moment for the teacher —whatever the gift. If it is from the heart it counts big in my book.
As a retired teacher of 36 years in elementary school, I must agree with Ellie, though I would have delivered the message in a kinder way. I used to be dismissive of the cheap gifts, like flamingo bubble bath from the drugstore, or something from the thrift store, even though I realized that it was the thought that counts and not everyone could shop at Nordstom’s. I changed my view, and shared it with my student’s parents, that gifts for the teacher are not necessary. If they did want to get a gift, the process should be used it as a learning tool so that children will learn the art of gift-giving. Think about what the teacher does that you really appreciate or what you admire about her(him) as a person. Think about something the teacher did just for your child. Buy or make something that highlights your appreciation. Most appreciated gifts: gift cards for everyday items from: Hallmark, Target, Trader Joe’s, or the movie. Homemade items, that the student actually had a hand in. Specific notes of appreciation for something the teacher did. Though tangible gifts are wonderful, appreciative letters of a job well done sent to the principal, superintendent, or school board really make a difference! In my retirement, I found I have kept just these kinds of gifts–personal mementos of gratitude. I have no mugs, macaroni necklaces, or paper airplanes with my crayon-drawn picture on them. I only kept the heart-felt letters or notes that specifically thanked me for something I did.
My mother-in-law gave me wonderful advice when I was first married. When she gave me a present she said she had really thought about what to buy and hoped I would like it. She told me, “I know what I gave you, but I don’t know what you received,” meaning that she had given much consideration to my gift but wasn’t sure I would appreciate the thought she was trying to express. She invited me to talk about the gift if I was ever in question. We had a wonderful relationship and I miss her dearly.
I hope this helps you in choosing gifts for others, including your child’s teacher.
Wow, Ellie! Did you just finish a year in a classroom of unappreciative kids? After teaching for decades, I still find gifts like this fun and I always appreciate the time the mom, or the child or the two of them took to put it together. A heartfelt letter would be a wonderful addition to it of course, but let’s not forget the thoughtfulness that brought a gift like this to you. You are right that teachers are not thanked nearly enough, so why disparage this effort? I hope that you have a great summer vacation and recharge your batteries.
@ Ellie: WOW! What a comment! Please tell me what is “useless and cheesy” about quarters, post-it notes and paperclips? Last I checked, all teachers/schools could use post-its and paperclips. And, well, couldn’t ANYONE use quarters? If your quarters are useless to you feel free to send them all to me. Pretty sure I can find something to do with your “useless” spare change.
You know, I have to say (as the daughter, niece, granddaughter, cousin, friend, etc of teachers) that while a “cute” idea, most teachers would hate this gift. Maybe the brand new teacher would keep it, but year after year of this cheesy, “crafty”, useless stuff really wears them down. There is a reason teachers have started asking parents not to get them mugs or anything: Nothing useful ever comes of these kinds of presents. They just take up room. If you really want to show a teacher you appreciate them, give them something they could use and/or help in their classroom. Teachers have more than enough to worry about without having to figure out what to do with useless things like this.
And sentimental/heartfelt goes a LOT farther than cheesy, btw. So if you’re going to say anything in the gift, write them a letter expressing what you appreciate about them, what kind of influence they’ve had on your child, etc. A letter just simply telling them why you think they did a good job is 1000% better than your idea. Teachers NEVER hear enough about how well their doing, most often they only hear from people that complain that their children arent doing well enough or that their child’s inability to do their homework on time when the rest of the class did is somehow the teachers fault. Teachers almost never hear from the parents that think they teacher is doing well by their child. So next time, instead of spending the hours it took you to put this together, go out and get something useful and then attach a heartfelt letter to it.
My son has 2 teachers this year and we were so excited to give these as an appreciation gift. The teachers liked it so much, we got a thank you back each day (one for each gift in the pill box). Too cute!
Oh – that is so ridiculously cute and clever! You are brilliant. Am bookmarking this for future teacher treats. Thanks for sharing! xoxo
Thanks for sharing your talent! in such an easy way for us to use!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwww! Sooooooooooo cute!!!- Pam