Coming up with an end of year gift for my students is sometimes a daunting task. I love them dearly, but I’m drained, tired, and ready for summer. I also don’t want to spend a ton of money on some cheap-y gift I know will be broken or lost within a week. Here are my favorite 3 end of year student gifts that don’t break the bank, are easy to put together, and aren’t junk!
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Gift Idea #1: Personalized DIY Whiteboards
My absolute favorite gift for students and the one I give most often, is personalized picture frames that can be used as dry erase boards. It’s the simplest and easiest to put together in a short period of time. I buy frames and dry erase markers from Dollar Tree. They are from Dollar Tree, so I will say, they are not the most durable or sturdy. You could definitely find cheap frames elsewhere that hold up a bit better! You can also use these super cute magnetic plastic frames from Amazon.
Or simply laminate the page and don’t worry about a frame at all! I create a page in PowerPoint that has a simple border, the student’s name, and a cute little saying from a doodle pack font from Miss5th. Then, attach a dry erase marker with washi tape. Personalized, quick, and easy!
Student Gift #2: Sunglasses
The next gift is personalized sunglasses. These are definitely more time consuming, but oh so cute! You can find big packs of sunglasses on Amazon like these. I used a Cricut to put each student’s name on the side of the glasses. You could also leave off the name part and use a simple label like this or this.
The last gift I love to give is personalized letter to each student. Just be warned, you will cry while writing them. This works really well if you have a small homeroom or a class you’ve just become really close to. It’s a great way to reflect on the year you’ve had with each student and encourage them as they move on to the next grade. I like to include an envelope with my address (or the schools address) and a stamp so they can write me back over the summer. This is a fun way to stay in touch with students over the summer or maybe even for years to come!
Whether you decide to do anything at all is totally up to you! Some years I just don’t have it in me, and guess what, I’m still a good teacher and so are you! Enjoy your summer break! You deserve it!
