I did one of these paper lunchbag book teacher gifts last year, for my son’s grade one teacher. I wish I could claim the idea as my own but I cannot – I found this fab idea here.
This year, I decided to make one for my four year old daughter’s JK teacher, who will not be her SK teacher next year because she’s having a baby. She was also my son’s SK teacher, and we adore her. Actually, every parent that is lucky enough to have her as their child’s teacher adores her.
I’m not going to lie – this teacher gift is very time consuming. It also involves your child, which slows down the process even more. But I promise you, if you stick with it, you’ll love it, and the teacher will too. My son’s teacher cried last year. I call that a win.
For my daughter’s version, we went with her favorite colors – pinks and more pink. I thought I would share it below.
Some details:
- I used 4 folded up lunch bags – that gives you 14 pages, plus the front and back and four pockets that we used for a gift card, school pic, and some art by the little one.
- Good tools to have: lunchbags (obviously), scrapbook paper, glue tape/glue gun, hole punch, crafty stuff, infinite amounts of Diet Coke and a sense of humour.
- They are really no rules – you basically start with a scrapbook of lunch bags, and then you can just go to town.
- Definitely involve the little ones – that’s what makes this gift truly special.
- It will take a LONG time (did I say that already?) – don’t be like me and leave it until the night before the last day of school. Seriously, don’t.
FRONT COVER:
PAGE 2-3:
Page 4-5: (A letter from me) and a teacher quote
Page 6-7:
Page 8-9: The 4yo drew a picture of herself and her teacher
Page 10-11:
Page 12-13: When I Grow Up I Want To Be:
Page 14-15:
Back Cover:
What it looks like with all the extras in the pockets:
What it looks like with all the extras pulled out of the pockets:
That’s it!! That’s my favorite homemade teacher’s gift!
I would love to hear what you think. And if you have any questions about anything let me know!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
It turned out amazing! Love the colors!
Thanks for the great idea Megan!
LOVE IT…so fab and personal…a true gift…
Thank you! It was worth the six hours of effort. It will probably take me that long to clean up the mess left over as well!
I love it!! So adorable, what a great idea. Her teacher will love it.
Thanks Staci!
LOVE this. Definitely on my radar for next year. After all, it will be two years with his teacher by then (JK + SK) so she deserves something special. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks for checking it out Deborah!
Soooo adorable that you’d want to keep it for her memory box!
I know – I took tons of pics – almost don’t want to give it up!
Love it, can’t wait to make one next year!
very cute & creative! poppy is years away from school, but i’ll have to bank this idea, heehee! (:
I love, love, love this and have saved it for teacher gift ideas for NEXT school year!
How do you bind the book?
You take the paper lunchbags, fold them in half and hole punch them – if you look at the site where I got the original idea – she will walk you through that part – http://undomesticdiva.typepad.com/undomestic_diva/2010/05/brown-paper-lunchbag-books-an-easy-cute-end-of-the-year-teachers-gift.html