Ideas for day care worker/school gifts?

[swan01]

I need to buy 13 small gifts for my kid's teachers (5 teachers for each kid) and day care directors (3), but don't want to spend a ton of money. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[JustMe]

Wow! That is a lot of people! I'm not sure how old your dcs are, and if they are old enough to do this, but this year dd and I made soap. We bought blocks of glycerin, melted it in the microwave, then added dye, fragrance, and a small toy into soap molds. It was my answer to how to deal with giving too many gifts.

single mommy to a 4 yr old from Guatemala

[Fairy]

Wow! That is a lot of people! I'm not sure how old your dcs are, and if they are old enough to do this, but this year dd and I made soap. We bought blocks of glycerin, melted it in the microwave, then added dye, fragrance, and a small toy into soap molds. It was my answer to how to deal with giving too many gifts.

Wow. Just ... wow! This is a super fun idea, I love it.

I bought Lemony Snicket's "The Latke That Wouldn't Stop Screaming," as DS is in a Jewish pre-school. I'm going to give that to one person, then I'll also give a Hanukkah CD to another one. Then the usual good chocolates and Starbucks cards. With 13 folks, I'd seriously do $10 gift cards for the main people (hopefully not all 13 are main folks!), and then $5 for the others. That can get pricey, but I'm in your situation, too, alot of folks. Not 13, but like 8. I do love this soap idea, tho.

[gogofans]

We buy movie tickets and give 2 to the "significant" teachers, and 1 to the more "here and there" teachers for the kids. When they were new to rooms I sometimes gift the class with B&B soaps, new books, new music,... I have also made baked stuff for the teacher lounge, and bought them soap etc. for their restrooms.

I will work with the kids to make personalized cards. Family Fun magazine has a cute handprint Santa I want to make with each child.

[swan01]

I like the idea of stuff for their restroom. They have a small restroom/lounge, so a basket of pampering-type stuff might work really well (so I would not have to get 13, I could just do 1 nice thing? maybe?). Last year I did lottery tickets, but I know some people are morally opposed to them. What do others think?

Thanks! Any more ideas?

[happy2bamom]

I have lots of teachers and therapists to buy for too. We are having a cookie day this weekend, and the kids are going to help me make a variety of cookies. I'll buy some cute Christmas plates, heap them with the homemade cookies, and wah-lah! I know that teachers probably get lots of goodies this time of year, but we are on a very tight budget and I really wanted to give something that the kids could contribute to.

[SASM]

i buy sets of chunky or holiday mugs (4 packs or whatever) and give each teacher one mug and then the kids and i make hot cocoa mix and i split it into two varieties ~ peppermint and cocoa with a kick (hint of cayenne). last year i made marshmallows...didn't turn out well though. i will probably try again. i also make bite-sized choc chip rice crispie treats and dip them in milk and whitchocolate and garnish with sprinkles and chocolate drizzle. i also dip soft natural peppermint sticks in chocolate and garnish with sprinkles. i buy each teacher an ornament and voila. some of my ideas...hth. :) oh...broken pretzels drizzled in melted chocolate. can you sense my theme? :) my friend makes cracker candy ~ cheap and yummy. mine never turns out right though. good luck.

sorry for the lc's...holding dd2.

[pastrygirl]

I found out that my babysitter/mother's helper likes tea, so I ordered some gourmet tea and a tea strainer/infuser for her (from Upton Teas). I thought that would be a good choice for the chilly weather. :)

[Marisa6826]

Sophie and Mia each have two teachers (well a 'main' teacher and a teacher's assistant), but in my eyes, they both share a very hard job. I bought stuff from L'Occitane. Their shea hand cream in the metal tube for each teacher in one class and verbena and lavendar candles in the other class. Yeah, it was a little more than I wanted to spend (came out to about $20 a teacher), but you know what? If I was spending every day in a room full of 3-5yo kids, damn straight I'd need something way more than a $20 goodie from L'Occitane! :)

Just kind of my way of saying thank you for putting up with my kid when I can't, kwim?

-m