DIY Back to School Teacher Gift Bags

It's that time again! The supply lists are hitting your email inbox, you're shopping for that first day back to school outfit, preparing grocery lists for packing lunches again, but here's one thing you should add to your list to kick off the school year the right way: super simple back to school teacher gift bags. It doesn't have to be elaborate and it's probably things you can pick up while you're shopping for school supplies.

One of the reasons I love to give back to school teacher gifts is to set the tone for the school year and remind them how much we really appreciate how much they give to our little ones every day. Over the years, I've put together various themed back to school gift bags, but here's the a classic and affordable gift idea that works every year.

TIP: When you're picking small gifts for the gift bag, go with disposable things: a drink, candy, small hand sanitizer, small amount gift cards, etc. At our school, we usually get a "favorite things" list after a few weeks into the school year, so I try to go with neutral and small items that are crowd pleasers.

First up, the gift bag, box, or package.

There are so many ways you can wrap up a few small items in an affordable way. A super easy way to do it is to grab a paper bag from Target or Walmart, or be sure to check the dollar section of Target for any cute small boxes or bags. This year, I'm wrapping up my back to school teacher gifts in these Clear Travel Bags from Amazon that are reusable and show off the goodies inside.

What's inside?

Going with a classic, "apple" theme this year, here are some items you can include in these teacher gift bags. You can grab most of them at Target or Walmart while you're picking up school supplies:

• Crisp Apple Olipop

• Travel Hand Sanitizer

• PaperMate Flair Pens (small pastel pack)

• Colored Post-it Notes

• Gummy Bears or Chocolate

• Back to School themed Starbucks Gift Card ($10)

The fun thing about throwing together a little gift bag for teachers is that you can choose anything you want within your budget, and even if you just simply wrap up a Starbucks gift card for $5-10, you'll still brighten their day and kick off the school year on a good note.

Presentation matters!

You have your bag, you have your small gifts, now it's time to wrap it all up and make it look special for your new teacher(s). This year for my apple theme, I put together these Apple Themed Back to School Gift Tags that are available on Etsy as a customizable printable. You can simply print them out at home, or you can use the Canva template (with a free Canva account) and add your child's name on the tags before printing.

If you love to go all out, these back to school themed ribbons on Amazon are super cute and great to stash away and use every year as you put together teacher gifts. I personally love to layer these different styles to fluff up the gift and really make it special.

And there you have it! With just a few extra items on your back to school shopping list, you're ready to kick off the school year on a positive note and make your child's new teacher feel special before the school year even starts.

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