All these DIY gifts are easy and cheap to put together, but they are a whole lot of fun. The kids will love making and giving them just as much as the teacher’s will love receiving them.

Including printable, edible and teacher survival kits, there is something here for every teacher.

Related articles:

• 13 of The Best Back To School Party Ideas
• Free First Day of School Questionnaire

With the end of summer, comes back to routine. Getting the kids ready for school every day, packing their lunch box’s and, getting their homework completed and running around to after school activities.

It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

A lot of kids (and parents), like to start the year off by giving their new teacher a small gift of appreciation. A gift that says we are looking forward to the coming year, as well as saying we appreciate all that you are going to do for us.

These gifts don’t have to be expensive (in fact they really shouldn’t be), but sometimes coming up with a fun inexpensive gift can be difficult when you have so many other back to school things on your mind.

That’s where we have got your back. These back to school teacher gifts are ALL cheap, they are ALL easy to make and they are ALL fun.

Sound good?

Let’s check them out.

Short of asking them, there has to be a little bit of guess work here!

It can also be hard deciding on a back to school teacher gift if you don’t really know the teacher that well. If you have been at the school for a while, you might have an idea of the teacher’s personality, but if not it’s a bit of a guessing game.

That’s why this collection of back to school teacher gifts are ALL perfect for ANY teacher. They are all quite practical which means your teacher isn’t just going to have it sitting on their desk wondering what the heck they will do with it.

If the gift can’t be eaten it has to have some kind of purpose. A useful purpose!

So with that in mind, have a look to see which gift your child would enjoy creating for their teacher the most.

1. Apple Pretzels

Source: The Inspiration Edit

These apple pretzels are a lot of fun. The kids would really enjoy making them, and I’m sure that the teachers would enjoy receiving them.

They are look super cute and let’s not forget, delicious to eat!

2. Apple Rice Krispie Treats

Source: I Heart Naptime

Another great apple treat are these rice krispie treats.

Once again they are easy for the kids to make, and they would be super exciting presenting their new teacher with these delicious treats.

Packaged up in a little gift bag, they would make the perfect back to school teacher gift.

3. Scentsational Teacher Gift

Source: Skip To My Lou

This scentsational teacher gift is super cute. 

Whether the teacher chooses to take it home or keep it in the classroom, it is a simple gift that will be sure to bring a smile. The free printable is super fun too.

4. Colorful School Year Printable Tag

Source: Burlap and Blue

What’s one of the things that teacher’s use a lot?

That’s right, pens!

This gift is both practical and personal. Simply download the colorful school year printable tag, grab yourself a pack of pens and hey presto. The perfect teacher gift.

5. Marker Printable Gift

Source: On My Kids Plate

Love the idea of giving pens to your teacher? Well here is another gorgeous maker printable gift.

It’s small, but it’s super sweet.

6. S’more Teacher Gift Tag and Mason Jar

Source: Frugal Coupon Living

Put your hand up if you love S’mores?

Yep, thought so.

Everyone loves S’mores.

That’s why it makes the perfect gift, and this s’more teacher gift tag will help make that gift even more awesome.

Create a mason jar with the s’more snack mix, attach the adorable printable and the perfect teacher gift is ready to go.

7. Ice Breaker Back To School Gift

Source: Tried and True

I love this ice breaker teacher gift.

All you need is some Ice breaker mints then download the printable and you can make this super cute gift.

The printable allows you to include some details about your child which makes the gift even cuter.

8. Caffeine And Chocolate Gift

Source: Jasper and Willow

Does a caffeine and chocolate gift sound good to you? Of course it does.

Caffeine and chocolate is what makes the world go around right?

This is an adorable little gift with a free printable so you can make it for yourself too.

9. Fabric Tissue Holder

Source: I Should Be Mopping The Floor

If sewing is your jam, then you will love this fabric tissue holder.

It would look gorgeous sitting on a teacher’s desk and there is even a cute printable available to make the gift even sweeter

10. Teacher Tote Bag

Source: Color Me Crafty

If you are a Cricut lover, then this teacher tote bag could be just what you are looking for.

Follow the tutorial to have your gift ready in a flash.

11. Apple Bookmarks

Source: Red Ted Art

I love these apple bookmarks. They would be a lot of fun to make and would look super cute sticking out from the teacher’s books.

12. Water Bottle Gift

Source: Totally The Bomb

A super simple gift that takes no time at all is this sharpie water bottle gift.

Literally all you need is to grab a water bottle and fill it with some sharpies.

It’s fun, practical and cheap. A great gift for teachers.

13. Teacher Survival Gift Basket

Source: Homemade For Elle

This teacher survival gift basket has everything a teacher could need to help them get through the day.

Between the snacks and the health products, the teacher is definitely looked after.

14. Supplies Teacher Gift Basket

Source: Making Manzanita

This teacher gift basket has all the supplies a teacher could need.

This basket will help clear up any of those little messes that occur in the classroom.

There is also a cute printable that you can download and attach to your basket.

Is there a gift here that says just the thing that you want to say?

It can be an exciting time for the kids getting to know their new teacher and a little appreciation at the beginning of the year can go a long way.

What kind of gift will you be giving to your teacher this year?Love these back to school teacher gifts? Sign up to the weekly newsletter so you can be kept up to date with other easy ideas. You will also have access to a heap of printables in the free printable library. See you there!

The post 14 of The Best Back To School Teacher Gifts appeared first on Smart Party Planning.

It’s a fun activity to enjoy, plus it can be used to take the first day of school photo. It will become a treasured keepsake that can be completed year after year.

Related articles:

• 13 of The Best Easy Back To School Party Ideas
• Free Printable Back To School Labels Pack
• Dynamite Kindergarten Graduation Table

The start of a new school year is the perfect time to capture where your child is at. Kids have so many quirky ideas and thoughts, but it is so easy to forget them as they grow up.

Every year I create a printable for my daughter’s first day of school. Ok, so she has only had two first days at school so far, but it is a tradition I intend on keeping as she progressing through school. I will also complete it for my son when he starts.

The week before school commences I sit down with her and talk through the list of questions. 

I then type the questions and her answers into a printable first day of school questionnaire.

Just before we head off to school on her first day she holds the questionnaire whilst I take take that all important first day photograph.

This was one of the photo’s of her starting year 1 this year. 

She looks so big after just one year at school. (and yes, I did jump in one or two of the photo’s).

It will be so lovely in years to come looking back at not only the photo’s, but also her questionnaire’s and comparing how the answers have changed.

This first day of school questionnaire is now tucked safely away in my keepsake box.

Printable Questionnaire Your Kids Will Love

Whilst I would love to create a printed first day of school questionnaire for your kids, it’s just not practical. What is practical however is a questionnaire that you can fill in with your child, or even better they can fill in themselves.

Even if they are not able to write the answers by themselves, they will still enjoy the process. 

I have also designed the questionnaire so that the children can color it in, which makes it even more personal for them.

I designed two questionnaire’s, one with a little girl and one with a little boy so you can pick the one that is most suitable for you.

My daughter saw this and instantly wanted to fill it in. 

She absolutely loved answering the questions in her own hand writing and being creative with coloring in the graphics.

It looks like for future years I will now be using this first day of school questionnaire rather than the one I type!

How To Complete The First Day of School Questionnaire

Completing the questionnaire is super easy.

Step 1: Firstly you will need to head to the free printable library to access the printable. 

There are two designs to choose from (one is a boy and one is a girl).

Simply download the PDF and print the page that is appropriate for you. Both questionnaire’s will be on the same PDF. Print as many times as you need for all your children.

Whilst you can print onto plain white paper, I would recommend that you print onto a thicker matte photo paper. The print quality will be nicer, but also as the paper is thicker it will be nicer for your keepsake box!

Step 2: Before school starts, sit down with your children to complete the questionnaire. 

They may need some help reading the questions or knowing how to write the answer.

If you need to complete the questionnaire for them, that’s ok, just write the answers in their own words. 

The children can then add their touch to the questionnaire by coloring it in.

Step 3: Place the questionnaire somewhere safe all ready to be brought out on the first day of school.

Step 4: Don’t forget the photo whilst holding their first day of school questionnaire.

This photo will be a keeper!

Tip: The night before school starts, leave the questionnaire as close to the front door as possible, with your camera next to it!

School morning’s are always a rush and you will need a little extra time to take the first day of school photo. 

It may sound silly, but ensuring everything is ready to grab in the morning will save a lot of un-necessary stress.

Now that you have the first day of school questionnaire completed, have you thought about creating a gift for your child’s awesome new teacher?

There are plenty of back to school teacher gifts that are easy to create and your child will love handing out. Just don’t forget to leave it with the questionnaire the night before so that after you have taken your photo you will remember to pick up the gift and take it to school!

Have you ever completed a first day of school questionnaire with your child before? 

I hope that this is a tradition that you would like to start and you build a pile of extra special memories using the printable.

Enjoy, and if you use the printable I would love for you to upload it to the Facebook group. It’s always a joy to see the printables in action.

Let’s keep in touch. Do you love the first day of school questionnaire? Sign up to the newsletter to give you access to this free printable plus lots more. You will also be kept up to date with our easy party and recipe ideas.

The post Free First Day Of School Questionnaire To Be Cherished Forever appeared first on Smart Party Planning.

These DIY party ideas will help the kids ease into the end of summer and back into school.

Related articles:

• 14 of The Best Back To School Teacher Gifts
• Free First Day of School Questionnaire

Summer holidays can be filled with mixed emotions for kids. On one hand they are having a fantastic time having play dates, relaxing couch days, out exploring and so on.

On the other hand it can be quite an overwhelming time thinking about going back to school and all that entails.

Some kids take starting a new year in their stride. They love having a new teacher, a new classroom, even new classmates. Other kids struggle with the change and can work themselves up week’s before school re-commences.

Regardless of whether your child is excited about the new school year or perhaps having some anxiety, a back to school party is a great way of incorporating the new school year into the summer holidays.

It’s a party, so it’s going to be fun for a start.

What Is A Back To School Party?

A back to school party is as simple as it sounds.

It is really just a party to celebrate the start of the school year and can be as simple or as busy as you choose it to be. A back to school party is a great way for kids to spend some time together before the start of the school year.

If new class structures are happening for the year, it is a great way for the kids to connect with one another that might not have previously been in a class together before. This would make it easier for day 1 of school.

Alternatively, a back to school party could simply be for a group of friends to have a last bit of fun before the school term starts.

Ultimately the back to school party will be based around what you want it to be and what works well for your kids.

Back To School Party Decorations & Favors

Regardless of the reason to hold your back to school party, having some decorations will instantly give it the “party feel”. Decorations don’t have to be difficult and there are some great ideas for some simple but effective DIY ones.

1. Painted Pencil Garland

Source: Dukes & Duchesses

All good parties will benefit from a themed garland and this painted pencil garland is super cute.

If you have older kids, they would enjoy creating this garland, by following the easy tutorial provided.

2. Balloon Arch

Source: Smashed Peas and Carrots

Whilst the balloon arch was designed for the first day back at school, it would be perfect for a back to school party.

You could use this for kids to stand under with their friends with some photo props, or have them hold up a sign saying which year they will be starting in.

Either way, it would be a fun focal point which is easy to replicate.

3. Back To School Photo Frame Prop

Source: Julie Measures

Kids love messing around with photo booth’s at parties, but this is alternative idea works just as well.  A school frame photo prop would create a lot of laughs and record some great photo’s too.

4. Back to School Printable Labels

Source: Smart Party Planning

The back to school labels can be used either as cupcake toppers, tags or to decorate the kids lunch box. Each child could take home a printable sheet to use when they start school. There are several different sheets to choose from too.

5. Back To School Goals Capsule

Source: Aprons and Stilletos

I absolutely love this school goals capsule.

These would be fantastic for the kids to make during the party and to use as favors to take home. Plus they would look awesome on display during the party.

The kids can set their goals for the first quarter and then keep the three other bottle’s empty to use throughout the year.

Fun Food For A Back To School Party

It simply wouldn’t be a party if it didn’t involve food! 

If you would like to incorporate some fun back to school party themed food, then this selection should wet the appetite.

6. Back To School Notebook Cookies

Source: The Decorated Cookie

These back to school notebook cookies can even be written on with an edible pen. It makes them not only tasty, but also a lot of fun too.

7. Back To School Chalkboard Cupcakes

Source: In The Kids Kitchen

Love the idea of the chalkboard cookies? You could make them as cupcakes too.

These gorgeous chalkboard cupcakes would be a lot of fun for the kids to make, and also to eat!

8. Apple Shaped Cupcakes

Source: Painted Confetti

It’s not a party without cupcakes, so why not have some variety! These apple cupcakes are stinkin cute.

They are such a simple idea, but they are so effective. I think the kids would love them.

9. Apple Shaped Rice Krispie Treats

Source: I Heart Naptime

How adorable are these apple shaped rice krispie treats.  They are super easy to make, taste great and perfect to fit the back to school theme.

They are so vibrant and full of color that they would be  an absolute winner at a back to school party.

10. Chocolate Apples

Source: The Country Chic Cottage

Staying on the apple theme, check out these chocolate apples.

They are not the kind of apples you would normally see in a school lunch box, but they are perfect for a back to school party.

Entire Back To School Party Ideas

Still need some inspiration on how to put your back to school party together? Here are a few more ideas that will get that creativity flowing.

11. Back To School Waffle Bar

Source: I Should Be Mopping The Floor

I’m absolutely loving this back to school waffle bar. This would be such a fun way to welcome the new year back at school.

If the kids have some mates for a sleepover, this would be perfect to serve up for brunch. 

You would totally be the coolest mom ever!

12. Playgroup Starting School Party

Source: Dukes and Duchesses

This playgroup school party was held for a group of children who were moving from playgroup to kindergarten.

It easily demonstrates how you can add a few simple ideas together to create something pretty spectacular.

A party like this would definitely be one to remember.

13. Back To School Breakfast

Source: Aprons and Stilletos

This back to school breakfast is fresh and fun. Using some simple decorations and healthy snacks, a back to school party can look exciting and inviting.

Regardless of whether your child is starting school for the first time or returning for another year, a back to school party will be full of excitement for them.

Is it something that you have ever done for your children before? I’d love you to share your experiences below.Let’s stay in touch.  Did you love the back to school party ideas? Sign up to the newsletter to be kept updated with easy party, recipe and printable ideas. You will also have access to a heap of free printable’s.

The post 13 of The Best Easy Back To School Party Ideas appeared first on Smart Party Planning.

Download instantly as a free printable.

Today’s back to school labels are brought to us by our contributor Sinziana from Sparkling Shoes Girl.

Related articles:

• Return To School Kids Place Setting
• Dynamite Kindergarten Graduation Table
• 14 of The Best Back To School Teachers Gifts

Hello friends! Glad to see you again!

This month I have for you some lovely back to school labels.

Do you have kids? Because I am sure they will absolutely adore these designs.

You don’t have any? 

OK, you can give them to someone who does and they will love them to! 

These goodies are made with a new design material. I knew as soon as I saw it that I just had to “grab-it”. I am happy to share them with you on this website.

These back to school labels are made especially for kids. 

Whilst they feature childish designs, there is nothing to say that they have to be used only for little ones.

I think I will use them for some favors when my summer holidays are over and I will return to my teaching job.

Inclusions of the back to school labels pack

When you download the back to school labels pack, you will receive the following;

• 1 page with cute animals labels
• 1 page with pretty designed school snacks (such as apples and cupcakes) labels
• 1 page with school messages labels
• 1 page with blank labels – to personalize as you wish (the image can be easy edited in free design programs (such as Picmonkey or Canva) by putting an overlay on it with your text, image, etc.)

These back to school printable’s are available to download from the free printable library.

When is your “Back to School” date?

Are you waiting for it or already crying for holiday?

Thank you for being with us again and hope you will enjoy my works.

The post Free Printable Back to School Labels Pack appeared first on Smart Party Planning.

A relaxed affair that the little kids will enjoy whilst also making them feel special.

Related articles:

• Graduation Party Ideas
• 13 of The Best Easy Back To School Party Ideas

Kindergarten is one of the first little milestones in a child’s life and finishing Kindergarten can be quite a big deal for them.

Planning a Kindergaten graduation party doesn’t have to be a huge thing.

It can simply be a small celebration of the achievement made and something to make them feel a little bit special and ready to tackle the next milestone for them….school!

This Kindergarten graduation party table was designed by Blanca of Creativities Galore.  

Graduation season is upon us which means PARTY time!

Time to celebrate those graduates accomplishments with everyone who has supported them along the journey.

Today I will be sharing a Kindergarten graduation table. The little boys and girls deserve to be celebrated as much as the high school and college graduates.

How To Set Up A Simple Kindergarten Graduation Table

The main premise for the Kindergarten table was to use bold primary colors.

This was to catch the eye of the kids and really stand out.

It is simple, bold but FUN.

Instead of using a cake stand, a tower was made out of some crayon boxes I had in my craft supplies stash.

These crayon box’s were built up in the centre of the table and the cupcakes displayed on the top.

The cupcakes were dressed with graduation party 2015 cupcake toppers which I made myself.

I found these CUTE little chalkboard easels in my Target dollar section, I added the cap to tie it in with the Kindergarten graduation theme.

Simple place settings were created.

Each Kindergarten graduation place setting had a plate, milk glass bottle, snack tub of pretzels and a napkin tied with a ribbon to look like a diploma. 

The glass milk bottles contained a straw with a felt flag. The flags were purchased at my local dollar store they came in a pack of 10.

A kindergarten graduation party table doesn’t have to be a huge big affair. It is simply a time to celebrate the little one’s achievement and ready to tackle the next milestone in their life.

A simply party with a few snacks and themed decorations is all they need to feel special and have a bit of fun.

The Kindergarten graduates are sure to have an amazing time at this party which is geared towards celebrating them and the accomplishments they achieved in the first official year of school.

The post Easy And Fun Kindergarten Graduation Table Kids Will Get Excited About appeared first on Smart Party Planning.

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• Easy And Fun Kindergarten Graduation Table Kids Will Get Excited About

The time has come. After all the years of school, it is now time to graduate.

Graduation is a big deal, not only for the graduate but also for their parents.

You have been the one to watch their first day at school, negotiate their way through camps and buckle down to years of study and hard work. In a blink of an eye it’s over and it’s time to graduate.

It’s natural that you want this to be a big event.

Graduation is a milestone worth celebrating and with some simple decorations and food, you can create an epic party that everyone can enjoy.

A graduation party could be as simple as a picnic with a few friends. You might choose to have it at home and invite all the school friends over. Or you may decide to have a large affair and invite all your family and friends.

It can be as large or as small as you want it to be.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate there are a few things you might like to consider to make your party amazing.

Oversized Games:

An easy way to make people laugh is to have games. Oversized games are a LOT of fun.

Think oversized games such as:

• Jenga
• Twister
• Connect Four
• Bowling
• Ring Toss
• Tic Tac Toe
• Chess

You could try your hand at making some oversized games or there are companies that hire them out for you.

Image by Rodnae/Pexels

Related: 9 Insanely Fun Backyard Games Everyone Will Love

Hold A Lantern Ceremony

If you are holding a party that will still be happening as it gets dark, a fun thing to do would be to have a flying lantern ceremony. 

Releasing lanterns would be a magical moment for your graduate and their friends.

You could ask them to release their lanterns one by one and as they do so say something about what they plan for their future. Then stand back and watch as the floating lanterns fill the night sky.

Just be sure to check that your state allows lanterns to be released before you proceed!

Alternatively if you have a pool in your yard, you could do a similar thing but use floating water lanterns instead.

Image by Serdar Nas/Pixabay

Match The Graduate Game:

Planning on having lots of graduates to the party? 

Ask all the graduates to provide two photos of themselves. One recent one and one from when they were a baby.

The game is to ask the other guests to try and match which baby belongs to which graduate.

It might not be as easy as you first think!

This will certainly cause a lot of laughs and generate some fun conversation.

Graduation Message Jar:

Have a jar available that all the guests at the party can write a message to the graduate and then place in the jar.

This will be wonderful for the graduate to read through after the party and also a lovely keep sake for years to come.

For example, do you want to have the feel of glitz and glam and use classic colors such as black and gold or silver?

Or perhaps you would like to use school colors?

Or maybe you would like to use the graduates favorite colors.

Once you have decided on a color scheme, the rest of the decorations will naturally fall into place.

Create A Party Backdrop

A party backdrop can be used in two different ways. It can be a focal point where a food table sits in front of it, or it can be used as a photo booth.

There are so many party table backdrop ideas that can easily be put together at home. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make something look amazing, and a backdrop will always be worth the time spent creating it.

It is likely you will want to have a photo booth at a graduation party, and whether you create the backdrop using plastic plates, tablecloths, streamers, curtains or balloons, it will be a perfect focal point at the party.

Related: How To Make An Easy DIY Party Backdrop

Set Up A Memorabilia Table:

An easy way to provide a focal point for a party and to make the graduate feel a little bit extra special is to set up a memorabilia table. The purpose of the memorabilia table is to walk someone through the graduates life at school from starting to leaving. 

It will help trigger memories, create some laughs and maybe some happy tears too.

This can include many things such as:

• Class photos from school, and school adventures such as activities, sports day, camps etc.
• School achievements such as certificates and trophies.
• First school uniform (if you still have it).
• Collection of first day of school questionnaires.
• Any items specific to the graduate such as first ever baseball use, or ballet shoes etc.

Class Photo Banner:

Display various photos from the start to end of school in a long display.

The photos can be attached to string with mini pegs and it will be a great way to show off the changes throughout the years. This will certainly bring back a lot of memories.

Related:

• How To Make Amazing Tissue paper Decorations
• How To Easily Make Plastic Tablecloths Look Amazing

For a large crowd you may opt for a BBQ or pasta bar, or baked potatoes. You can accompany this food with cheese and fruit platters.

Regardless of the quantity and type of food required, it is always a bit fun to have some themed food available.

Some graduation party themed food examples include:

• Graduation cap cupcakes. Bake some cupcakes and add a graduation cap on the top. These will be a hit!
• Create some no bake diploma cookies.
• Chocolate graduation pops. Graduation caps on a stick. Everyone will love these.
• Graduation party pretzel pops. These are perfect for that sweet and savory hit.

These following parties are parties that were held for graduation and they show how easy it is to create an epic party with just a few simple ideas.

1. Light & Fresh Graduation Party

Source: DIY Design Fanatic.

This party is such a fresh and inviting table display.  

The post will give you some great ideas of how to go about setting up a party table which is great if you are unsure how to set up a display.

2. Pre-School Graduation Party

Source: Sweet Metel Moments

This pre-school graduation party is simply gorgeous.

The party theme is “Shine”… let your light shine. What a gorgeous message to send the little ones.  

This has to be one of the cutest graduation parties ever!

3. Modern Stylish Graduation Party

Source: Amy’s Party Ideas

This party is super stylish. If you are looking for something modern and sophisticated then this is the party to check out.  

The black and white color scheme teamed with a touch of emerald green, gives the effect of elegance and class.

4. Girly Glam Graduation Party

Source: Pear Tree Greetings

This graduation party is full of glitter and glam. It is glitzy in every respect, even down to the glitter rimmed glasses!

It’s simple, it’s stylish and it’s fun. The girls are going to love this one.

5. Bright Future Graduation Party

Source: Frog Prince Paperie

This ‘bright future’ graduation party is such a simple idea, but works absolutely perfectly.  

The party wishes all graduates a bright future, with a bright and cheery party. This is just how a graduation party should be!

A graduation party is meant to be fun. It’s a time to celebrate all the hard work coming to an end, but also the start of a new adventure.

It’s a huge milestone for both the graduate and also immediate family. Whether you chose to celebrate with a large or small event, it is easy to create an event that will be memorable for years to come.

Let’s stay in touch. Did you love these graduation party ideas? Sign up to the weekly newsletter to be kept updated with other easy party, decoration and recipe ideas. You will also have access to the free printable library. See you there!

The post Graduation Party Ideas You’ll Want To Use For An Epic Party appeared first on Smart Party Planning.