If you’re looking for meaningful ways to show your child’s teacher and the staff at his or her school how much you appreciate the time, effort, love, and support they give to your little one each day, this post has lots of ideas to inspire you. Whether it’s the first or last day of school, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or just your average Tuesday, the internet is full of teacher appreciation gifts kids can make, and we’re excited to share our favorites with you. These DIY ideas are creative and meaningful, and for those who are learning remotely this year and don’t have the ability to drop a gift off in person, we’ve included a list of gifts you can give virtually to show your support when it matters most.
12 Teacher Appreciation Gifts Kids Can Make
If your child is attending school in person and/or you have the ability to deliver gifts to the school or directly to your child’s teacher, these teacher appreciation gifts kids can make are perfect! I always prefer homemade gifts as they tend to hold more meaning, and I love that you can personalize many of these ideas to make them even more special.
Plastic Perler Bead Bowls | Meaningful Mama
Crayon Covered Jars | Felt Magnet
Tie-Dye Bookmarks | Happy Hooligans
Modern Tile Coasters | Merriment Design
DIY Pencil Cup | That’s What Che Said
DIY Apple Jar | The 36th AVENUE
Decorated Hand Sanitizer Bottles | Morena’s Corner
Crayon Candy Dish | Two Sisters Crafting
Bouquet of Gift Cards | THE CUL-DE-SAC
Framed DIY Crayon Letters | Cleverly Simple
Chalkboard Mugs | Hi Sugarplum!
DIY Teacher Appreciation Pencil Vase | CincyShopper.com
10 VIRTUAL Teacher Appreciation Gifts Kids Can Make
If your child is learning remotely and you’re on the hunt for teacher appreciation gifts kids can make that can be emailed or shared on a Zoom call, these ideas will inspire you!
Send an e-card
While e-cards aren’t as popular as they once were, they offer a great way to show someone you are thinking of them when the mood strikes. If your child’s teacher did something that touched your heart and you want to express your gratitude, sending an e-card can go a long way in making him or her feel appreciated. Your child can choose the design and colors and write their own message, and you can add a message too!
Send a gift card
Gift cards are always a good option and can easily be sent by email, making them the perfect virtual gift. You can personalize gift cards by sending them along with a thoughtful covering email from your child and/or a photo of a picture your child has made for his or her teacher.
Charity donation
A donation in the name of your child’s teacher is another thoughtful gift you can give virtually. You can email a copy of the donation, but don’t be afraid to go a step further and share the donation publicly! Have your child draw a picture and write up a little message about the donation, including why you chose it and a note of thanks to the teacher. You can then share this on your social media accounts and the school’s Facebook page and tag your child’s teacher for a little public recognition!
Acrostic poem
If you’re looking for virtual teacher appreciation gifts kids can make, acrostic poems are another easy and meaningful option. Write the teacher’s name vertically on a piece of paper, and ask your child to write a descriptive word or phrase about the teacher for each letter of the teacher’s name, like this:
Thoughtful
Excellent
Amazing
Caring
Helpful
Easygoing
Really nice
You can snap a photo of the finished piece and send it to the teacher, or better yet, you can take a video of your child holding the poem as he or she reads it out loud and explains the meaning behind each chosen word or phrase.
Chalk It Up!
If you’re up for a little creativity, grab some sidewalk chalk and create a fun message for your child’s teacher on your driveway and snap a photo to share with him or her. THIS POST over on Paging Fun Mums will inspire you, but don’t be afraid to let your kids create their own personalized photo and message. Again, you can send a photo to your child’s teacher, or you can share this on social media for a little public recognition!
Yard sign
If you’re looking for teacher appreciation gifts kids can make and know where your child’s teacher lives, why not create a yard sign? This is a great way to publicly acknowledge them for all of the time and effort they pour into teaching your child, and you can work with the other parents in your child’s class and have all of the kids sign it ahead of time, making it a class appreciation gift! Don’t know where the teacher lives? Why not post it outside of the school and snap a photo to share?
Class Memory Book
Speaking of class virtual teacher appreciation gifts kids can make, another great idea to consider is working together behind the scenes to create a class memory book. Ask everyone to submit a photo of their child working remotely along with a couple of sentences detailing all the things they love most about their teacher, and then compile them into a book. You can order a hard copy to send to your child’s teacher if that’s a feasible option, or you can create an online book instead.
Personalized video
While it can be challenging to find virtual teacher appreciation gifts kids can make, sometimes a personalized video is all it takes to make someone feel seen and appreciated. Ask your little one to prepare a few sentences expressing all of the things their teacher does for them and why they love him or her, and don’t be afraid to get in the video yourself so you can express your gratitude as well.
Class video
If you want to take things a step further, ask all of the kids in your child’s class to create a short 60-second teacher appreciation clip and compile them into one big class video that can be shared during a class Zoom call!
Gift card from a local restaurant
My final idea for those who are looking for virtual teacher appreciation gifts kids can make is to purchase a gift card from a local restaurant that offers takeout and delivery. Your child’s teacher can enjoy a delicious meal without having to cook it him- or herself, and they will feel good that they can support a local business during such challenging times. Send it with a thoughtful covering email from your child and/or a photo of a picture your child has drawn to make it even more special.
Whether your child is attending school in person or learning remotely this year, I hope this collection of teacher appreciation gifts kids can make inspires you to find creative ways to show teachers and staff just how important they are!