DIY Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Cheap Gifts for Teacher Appreciation that Won’t Get Thrown Away

Show Your Teacher Appreciation with These 5 Handmade Gift Ideas

I used to work in the school system and have received a LOT of adorable, well-intended end of the year gifts that, honestly, just ended up in the trash. Guys, I throw away crafts that MY OWN KIDS have made, so I probably wouldn’t keep a craft project from another kiddo. What if you could find an affordable gift to show appreciation to your child’s teacher, and you knew they probably wouldn’t throw it away? Well, I have thought of 5, can’t go wrong, frugal gifts for teachers, and all of them you can make, mostly using items you already have around your home.

Let’s get to it:

Cookies on a cute, thrifted plate. Plates are a dime a dozen at thrift stores, frequently for .25 cents. If you find a cute one, grab it. Make your favorite dozen cookie recipe, and have the student write a thank you note with it.
Hand soap in a thrifted soap bottle. Everyone uses hand soap, right? It is SO EASY to make hand soap. Find your favorite thrifted soap bottle, and fill it 3/4 full of water, then fill the last 1/4 with castille soap. If you want to be extra fancy, you can put a few drops of essential oil to make it fragrant.
Granola or snack mix in a thrifted mason jar. Whether it is granola you made, or store-bought, throw it in a mason jar and add a cute tag with some twine.
Baked bread. Almost everyone likes a warm loaf of homemade bread. Banana bread, sourdough, doesn’t matter, it’s always delicious and well received.
A Potted Plant. I bet you have an extra plant this time of year, and if you don’t, ask a neighbor of Facebook. Spring time is booming with plants. We have extra mint, tomatoes, basil, lettuce, etc. Any of those things would make an excellent plant that the teacher in your life could replant. Put it in a thrifted pot, or whatever you can find (could even be a cheap mug), with a sweet note.