As a parent, I look forward to receiving the gift that my children made in class just for me. I like to save them and still look at them, even though my children are not littles anymore. As a teacher, it can be hard to come up with easy, fresh ideas for student made gifts. Especially since so many of us will be giving instructions over a screen. Let me help you out!
Student Made Gifts You’ll Love
Helping children make these gifts virtually can be difficult but it can be done. One idea is to send kits to your students houses. You can package everything up in ziplock bags and either mail or drop them off at their house. This can still be done covid safe!
Parents may need to help with some of them and even though it then ruins the surprise, it is okay! Parents will still enjoy the gift.
Personalized Ornament
This is one we did a few years ago in class. It is a plastic, clear ornament. Each child put a picture of themselves inside and then did a painted hand print on the outside with their name written. Then I attached a cute tag to them.
Download {EDITABLE} Personalized Ornament Tag HERE
Snowman Ornament: For this, you can fill the ornament prior to sending to kids. They can draw the snowman face on the outside.
Snowman Candy Bar: Wrap a candy bar and ask students to draw on the paper. This could be a snowman or you could just ask them to draw something for the recipient.
Fingerprint Painting: Send small pots of paint to students. On a piece of cardstock, write the word (love, merry, joy, etc) and have students decorate it like Christmas lights.
Other Ideas:
Memory Jar: Send a mason jar (or jar with a lid from the dollar store) to children with slips of paper in it. Ask them to write memories from the year on the papers and put them inside. If they can’t think of many memories, ask them to write things they like about the recipient.
Printed Calendar: Print a calendar template where children can draw pictures for the months. You can have it bound already when the kids receive it so all they need to do is draw the pictures.
Directed Drawings: Art Hub has a ton of videos to help kids learn how to draw.
Painting a canvas bag: Send the supplies needed, give them ideas and let them paint a masterpiece.
Paper Snow Globe Magnet: Send the snow globe already cut out and magnet attached. Kids can draw a winter scene on it.
Digitally decorated picture: Have kids take pictures of themselves and send them to you. Then ask them to draw on the picture. You can print it out and send to parents or email it to them. You could take it one step further and put it in a frame or modge podge on a tile and send to parents.
While this year does look different and our student made gifts might not be ideal, everyone understands. It is okay!
Do you know that Kindergarten Chaos offers personal development courses & workshops? I share my tried and true tips and ideas for teaching intentionally and with purpose and fun to the kids of TODAY!
Join In On The Fun!
Did you include the tag for the personalized ornaments & I just missed it somehow?
Can you email me at kindergartenchaos2@gmail.com? Thanks!