End-of-the-Year Gifts for Students

I’m back share some ideas with you about end-of-the-year gifts! It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to be thinking about the end-of-year! I used to get so sad thinking about my students leaving and not seeing them every day. I was also extra-bummed as a 5th grade teacher not getting to see my students around the building the following year. Before sending my 5th graders off for the summer, I always tried to give them a small gift to thank them for a great school year! Over the years, I did a lot different gifts, but some really stood out as student favorites. Check out some of my ideas for different end-of-the-year gifts below!

1. Snack Gifts

Keep it sweet and simple with snacks. Be sure to triple check allergies from your student info and it never hurts to check with parents before handing out food. This is a really easy gift idea because snacks are usually pretty cheap to get in bulk online or wholesale food centers. 

It is o-fish-ally summer – Goldfish crackers

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - It's O-Fish-Ally Summer
End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - It's O-Fish-Ally Summer

You really blew me away this year – bubblegum

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - You really blew me away
End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - You Really Blew Me Away

Thanks for making this year so sweet – candy

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Thanks for making this year so sweet

2. Academic Gifts

Keep the learning going with supplies that might come in handy next year or help keep their reading sharp over the summer. If your students had a favorite class book, get them their own copies. Or buy silly pens or order customized pencils. Even a pack of crayons for students to use on rainy summer days is a sweet and thoughtful gift. 

This year was one for the books – book

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - This year was one for the books

This year was just “write”  – pencils or pens

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - This year was just write
End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Happy last day of school

3. Play Gifts

Encourage students to be active over break with toys they can play with outside. Most kids can use a frisbee, or you can usually find a plethora of beach ball designs that can be used at the pool or in backyards all summer long. If you live near any type of beach or sandbar, find sand buckets or sand toys.

This year flew by – frisbees

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - This year flew by

Have a ball this summer – beach ball or bouncy ball

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Have a ball this summer
End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Have a ball this summer

This year was buckets of fun – sand bucket

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - This year was buckets of fun

4. Summer Gifts

Give students a fun gift to beat the heat. Sunglasses come in a variety of colors. Water bottles are super handy over the summer, and they can be personalized with stickers and permanent markers. You might even have students sign each other’s bottles for a keepsake or consider writing a personalized message to each student. Another fun idea is popsicle holders that students can reuse as the months get hotter.

You really blew me away this year – bubbles

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - you really blew me away

Your future is bright – sunglasses

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Your future is bright

I wish we could bottle up all the fun – water bottles

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - I wish we could bottle up all the fun

Have a cool summer – popsicle holders, kool-aide packs, etc.

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Have a cool summer

5. Other Ideas

Think about what your students really enjoyed this year, as well as what you have access to. Dollar stores or dollar sections of major retailers usually have inexpensive options for student gifts. I can almost always find the small containers of Play-Doh for pretty cheap, but you might also consider things like glow-sticks, notebooks, keychains, or pop-its. It truly is the thought that counts and most of your students will just be thrilled you thought of them. 

This year was “chalkful” of fun  – sidewalk chalk

This year was CHALKful of fun

I loved watching you grow – flower seed packet

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - I loved watching you grow

Thank you for an amazing year – any gift

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - Thank you for an amazing year

Still need some creative ideas and inspiration? I have an amazing gift tag resource with over 15 unique messages that with work for any student gift gift. Everything is editable and set up for you to use with ease. You can find all the themes I listed here, as well as a few other gift ideas. Each tag is decorated and comes in color and black and white, and is available in 3 shapes and sizes. Print, cut the tags, and attach to your gifts or clip to a baggie to pass out to students. You can reuse this resource every year and not repeat your end-of-the-year gifts for many years to come. 

End-of-the-Year Gift Tags - New and On-Sale

What has been your favorite end-of-the-year gifts to students to help make the year memorable? 

Check out my list of Amazon store for more end-of-the-year gifts.

End-of-the-Year Student Gifts


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.