teacher appreciation!
Ok, tomorrow is the last day of school here in Mesa at Las Sendas Elementary for my kids!! They are so excited, and I am finally having to face the reality of S U M M E R vacation… what to do, what to do!! we have to get some plans, and routines in line quick so we don’t all freak out…. (ok, it’s really just me freaking out!)
Lots of us are in the same boat… time to think about the teachers… and the graduates in our lives!! The last couple of nights I have been playing with this HELLO TEACHER kit that Rhonna created to make some quick and cute little cards and tags…
I can’t tell you how much I APPRECIATE my kids teachers and administrators!! Of course, we sorta bombed in just about 7 weeks ago, and everyone totally bent over backwards to get the kids in and settled! Really, there is nothing that I can do for any of them to express my appreciation. So, I think that it’s the thoughtfulness, and expressing the appreciation… probably teachers are under-appreciated in general! Aren’t they just amazing!? My kids have really liked their teachers. But it’s really everyone at the school… they all know my kids: nurse, office ladies, cafeteria ladies… the recess aids and crossing guards…. ‘it takes a village’… and I am just so grateful..
Anyway…
For the office ladies and administrators I created these… cause they really do DESERVE chocolate!
Here are some other thoughts that teachers might enjoy:
Beach towel and sunscreen (time for them to hit the pool!)
Barnes and Nobel gift card
Movie tickets
Scented candle
Bath and Body Hand Sanitizer
Bubble Bath
Sidewalk Chalk
Restaurant Gift Certificate
Colored Sharpies
Head over to www.houseof3.com and grab THIS… 
do you have any great ideas for teacher gifts??
leave a comment… i am going to give away a "hello teacher" kit for free…
PS… one last little thing… i need a favor..
it's my friend Janet Hopkin's birthday today!! if you could pop over to her blog and give her a birthday wish, that would be AWESOME!! 
R was the fir
st one to catch the "HOORAY" problem… congrats…. email me and i'll get you a FREE 'hello teacher kit"…
Tammy Perkins
20 May, 2009 at 1:07 pmThe mistake is puffyness – should be puffiness – love your blog 🙂
Jamie {inspired mess}
20 May, 2009 at 1:10 pmAlso should be “principal” 😉
Deb Beschler
20 May, 2009 at 1:12 pmHi Heidi! Got one more small typo: “Hooray” not Horray. Love ya!!
Deb
Kim
20 May, 2009 at 1:12 pmI think the misspelling is “horray”…should be “hooray” 🙂 although you did mention that you stay up too last (late?), but I think that is just sleep deprivation 🙂
Lacy
20 May, 2009 at 1:12 pmWould that be the o in horray? Hurray!
Amy
20 May, 2009 at 1:13 pmHorray is supposed to be spelled hurray. Oh well, your teacher’s gifts are awesome!
Mary
20 May, 2009 at 1:16 pmSorry to point it out, but it’s Hooray!!!or I suppose it could be ‘Hurrah’- I think that’s acceptable too!
stephanie
20 May, 2009 at 1:17 pm“Horray”, I caught it! 🙂 I’d probably do the same thing!
GingerB
20 May, 2009 at 1:19 pmI think its Horray also! 🙂
cute gift ideas!
jennifer l
20 May, 2009 at 1:19 pmwe get out tommorrow for the summer, too.
Nancy Lynn
20 May, 2009 at 1:23 pmBarnes and Nobel should be Noble…….. I also noticed the pricipal and puffyness. I love your blog. Nancy
Colleen F
20 May, 2009 at 1:25 pmYou spelled pricipal, it is supposed to be principal. Puffyness should be puffiness, and finally horray can be either hurray or hooray, both spellings mean to express joy. By the way as a teacher I would love any of your thank you note cards. Thanks for remembering the teachers.
andi
20 May, 2009 at 1:29 pmVery nice, love the child face embellishments
horsegal
20 May, 2009 at 1:31 pmI am in the same boat, I have mess up spelling stuff tons of times.
Nancy Lynn
20 May, 2009 at 1:55 pmWhen you were talking about staying up too “last” most of the time……should be “late”. Nancy
johanna
20 May, 2009 at 1:57 pmoh- i missed it… but i’m very bad in spelling, it doesn’t metter if its english, swedish ore german…
and we have ONE month left to go… untill “school out”, no… more… 6 weeks… not funny…
have a nice day.
Johanna
Angie Johnson
20 May, 2009 at 2:07 pmI love your blog! You are so down to earth. No worries about any spelling mistakes. I stay up too late also, between that and speed reading I would probaby never catch them. Thanks for the cute teacher ideas!
jennifer
20 May, 2009 at 2:07 pmI didn’t catch any typos… I’m an engineer and spelling was never my strong point… but I would love to win a teachers kit!
ronee
20 May, 2009 at 2:08 pmi love your blog..and ALL your mis spellings! It makes it more like you are just talking..my blog is full of errors..oh well!
enjoy summer..thanks for the ideas..i do like to get them pedis..it makes for a small gesture while means MILLIONS!
xoxo
ronee
Crystal
20 May, 2009 at 2:40 pmGreat kit and some really great suggestions…now I know what my kids’ teachers are getting next week. Thanks!
Debbie
20 May, 2009 at 2:43 pmThank you for this post, it has lots of great ideas. What an adorable kit!
Shelly
20 May, 2009 at 3:04 pmI also like to give teacher’s gift cards to Target – because who doesn’t love Target? It’s also fun to give them tickets to something (ex. an MLS game for the soccer fan or MLB for the baseball nut…)Another treat idea is a sun tea jar filled with different packages of teas/mixes.
Adrian V.
20 May, 2009 at 3:11 pmI’ve done Michael’s gift cards, personalized journals and candy!
Jenny Alfonso
20 May, 2009 at 3:31 pmI love giving Target gc’s. It’s so easy and everybody loves Target!
Valerie
20 May, 2009 at 3:35 pmOh I really liked the magazine idea…very cute. I might just copy that idea and attach a gc (I’ll probably do a Starbucks or something). Thanks for the fresh ideas!!
kris
20 May, 2009 at 4:00 pmi always have each child write a thank-you for being my teacher note and enclose it in a hand-made ceramic tile that i paint a monogram on or a set of coasters…because we all know teachers need a stiff one after the school year is over!!
michelle
20 May, 2009 at 4:09 pmLove the cards (how do you get the words in the bubble?) A good teacher idea is to cover a clipboard from staples in some fun paper add some ribbon…the teachers love these.
Jaime Benavides
20 May, 2009 at 4:10 pmLove your ideas, of course! They’re awesome…Can’t wait to get this cute kit! Question, though. What width is the tulle that you use in your projects? I’ve been wanting to purchase some and I noticed they have it in 3″, 6″ and so on, so I was just curious…Thanks, Heidi;)
Angie
20 May, 2009 at 4:14 pmLove this kit….it is too cute. If I don’t win, I still plan on purchasing it! Fun stuff.
My favorite thing to do to thank the teachers is to personalize clipboards. The teachers I have done these for in the past have LOVED them!!
Thanks for a chance to enter!
Angie
Kim Brown
20 May, 2009 at 4:35 pmHow about a pedicure!!! Wouldn’t that just feel great after being on your feet 9 months out of the year?
Robin A.
20 May, 2009 at 4:38 pmWell, first of all I’m a teacher myself and you are so thoughtful to even think about doing all of these things for them! Maybe I should move to AZ so I can have a Swapp kid in my class? (wink) Either that or you can send the memo to my kid’s parents! 🙂
Gift idea – a massage! Ok…so that’s a little expensive! We can dream though, right?
Robin – Dallas, TX
Cindy
20 May, 2009 at 4:43 pmI always love to give a pot of Gerber Daisies. So cheerful and fun!
Amy Coose
20 May, 2009 at 5:15 pmI am a teacher, so I always make sure to let my kids’ teachers know how much I appreciate all they do for my kids. I always give a GC to their fave store, but I love the mag idea!
Thanks for the chance to win this fab set!
Jeannine B.
20 May, 2009 at 5:28 pmOne of the mom’s at our school collects money from the class, then purchases a really pretty outdoor hanging plant. She then takes the rest of the money (gets one dollar bills) and creates dollar bill “butterflies” that she attaches all over the plant. It turns out so cute – and I’m sure the teacher appreciates the cash – and the plant!
Rebecca
20 May, 2009 at 5:58 pmLove the ideas. My oldest starts school later this year so for his preschool teachers I have made cards with this quote I read somewhere.
“A hundred years from now it will not matter the sort of home you lived in, the kind ofcar you drove or what type of clothes you wore…
but the world will be different because you were important in the life of a child.”
Stefani Meyer
20 May, 2009 at 6:10 pmMy next door neighbor’s last name is Horray! I always love it! Even though it’s not the exact spelling I feel like it’s like a party everyday for him! LOL!
LenaS
20 May, 2009 at 6:27 pmToday is my son’s b-day. Lost him yrs ago. Grateful for a religious, kind, all-day K teacher who took my youngest son under her wing and was there for him while his mom was dealing with grief. Then i went to work for her a year later.
Here’s something she told me she loves to receive as a gift:
COLLECTIONS OF HOMEMADE CARDS that she can use to write notes to parents, etc. Many teachers don’t have time to make those but they like to send a personal touch to others…it gives them creative ideas as well.
alise
20 May, 2009 at 6:43 pmI love gift cards for the teachers like Dunkin Donuts, Target or Barnes and Noble………. enjoy summer vacation!!!!!
Regina Jones
20 May, 2009 at 6:46 pmthat kit is too cute…love what you did with it. I made a little acrylic/chipboard album for my sons teacher with photos of the class that I have taken this year.
Shannon Cummins
20 May, 2009 at 7:42 pmAwesome projects… Teachers love gift cards, I know because I am one…
Michelle A.
20 May, 2009 at 7:45 pmwhat an adorable set! awesome gifts too… I like to give gift cards or pretty a notecard set….thanks for the tip on the cooling eye masks…off to get some 😉
miss h
20 May, 2009 at 7:46 pmSchool’s out already??? I still have another month to think about teacher’s appreciation gifts, but I’m liking the Hof3 kit a lot.
Katie
20 May, 2009 at 7:49 pmI like to give movie tickets. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Brynn
20 May, 2009 at 7:50 pmRemember the bus drivers too! I think I’m gonna put a Subway gift card in-the teachers are getting stationary, I love the chocolate idea for the front office gals-maybe stamp or wrap some patterned paper around it?! We’ll see…..
Erika
20 May, 2009 at 7:51 pmHere’s my teacher gift idea: I’m making altered lunch boxes with big flowers on the front. Inside will be a file system of sorts that acts as a “Teacher’s Assistant.” Tabs will include the following headings: email addys, website addys, substitute teacher info, ideas for field trips/special events, stickers, etc. and I’m going to also include a gc for Dairy Queen or some other yummy ice cream place. Cuz, it’s summer and who doesn’t love ice cream!!!!!!
april jaehn
20 May, 2009 at 8:05 pmHello ms. Swapp, I love Erika’s idea of the altered lunch box!! Very cute: )
My little one is finishing lower elementary in the Montessori program and I’ve been wondering what to do. Thank you for the kick in the pants : )
b
20 May, 2009 at 8:13 pmI bake cookies, and put little toppers on the bags. They are usually a hit, and because I make soooo many, they turn out pretty cheap, too!
tracy
20 May, 2009 at 8:25 pmOk, I think I read so fast, I miss the typos!
Love these ideas. I just made a cookbook for teacher appreciation week. Friday I need to give her a bday gift from the class and then June 4, a class gift for the end of the year. Have you guessed that I am the room mom?!
Deborah
20 May, 2009 at 8:35 pmFor my daughter’s Kindergarten teacher, we are giving her a sweet note to let her know how great she has been all year. Also, a little picture frame from Michael’s, some makeup bags that will come in handy when she travels this summer, 2 OPI nail polishes that came in a cute little pink case (they were Mother’s Day specials at Ulta so I thought they would be great teacher gifts) and a decoupaged clipboard. I got everything on sale or used a coupon and then decorated the clipboard.
Karen
20 May, 2009 at 8:38 pmI’m doing an 8×8 album for our teacher with 2 pages from each child. I sent the papers and insructions home with each child so we can give it to her on the last day of school!
Amy S.
20 May, 2009 at 8:39 pmA the wife of a teacher I an tell you end of year gifts are better than teacher Christmas gifts any day. In his career so far, he must have received at least 20 apple X-mas ornaments and the ever popular Christmas mug with a packet of cocoa in it! Before digital I would always give film to teachers now, I too go for the Target cards
Lola
20 May, 2009 at 8:51 pmGlad you are back in the States. For my Granddaughter’s teacher I’m having her a Memory Book made at Kodak. I just hope it arrives by Friday our last day of school
Just wondering if anyone does anything for the high school teachers (I did when my girls were in school) but now they are teachers and they very seldom get gifts.
Christine
20 May, 2009 at 9:01 pmI love the sweet little faces on the projects. Every year we give a Summer journal with a GC to an Ice Cream shop inside.
~Kim
20 May, 2009 at 9:31 pmI had no idea what to get my little girl’s teachers so I ended up with beautiful potted Zinnias and then I made little cards and attached them to dowel rods and stuck them in the arrangement. I used a scalloped circle punch and made flowers to go on the card and then wrote “Thanks for helping me grow”.
They loved them!
~Kim
Ashleigh
20 May, 2009 at 10:21 pmJust the kit and inspiration I need. I will for sure be doing something similar!
sheri L
20 May, 2009 at 10:42 pmI gave my son’s teacher a PBA free sun tea jar with lemon-aid mix and some great reading material. I found glasses with a chalk area to write your name on them at Pier One. What teacher doesn’t love their chalk board?! I love summer!
Julie W
21 May, 2009 at 4:36 amLove your ideas and the kit! I usually give a homemade card and a gift card. You have definitely given me some things to think about as the last days of school approach. Thanks!!
Terry
21 May, 2009 at 6:15 amcute gift ideas Heidi!
Irene
21 May, 2009 at 6:33 amLove the ideas. What a great way to so appreciation!
PatriciaA
21 May, 2009 at 6:36 amI usually like to give gift cards to the local supermarkets.
Irene
21 May, 2009 at 6:36 amOh, I didn’t do that on purpose–as a show of solidarity. I think I was just typing too fast and had too much on my mind (your post got my creative juices flowing). It should say “show your appreciation” not “so your appreciation.” See, we are all human…
Katie
21 May, 2009 at 7:22 amWell this is great. I’m always looking for teacher gifts. Our district has a strict policy on “nominal” gifts. These are great creations. They work so nicely.
Liz Hagage
21 May, 2009 at 8:24 amhi Heidi i emailed you a picture of my teacher gifts a couple days ago 🙂 i hope you got it
Melissa
21 May, 2009 at 8:40 amA flower in a pot that a teacher can take home and plant is always a nice gift!
Debby
21 May, 2009 at 9:11 amProbably not as fun as the other suggestions. But, our schools are tight on money. Teachers WILL be paying for supplies out of thier pockets. If every student gave the teacher a $5 office supply store gift card. It would come to about $100. WOW! I know that every teacher would be super excited for the assistance.
Dedra Long
21 May, 2009 at 11:06 amSuper cute ideas!
This year was all about giving the teacher’s gift cards!
http://dedralong.blogspot.com/2009/05/school-is-out.html
Thanks for the inspiration!
Hugs….
Dedra
Marty
21 May, 2009 at 11:18 amas a teacher the best gift I could receive is a hand written note from the child or the parent. i enjoy the gift cards, but I keep those notes forever!
Candace
21 May, 2009 at 12:59 pm1st off. Love this blog!
I used to be a preschool teacher and 1 year I received a water cooler (w/the spout at the bottom) filled w/those re-usable ice cubes (lemon shaped, I think) w/a packet of chrystal light. It was cute.
So, now, for teacher appreciation week and/or the end of the year gift I give a version of that. I bought some very cool plastic tumblers and filled them w/individual packets of crystal lite to go w/re-usable ice cubes and some cool re-usable straws.
This year, I went to Pier 1 and bought their re-usable bag (fun, bright color and only cost $3.00) put a beach towel in it (2/$10 at TJMaxx) and bought their tumblers (4/$5) and filled those w/crystal light packets and also went to dollar store and got some fun ice cube trays. I have 2 kids and by the time I divide the bulk items up and have some left over tumblers for bus drivers. It’ll come out to be a reasonable gift.
Candi Ladwig
21 May, 2009 at 9:03 pmAre the fonts used on your cards available to download or can you let us in on what fonts you used? I am referring to the “Relax have a great summer” card. Thanks 🙂
Veronica
22 May, 2009 at 6:19 amI have decorated new paint cans and filled them with cookies….or a summer survival kit for teachers (dollar store sunglasses, sunscreen, magazine, bag of chips or so….)
kat-in-texas
22 May, 2009 at 2:43 pmHeidi,
What’s the name of the fu-fu font you’re using on these? (and the day before too) Love it!!!
Kimberly
22 May, 2009 at 4:54 pmWow, those are so cute and inspiring!!!! I am working on a few teacher gifts too. Our last day of school here in NV is the 29th!
I’d love it if you stopped by my blog, I’m having my 1 year blogaversary!!! Not to mention a giveaway!!!
http://mimmersscrapbooks.blogspot.com/
Michelle
22 May, 2009 at 10:48 pmSome awesome ideas!! I think I will totally use the card/chocolate idea! And I am going to snag the recipe book idea and scrap it and add some pictures of the kids to the recipes. Going to send out the email tomorrow!
I think my final package will be: chocolate, recipe book, starbucks card, and something pooh (she collects pooh). For the kindy teacher.
I don’t know how/what to do for the 3rd grade teacher. I need to figure out who the room mom is for that class (there hasn’t been anything that I have seen from that mom).
What would you do for middle and high school teachers and office staffs? (that could get VERY spendy for me!
jane
23 May, 2009 at 4:52 pmI am a teacher — I have to say I LOVE the sharpie idea, that is brilliant. I think I might do that for my own kids’ teachers! Can’t wait ’til Creative Escape!
Jane
Michelle Aguilar
24 May, 2009 at 2:27 pmyou are just so awesome with or without mis spelled words. I hope you like your shirt and had a great Mother’s day!
yes I will go and say HB to Janet as she taught us last year at CE.
do you ever get the time to read your comments? just wondering cuz something you have gobs. LOL
get some rest in your busy life!
Michelle Aguilar
24 May, 2009 at 2:32 pmoh I know, as duh I read this and now found the typo, you typed about staying up last but, I think you met late but, last is the last one in your family to stay up late, so maybe you meant to say that. LOL
Life is fun huh?
you could always find typos in my emails especially but, I am writing a book, so none there. When I write letter being professional, i do a great job also. LOL
take care
Lori S.
7 June, 2009 at 1:56 pmHeidi,
I just wanted to show you my Teacher Gift Idea for this year! It turned out so cute and I knew you would love it because it was yellow…(I too have been twitterpated over yellow this season!!) Anyway, I am always looking for clever ideas and I know you are too! Here is the link…hope you like it!
http://pinkhellokitty.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/06/i-am-delighted-with-the-way-the-teacher-gifts-turned-out-this-year-remember-back-to-this-spring-post–and-how-i-am-just.html
Debbi Clouser
8 June, 2009 at 8:19 amOh my goodness – I think there are a lot of teachers reading this post and they’re catching all the spelling mistakes! Love your post and all the great ideas.
Lisa Smusz
11 June, 2009 at 12:03 pmSuper cute ideas! Thanks for Sharing.
I’ve made these “Teacher’s Night Off” kits for several years now and the teachers always love them and say they actually use them (they don’t need another coffee mug with an apple folks!) 🙂
See full posting for Instruction Card, Photos, and full description: http://slackerlifeguide.blogspot.com/2009/06/slacker-suggestion-4-saying-thank-you.html
TEACHER’S NIGHT OFF GIFT
1. Buy the following supplies: Popcorn boxes (from a party store or theatre concession stand), box of microwave popcorn, boxes of movie style candies (I got Jr. Mints, etc at Safeway), Gift Cards for local video store or Netflix, pkg of yellow tissue paper, and “best teacher” ribbon or button.
2. Unfold the popcorn boxes and place yellow tissue in with edges sticking up. Fill with 1 box of candy, 1 video club gift card, 1 bag of microwave popcorn and “best teacher” ribbon or button.
3. Fill out the “Teacher’s Night Off” instruction gift card (doc is posted on this blog for your use) and secure instruction card to gift or tuck inside. Write name of teacher on popcorn box.