Ideas and suggestions for farewell gifts for teachers

A school year is coming to an end, and you want to say a little thank-you to your children’s teachers. Many people want to express this in the form of a gift. But how should you go about it? What do teachers appreciate? What should you not give?

If you look into it closely, you find out that teachers at higher schools are actually subject to civil service regulations and are not allowed to accept gifts. In compulsory schools, state teacher service law applies, and teachers may accept small tokens of appreciation of low value. So much for the bureaucracy. I have to admit, we always gave something in elementary school; our children had a really, really wonderful teacher who took such amazing care of the children. Above all, we did not want to miss out on the farewell gift and the farewell party, and we really came up with quite a few ideas. She was sooo happy, and it was really, really wonderful; we are still in contact with the teacher to this day.

At secondary school, my son’s class organized a farewell party after the 4th grade, and I have to say it was also so lovely. Several teachers were there whom you could talk to, and the response from both parents and teachers was really wonderful.

But back to gifts for teachers: personal gifts are a big favorite here, but vouchers or regional products are always a good idea too. I have summarized a selection here:

Gifts for teachers

Photo album like a friendship book for the students

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or photo album
• Paper
• pens
• photos of the children

Instructions:

Self-designed friendship books are a lovely keepsake for teachers. To do this, write down or print out a few questions on a sheet of paper and have the children fill them in. For example:

• Name/nickname
• Contact (email, mobile number)
• This is what I like doing
• My favorite book
• My favorite subject
• Best saying
• My biggest challenge at school
• My best experience at school
• This is what I want to be someday
• I learned this from YOU
• I wish YOU

Have them fill these in and decorate them with photos of the children and pens or stickers, etc.

Extra tip: If there are still pages left blank, fill them with beautiful photos from their school days. It is a really lovely keepsake of the class.

Homemade cookbook with the children’s favorite recipes

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or ring binder or cookbook to write in
• pens
• photos of the children
• Recipes

Instructions:

The children write their favorite recipes on a piece of paper or in a book. They decorate the page and add a photo of themselves. Have the pages bound or glue/file them into a scrapbook.

Extra tip: If you like, you can design any leftover pages with photos from the time spent together.

Photos of the children with their career aspirations

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or ring binder to write in
• small poster
• pens
• photos of the children

Instructions:

For teachers, it is always quite funny to see what the children wanted to become and what they actually became. That is why this idea is also very nice. For this, the children should draw their career aspiration on a piece of paper/poster. Photograph each child individually holding this poster. Put the photos together in a scrapbook, album, or ring binder.

Photos of the children with sayings

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or ring binder to write in
• small poster or small board
• photos of the children
• possibly pens

Instructions:

The children write a saying for the teacher on the poster or board, such as: Best educator, favorite teacher, etc. Photograph all the children holding the board and either make a photo collage with it or place the photos individually in an album. A really sweet idea as feedback for the teacher.

Street picture for the teacher

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or ring binder to write in
• sidewalk chalk
• photos of the children
• possibly pens for the photo album

Instructions:

Each child thinks of something related to the teacher that they can draw on the street. A lovely example is a flower the size of the child, with the words written next to it: Thank you for helping me grow!). Photograph the child together with the street picture, and again collect the photos of all the students in the whole class in an album.

Flowers with pictures of the children

What you’ll need:

• Scrapbook or ring binder to write in
• Flowers
• Paper
• photos of the children
• possibly pens if you want to write names on the back of the photos

Instructions:

A lovely and also quick gift is flowers with photos of the children. To do this, attach the photos of the children to the flowers. If you like, you can also write the children’s names on the back.

Photo gifts

What you’ll need:

• Photo of all the children
• Photo provider for a mug, apron, clock, etc.

Instructions

This gift is a really lovely idea especially in 1st grade, because then the teacher can use the photo gift at school. Many photo developers offer a wide variety of gifts: an apron, a clock, or a mug are great

For a clock, it is a good idea to photograph all the children together lying in a circle and from above. Upload the photo to the photo developer and select the desired gift.

It is also great to have a deck chair printed with a class photo and a funny saying such as: We’re off now – time to chill!

Extra tip: Another lovely idea is for the children to paint pictures, then photograph them and arrange all the photos, e.g. on the apron.

Cards for teachers

Card with rainbow and the children’s names

What is needed for this:

• colored paper (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and white)
• nice envelope
• Scissors
• Glue
• pen
• Scissors

Instructions:

Make a rainbow for this card. To do this, cut out colored paper and glue it together as a rainbow. Write the children’s names on the rainbow with a pen. Fold the rainbow like an accordion and glue the back end into an envelope. Cut a small cloud out of white paper and glue it to the other end (so that you can pull the rainbow apart nicely).

Photos and crafting by my dear friend Maria

Card with dandelion clock and the children’s names

What you’ll need:

• construction paper in yellow
• pens in green and black

Instructions:

Fold the construction paper in half crosswise once so that it forms a card. A large dandelion clock is drawn on the front cover; at the top right, small flying seeds are drawn in black and green all the way to the edge. The children’s names are written next to these seeds. You can also write, for example, “Thank you” on the card in large letters.

Photos and crafting by my dear friend Maria

Card with the children’s fingerprints as balloons

What you’ll need:

• construction paper
• ink pads in different colors
• pens

Instructions:

On a piece of construction paper folded as a card, the children make fingerprints on the card using ink pads. The children’s names are then written next to them with pens. The “fingerprint balloons” are connected with a pen. Depending on your talent, a figure can now be drawn or glued on here (e.g. print out a picture from the Internet, or a photo of the teacher!). Of course, the card can be further decorated with text as desired.

Gifts without crafting

If you do not want to go to so much trouble with crafts or photos, you will find more suggestions here:

• Flowers
• Herbs
• Vouchers for restaurants, local shops, spa
• Vouchers for stationery shops for nice pens, etc.
• Deck chair with a funny saying
• Handbag or shopping bag with a funny saying
• Gift basket with regional delicacies
• Jewelry (nice bracelet or pendant)
• Farewell party in a restaurant/wine tavern where you invite the teacher

No-gos for gifts are alcohol and gifts that are far too expensive. Gifts that take up a lot of space are also not sensible, such as when every student gives a mug—where is a teacher supposed to put 25 mugs?

If, for example, the class is finished, you can also give somewhat more expensive gifts, such as a voucher for a spa or a vacation, because the issue of bribery is off the table here, since the class is ‘finished.’ Anyone who wants to collect money should do so as anonymously as possible. Simply set up a money box at the class party and everyone can give whatever they want.

What always works well as a gift: Appreciation! A kind thank-you, by email, as a card, or in person on the last day, is always well received and motivating! Please never be sparing with a thank-you if the teacher is truly very committed; that is not something to be taken for granted!

Do you also have great ideas for farewell gifts? Then I would be happy to receive constructive comments or emails!

Read also: Make cards with children yourself

Remaining photos by Sabine, meinhaushalt.at