Did you know teachers spend approximately 900 hours per year with our kids in a classroom? Whew! When I think of the amount of tantrums, resistance and overall grumpy moments my kids have in 900 hours, I want to curl up on the couch and take a nap (my kids are 3 and 5…preschool can be rough!).
I also think of the amount of aha! moments, belly laughs and milestones they have in 900 hours and I melt. Our teachers are there for the good, bad and ugly, and they want to see each and every one of their students succeed. Here are a few ways to say thanks to one of the most influential people in your child’s life. Make sure to enter the Teacher Peach giveaway at the bottom of the post!
For the Teacher Who Needs Some Relaxation
My son’s teacher led a lot of STEM activities, and my kiddo loved all of the science experiments, talking endlessly about them on the car ride home. I thought we could turn a science experiment of our own into a gift for her! These DIY Bath Bombs are incredibly easy for almost any skill level to make (my 3 year old made them for Christmas), and they are one bath product that won’t sit on the shelf for years. Make these for other school helpers as well- librarians, class aides, crossing guards, the cranky lunch lady…The recipe I adapted from Instructables.com is below. Make SURE you use essential oils that are safe for skin- I used Rocky Mountain Oils, and it specifies topical application on the bottle.
DIY Bath Bombs
Dry Ingredients:
8 oz. Baking Soda
4 oz. each- Citric Acid, Corn Starch, Epsom Salt
Citric Acid can be found at Walmart in the canning section, or online. Mix together in a separate bowl.
Wet Ingredients:
3/4 oz. Water
2 tsp. Essential Oil (pop the plastic drip top off to make pouring easier)
2.5 tbsp. oil (I used EVOO)
Optional: a few drops food coloring; don’t use too much or else it will color everything!
Pour into a sealed container and shake.
Directions for mixing:
Add wet ingredients a teaspoon at a time to the dry ingredients, constantly whisking to avoid a reaction. Once all ingredients are combined, it should resemble wet sand. Pack tightly into your choice of mold- I used metal heart-shaped muffin tins, but you could also use ice cube trays, candy molds, etc…I find rigid molds (metal, hard plastic) work much better than silicon molds. Let dry for about 24 hours to make sure it stays solid. Keep in an airtight container for storage and/or gifting. Word of caution: don’t use anything with mint oil or pepper oil in it. BURN!
For the Teacher Who Rocks the Grill
In the Midwest where we live, we bust out our grill as soon as the temp is above freezing. I am always on the lookout for spices or sauces to make magic from plain old chicken breasts, and I assume many are in the same boat. My son made this BBQ sauce for family and teacher friends a year ago for Valentine’s Day, and it was a HUGE hit! This is also an ideal gift if you have multiple teachers to buy for. Best part- this is basically opening cans, measuring and dumping them in a pot, so less of a chance for your child to sneeze into it. Just saying….
Here is our recipe:
Homemade BBQ Sauce (adapted from gimmesomeoven.com)
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire
- 2 tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- add cayenne pepper to taste for spice!
Directions:
Whisk ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over
medium-high heat. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or
until sauce has thickened. Pour into jars and seal. I used Ball 4 oz. Quilted Jelly Jars– they are adorably vintage.
To decorate, cut out some fabric and place on top of
the lid, then screw the band over the fabric. Tie baker’s twine around the neck of the jar
and add a tag. You could add BBQ tools and/or a gift card to Backyard BBQ Store (our local BBQ heaven in Wilmette).
For the Group Gift
I have been Room Mom in the past. I am not a Room Mom-type of mom, if that make sense. I can’t stand e-mailing people over and over, asking for money for a class gift, fielding 50 different questions and taking into account a million opinions. I just want to GET IT DONE. eGifter is possibly the most brilliant idea I have seen for this scenario. eGifter is a free and easy to use app that makes it easy for classroom families to privately collect funds and leave personal messages for their kids’ amazing teachers.
Best of all, recipients receive the eGifter Choice Card, which gives them the freedom to mix and match from hundreds of popular gift cards ranging from Amazon.com to Zappos. eGifter is focused on convenience. They’ve eliminated the hassles associated with class gifts such as IOUs, checks via backpacks and stressing over the perfect gift. 100% of the contributions go directly to the recipient’s gift.
For the Sentimental Teacher
As school draws to a close, the flowers are blooming and summer is on the horizon! Your child’s teacher might like something to remind them of their students while enjoying their time outside of the classroom. I went to Color Me Mine, a paint your own pottery studio, and purchased a vase. They gave me a to-go kit with a sample ideas and paint. I had each child pick a “bug” pattern and add their thumbprints to the vase to create it. I penciled in their names, and Color Me Mine added the names in black and the bug details. Add flowers to a vase or a plant to a pot!
For the Teacher Whom You Know and Love
Help your kids put together the ultimate summer break kit for their teacher! I ask my son to do a little reconnaissance work so we can truly personalize it, asking a question each day such as “What is your favorite candy?” You can also check their social media profiles for clues. Include all of the items and bundle into a summer break kit, including: favorite candy/snack, book from their favorite genre or magazine, gift card to their favorite treat spot (coffee/ice cream shop), the options are endless!
For the Traditional Teacher
Some teachers
looooooove all things school-related. You know the type- they sport the
mug, the tote and the embellished stapler and always have a big smile on their face. For those cheerleader
teachers, a gift from Teacher Peach
is right up their alley. Teacher Peach is the go-to brand for
well-designed and thoughtful teacher gifts and motivating classroom
products that help teachers inspire kids. 10% of the profits from every
sale is donated to Teacher Peach Seeds Fund which helps raise confident
and creative kids. Teachers will adore the supplies for their classrooms- stickers, Sharpies, certificates as well as the tools to help them get the job done.
You can receive 25% off of items in the Teacher Gifts category on teacherpeach.com website. Use code TPGIFT4U when you check out through Amazon; promo ends May 15th.
Enter to win EVERYTHING from Teacher Peach I showed on my WCIU segment today! Simply complete the RaffleCopter option(s) below to enter. Winner will be drawn on May 9th. Good luck!
