As a teacher, I’m fortunate to receive so much love and appreciation from my students and their families, especially around the holidays. It always warms my heart, and it’s inspired me to give a little something back to my students as well. Over the years, I’ve found an easy and affordable way to create meaningful gifts that my 3rd graders adore. I put together these gifts before winter break, spring break, and summer break, and they’ve become something my students look forward to each time.
Here’s what goes into each gift and how I make them extra special:
1. A Saddle-Stitch Writing Notebook
I make a simple 20-page writing notebook with space for illustrations. It’s perfect for journaling, creating stories, or even just doodling. The saddle-stitch binding is easy to do and gives the notebooks a professional touch. These notebooks encourage creativity and give the kids a dedicated space to express themselves. Sometimes I’ll include a fun writing utensil, like a gel pen, to pair with the notebook. (One year, my coworker gave her students adorable panda and bamboo gel pens to accompany theirs—such a cute idea!)
2. A Seasonally Themed Fun Packet
Each packet is filled with engaging activities like puzzles, word searches, coloring pages, and short writing prompts. I design them to be both educational and entertaining, so the kids can enjoy them over the break. They’re a hit with parents, too, since they provide a constructive way to keep kids occupied during downtime.
3. A Book
I love encouraging my students to read, so every gift bag includes a book. In the past, I used to pick out and wrap individual books for each student, but I’ve changed my approach over the years. Now, I lay out a selection of books on the classroom carpet and let the kids choose their favorite. Using a random name generator to determine the order ensures that the process feels fair to everyone. The best part? Seeing their excitement as they pick out a book they’re eager to read.
I run Scholastic Book Clubs in my classroom and send out and submit orders. It takes a little time and planning but is totally worth the benefits! This is an easy way to earn free books and get books for cheap. Scholastic often has book bundles for cheap so I make sure to get those each order so I always have a good stock for gifts.
4. A Personal Letter
This is my favorite part of the gift and the one that means the most to me and my students. Each letter is heartfelt, reminding them how much they’ve grown and how proud I am of them. I design these letters in Canva and read them aloud to the class before handing out the gifts. Without fail, I tear up every time I read it. (You can find the editable Canva template I use for these letters in my Etsy store.
Why I Switched to Ziplock Bags
In the beginning, I used to wrap each gift, but it became time-consuming and less practical. Now, I use Ziplock bags. I label each bag with the student’s name using cute labels (I left this part out of the photos to protect privacy). Not only does this save time, but the bags can also be reused for other purposes, making them more environmentally friendly. Plus, the simple system of laying out the books and using the random name generator prevents any squabbles over who gets which book.
What Matters Most
At the end of the day, the most important thing to me is seeing my students excited about their gifts. Whether it’s flipping through their new book, diving into the fun packet, or starting a story in their writing notebook, their enthusiasm makes all the effort worthwhile. It’s my way of showing them how much I care and encouraging their love for learning.
If you’re looking for an affordable and thoughtful way to give back to your students, this gift idea is simple, heartfelt, and impactful. And the best part? It’s something they’ll remember long after the break is over.
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