Homemade Crafts & Gifts
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Great Gift Ideas for Teachers

by BetterBudgeting.com Readers

We've given you lots of great ideas over the years for thoughtful and inexpensive gifts you can make for holidays and special occasions, now we'd like to hear from you!   

If you have a frugal gift idea for Teachers that you'd like to share with us, please send us your favorite and we'll add it to this page!

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Readers' Favorite Frugal Gifts for Teachers:

Coffee or Tea

"At a thrift store I bought clear glass canisters.  Inside the canister I put 1/2 lb bags of coffee shop breakfast blend coffee beans.  I made pretty fabric gift bags for each that reflected the occasion and used nice fabric, trim and ties to give the bags more of a boutique look.  Next year I'll be sure to check to see which teachers drink coffee and which drink tea." - Donna

M&M® or Smartie Jars

"Michelle, I put this idea together today taken from an M&M® recipe in a jar idea.  Being Canadian I substituted for Smarties but the idea still goes well with the poem. In a quart size jar layer in the following manner, it is optional to include this information with the gift jar... 

Smartie Bar in a Jar Contents

125 ml old fashioned oats (1/2 cup)
125 ml smartie/chocolate chip mix (1/2 cup)
125 ml light brown sugar packed (1/2 cup)
250 ml buttermilk pancake mix (1 cup)
125 ml dark brown sugar packed (1/2 cup)
250 ml buttermilk pancake mix (1 cup)

Procedure to be included with the bar in a jar recipe:

Smartie Bar in a Jar

Empty contents of jar into medium bowl. Stir in 125 ml or 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, 1 large egg and 5 ml or 1 teaspoon vanilla. Press into a 20cm-20cm-5cm or 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake in preheated 175c or 350f-degree oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until bars are light golden brown and center is almost set. Makes 16 bars.

I cut out a round circle to cover the disk part of the sealer from the same decorative paper I printed the following poem onto.  The poem goes as follows, and was attached with gift ribbon. Between each line my kids added their own thought in brackets, on how their teacher touched them in each way described with each colour below.  The other side of the poem page had the recipe printed out.

Mrs. Teacher's name is a Smartie!  (or sweetie for M&M's, or omit)

Green is for the inspiration you gave to me each day,
Blue is for your patience in showing me the way,
Orange is for your warmth and your caring style,
Yellow is for the way you could always make me smile,
Red is for my life that you touched this year,
You’re a very special teacher, like this jar-that’s clear!

Thank you so much, Student Name

This will make a great gift!"  - Donna

Gift Baskets

"I went to the thrift store, and bought interesting baskets for a quarter! I found a tablecloth with a folky pattern and used my ridgy scissors to make squares to put inside each one. It is strawberry season here in Ontario, so my daughter and I went and picked berries... then made some very basic jam, and put it in several 1 cup jars. This will go in the basket. 

I also have several songs that I plan to make into a relaxation CD. I will print out the label on my computer, and this will serve as another item for the basket. I bought seeds that I had my children plant in small pots, and they have been watering it daily. It hasn't bloomed yet, but as it does, it will grow into a beautiful plant, that will remind the teacher of how much she was appreciated. Although it can't go in the basket, it will be wrapped and included. I will include some gourmet crackers in the basket for the jam, and buy pate spreaders in a pack of four, one of which will be attached to the jar of jam with a white ribbon. 

Finally, I will have my child create a card for their teacher.  It will tell them one thing they learned and three reasons they enjoyed being their student.  (I will copy this for them to look at in the future!)  I will create slightly smaller, varied versions of the same basket to give to the main office secretary, the crossing guard and the principal." - AK

$1.00 Gifts

"I just finished a home school co-op involving about 32 families and my children had about 11 teachers.  I know $1 doesn't buy much these days, and can even add up, but I like to first, Pray and ask the Lord to lead me to a deal.  The teachers deserve something nice, don't you think.  Well, I like to try to find sales on things in regular store (rather than thinking you can only get $1 items in the Dollar Stores).  For instance, we bought the ladies African violets reg. $2.98 but that day they were $1.  The men got black coffee mugs with a package of Cappuccino mix in it.  This also cost just a dollar.  Candles are also a hit with me, and I found some in a small canning jar style at Kroger for $1 too.  

Since I was a teacher I received some body lotion and spray which I loved but thought they had spent too much (all the other teachers got that too!), one of the students made me some homemade fudge!  That was awesome and a surprise because you only usually get that at Christmas. I also received some garden gloves and a flower seed planting kit.  (That seemed pricey to me I hope they got a DEAL.)  A small stained glass window ornament with a homemade card was beautiful.  And then again, I got some homemade cards decorated with the topics we discussed throughout the year and I could tell they put time into it and that was extra special!" - C. Kimberley

Misc. Gifts

"Hi, I am a mother of two and a preschool teacher so I have been on both the receiving and giving end of gifts.  Over the years parents tend to group their money together and buy the teachers coffee cards and/or Target cards. They are great gifts to get but when a child makes a homemade card with different art mediums or a special picture of the child and the teacher that means more.  As one of my favorite sayings goes, "A single wildflower given in love is worth more than a dozen perfect roses given with indifference" - Anonymous.  And that is how I feel.

Some gifts that my daughter and I have made and given are candle holders made with baby food jars, recycled tissue paper and a tea light candle, an inexpensive terra cotta pot painted by my daughter with a small flowering plant or a packet of flower seeds (you can purchase packs of seeds at the $1 store getting 10 packs for a dollar!), homemade cards with cut outs of my daughters hands and/or feet put together to make an angel ~ to open to give a hug ~ put together to make a tree or wreath, cards of a favorite memory of the child and the person the card is given to with a dictation of that favorite memory.  We have also made applesauce cinnamon hearts to hang in closets, dried lavender sachets and vacuum freshener (just mix dried lavender and baking soda and put in an airtight jar - give a shake and sprinkle when you are ready to vacuum).

Favorite gifts that I have received from families are a bouquet of flowers picked from their home garden in an inexpensive vase/jar with a pretty ribbon, a beautiful store bought card for Valentine's day, an apple on an ordinary day, a note pad of paper with my name across the top, a coffee mug with a small bag of coffee and some Hershey kisses, or anything that I had mentioned that I liked and the child made a special effort to bring in to surprise me.  We had twins who would have donut day with dad on Fridays and would insist on bringing in a special donut for the teachers and a cup of coffee!  So even though it is nice to be thought of at holidays and end of the school year those little random acts of kindness throughout the school year stick more in my memory.  You can also look for arts and craft sites that include instructions and patterns.  Some of my favorite sites are Enchanted Learning, The Idea Box, Perpetual Preschool, and Preschool Express." - Kathy

Gift Paint Can

"I went to this store for Scrapbookers called "Srcapbookers" looking for an idea for one of my teacher's presents. They gave me this cute idea where you take a paint can, and you wrap some cute scrapbooking paper around the outside and top of it. Then, you stick some things on the outside of the paint can that remind you of the teacher. For Example: for a student-teacher, you could stick on some things that symbolize his/her college. Or for any teacher, you could put an apple, a chalkboard, or anything that reminds you of him/her. Then you put stuff inside the paint can like comfy socks, pencils, erasers, travel size tissues, classroom supplies, or travel size lotions." -Meagan of Michigan

Personal Hand Wash Dispensers

"Last year for a mid-year gift I was able to purchase for $1 each soap dispensers that were clear plastic.  The kids enjoyed decorating them with paints or items that they glued on with the hot glue gun.  I then went to a medical outlet store and picked up a gallon jug of waterless hand wash and filled each of the dispensers.  This made a great gift that the teachers could use in their class and helped to decrease the spread of the cold and flu bugs.  If you are not able to get the hand wash you can also use them to put in inexpensive hand lotion." - Seema Roberts

From the Heart

"As a high school teacher of 15 years, I can definitely say that I prefer the gifts that are from the heart and not the wallet. I've received gift bags filled with school supplies (like markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue), candles and bubble bath, and my favorite is always chocolate. My only suggestion is that you go easy on the sweets. Everyone tries to feed the teachers in this season and it can be harsh on the waistline." - Tonya S. in Dallas, GA

We Whisk You a Merry Christmas

"Last year, for my daughter’s Kindergarten teacher at Christmas, we purchased a whisk, and then inside it put red and green chocolate Kisses.  On the gift tag we wrote, “We “whisk” you a Merry Christmas!”  She loved it!  For the end of the year, we purchased a perennial plant, decorated the pot, and added a gift tag, which said, “Thanks for helping me grow!”   On the tag was a picture of my daughter, holding the plant.  Her teacher thought it was wonderful, and she planted it in her garden!" - Brenda

Memory Book

"I love your site and have found some terrific ideas here.  I am a mother of two boys.  Between the two of them, we have seven teachers this year.  Since I am a substitute teacher, I understand the time and consideration that is put into teaching and believe that each teacher (not just homeroom teachers) should receive a gift.  I recently found an idea that I think I'm going to try this year.  It's a memory book.  In a blank journal, small scrapbook, or binder filled with notebook paper, have your child write about different memories of the school year (If he is too young, you could write or type it for him).  You can let him do it all by himself, or you could suggest topics such as "I had the most fun when our class _____," "My top 10 authors are ___________," or "Miss Baker is a great teacher because ________."  Let the child embellish the pages with drawings or stickers." - Lisa S.

Teacher Certificate

"I am the mother of three children- 2 still in school. Two years ago my son and I were stumped for a gift for his teacher. While shopping one day we ended up in a discount store. We were looking through these certificate cards for special occasions and found one for a teacher. It was layed out like a teacher award card telling about about how special a teacher is and the commendable work they do. It even had a place for the child to sign his name to say he is is the giver of the award. We bought the card and some teacher stickers that consisted of school supplies. We also bought an inexpensive photo frame (a 5x7 in this case) for the card. We decorated the outside of the frame; signed the card with a sentimental saying of how we felt about her and put in a picture of my son. His teacher just loved it and still has it hanging in her classroom. You can also make certificates on your computer for the teacher and just buy the frame and stickers. For less than $3.00 you have a great teacher gift." - Bonnie


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