Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

I wrote this article for Type-A-Mom a couple of weeks ago and thought I could share some of those ideas here at our Lincoln Handmade blog. 

Some schools have guidelines regarding gifts.  A good rule of thumb is to keep it under $20, useful, and heartfelt.  Here is a list of some of my craft friendly ideas.

1.  Gift Cards

I did an informal survey and this was definitely the preferred gift of all the teachers I spoke with.  Starbucks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Office Max, Applebees, and Michael's were all mentioned.  Because I can't give anything without a little crafting, there is a great tutorial for a gift card holder.  This makes it personal and allows for your child to write a little note to go along with the gift.

2. Lunch Sacks

There are so many great patterns out there for how to make reusable lunch sacks.  This pattern from Skip to My Lou is for an oilcloth lunch sack.  Why not pair that with a reusable sandwich bag.

3.  Lanyard

Do your teachers need to wear a name badge each day?  Why not spice up a lanyard for them?  Here is a pattern for a fabric lanyard. Think they might prefer something beaded?

4. Notebook Covers

This pattern (not free) is for those small 8" x 5" paper pads and includes a pocket for a pencil.  This is the kind of notebook I like to keep in my purse for random notes or lists.  This one uses scraps of scrapbook paper to cover a notebook.  It might even be fun to use class pictures to cover a notebook.

5.  Cookies or Other Treats

I hoard containers.  I can't help myself.  I know I'll find a good use for them someday. How about homemade cookies in a repurposed tin?

Do you have a go-to teacher gift?  Share them in the comments!