It’s almost that time of the year. I’m sure many of you have already started counting down the days! While the end of the year is an exciting time for students, it can be a LOT of work for teachers. Between organizing, packing, writing report cards, and classroom management, we still make time to celebrate our students.
You don’t have to spend a whole lot on end-of-year gifts for your students! But, I know many teachers like to send their students off with a small gift so today, I want to share ten inexpensive end-of-year gift ideas for your students.
1. printable bookmark
One inexpensive/no-cost gift idea is to give your students a bookmark to encourage summer reading. I have a free set of ocean-themed bookmarks here!
I also have some cute colorful punny bookmarks that match some of my EOY student awards.
And of course, what goes better with a bookmark than a BOOK! Scholastic has books for under two dollars or you can pick up multi-packs. That can get expensive, but there are 3 ways to offset this cost:
- Ask friends and family to help sponsor the purchase of the books on social media.
- Visit your local thrift store for deals.
- Declutter your classroom library! IF you’ve accumulated more books than can fit on your shelves, your extras make great fits! You could have students pick a well-loved book to take home straight off the shelves or you can go through the books ahead of time and place the ones you want to part with on a table.
2. Bubbles!
This is an inexpensive classic end-of-the-year gift that students will love! My local dollar store has packs of SIX for $1.25!
You can gift the bubbles by themselves, but you can also add in a counting challenge. In my Punny End-of-Year Student Gift Pack, I have a printable challenge for students to blow 100 bubbles. Students can color in the number of bubbles they blow at a time. There are also three different punny gift tags that you can attach to the bubbles. Just add a bit of string and a quick note on the back and you have a fun educational gift!
3. Sweet Treat
There are a couple of different ways you can approach this one. You can pick up a snack (cookies, small candies, etc.) for your students and add a cute gift tag.
Another alternative is to ask families to donate a snack for an end-of-the-year celebration. During the class party, you can have students pass out what they brought to share. In the past, I have allowed students to choose a couple of small treats to eat during the party and then pack everything else for home in a paper bag. This avoids sending students home with tummy aches!
4. Sunglasses
Another classic gift! I always got a multi-pack from Party City, but Amazon has lots of options too. Don’t forget to gather your students for a final class photo in their new shades!
5. Sidewalk Chalk
This is another gift that you can easily pick up from the dollar store. My store sells tubs that have 20 pieces of chalk each. In the past, I have divided the packs up and placed a couple of pieces in ziplock bags. You could encourage students to use the chalk to make sensory paths over the summer.
6. Crayons and a Summer Activity Book
What student doesn’t love a fresh box of brand new crayons? You can plan ahead and stock up during the back to schools sales or use the smaller 4 or 8-pack boxes to cut back on costs.
*$aving TIP* If you frequent restaurants throughout the year with your child, ask for an extra box of crayons to go with the kids’ menu. Collect these for your beginning or end-of-year gifts!
You can put together a summer activity book using resources you already have. Or, for an easy option, use the Summer Fun book in my Punny End-of-Year Student Gift Pack which is filled with fun activities for students.
7. Blow Up Beach Ball
This is another end-of-the-year gift where you can ask families for help or pick some up in bulk from Amazon. My Dollar Tree always stocks them in May, although they sell out quickly! Again, you could add a tag to the ball. We love passing them around for students to sign and turn them into autograph balls!
This option would require a bit of prep beforehand. Be sure to give detailed instructions to the students during the activity to avoid anyone’s clothes being stained. It’s recommended for the students to use sharpie markers to sign the balls and give them a moment to dry.
8. Fidget Poppers
Fidget poppers are all the rage with students and would make a great end-of-the-year gift. They come in a variety of different shapes and sizes – even bracelets or keychains! Definitely look for the smaller sizes that come in multipacks to keep the gift affordable.
9. Summer Journal with a Fancy Pen
Encourage students to keep writing and being creative over the summer with a journal and fancy pen. For the journal, you can use mini-notebooks, spiral notepads, or a printable option. If you do purchase the Punny End-of-Year Student Gift Pack, there is a printable summer journal with lined pages and space for students to draw as well.
The options are endless when it comes to including something for students to write with. You can even add a fancy pencil instead. The dollar stores will be your best friend once again!
10. Summer Activity Bag (or Bucket)
This end-of-the-year gift will be a big hit with your students and keep them engaged over the summer. I have two versions of the summer checklist that you can use. One is designed to be used with a paper bag and the other can be used with a pail from (you guessed it!) the Dollar Tree.
How much you want to include with the list is completely up to you! You can include all of the printable items and just one or two small items and it’s still an amazing end-of-the-year gift.
In Conclusion
I hope you found a gift idea for your students! Remember that any small gesture will be appreciated by your students. Consider reaching out to family and friends for donations as well to help offset any costs.
If you’ll be using any of these ideas, I would love to know! Also, let me know what you’ve given in previous years that was a hit with students.