First Day of School Class Treats

The first day of school is a big deal for kids, and it is an occasion that deserves to be celebrated. For this reason, I have always loved sending my boys back to school with treats for their teachers and classmates. Today, I am sharing some of our favourite ideas for first day of school class treats (for both classmates and teachers).

When it comes to treats for classmates, I like to find something that is simple and inexpensive. Then, I "up" the cute factor by adding a funny tag. Here are some of the trinkets and treats my boys' have shared:


Dollar store glasses - These colourful classes are super-cute, and I love the "I am really LOOKING forward to having you in my class!" tag that you can download for free here. 

Colourful pencils, pens, or markers - Something bright and cheerful to write with makes a practical first day of school treat. Just attach it to the "Let's start the year off WRITE!" tag that you can download for free here. 

"excel" gum - Gum is a great treat for older children to share with their friends. I love the idea of attaching a punny note that says, "We are going to have an 'EXCEL'lent year!" You can download the gift tags I designed (for free) here.  

Cookies - If school nutrition policies are not a concern, these packages of peanut-free cookies make a sweet treat. You can make it extra special by stapling "Happy first day of school to one smart COOKIE!!" tags to the tops of the bags. Get your FREE printable tags here. 

Goldfish - Little bags of crackers are inexpensive and easy to share, and they become a fun treat if you add a cute "o-FISH-ally wishing you a fantastic first day of school!" tag that you can download for free here.

LEGO crayons - Recycle last year's broken crayons, and make a unique gift to share with classmates. It's a great way for kids to "BUILD" new friendships. Read more here. 

Don't forget to bring a first day of school gift for the teacher too. Here are a couple of inexpensive gifts that my boys' have shared:


First day of school survival kit - Fill a fun container with chocolate, advil, coffee gift cards, hand sanitizer, etc... It's a cute gift that is useful too! Download the free printable tags here. 

Handmade pencil holder - I love the idea of a child crafting a gift for their teacher. You can give it on its own, or you can fill it with chocolate or markers. You can find the instructions for making this cute gift here.

You can download "A SWEET treat for a SWEET teacher!" tags here.

And a jar of cookie mix makes a useful teacher gift too... and you can get the directions and FREE printable gift tags here.

And, you can download, "MARK my words, we are going to have a great year!" tags here.

Sharing inexpensive treats on the first day of school is a wonderful way to start a new. Happy "back to school" everyone!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Crayon Holder Teacher Gift

I love the idea of kids making simple gifts for their teacher on the first day of school, don't you? It really is a nice way to start a new school year. Today, I am sharing a few options for easy and inexpensive handmade gifts children can make for their teachers. I'm even including some adorable (and FREE) printable gift tags.

The base of the gifts is this colourful crayon wrapped pencil holder. I purchased a pencil holder from the dollar store for $1.50 and a box of 64 crayons at Walmart for $2.97 (and didn't use the whole box). Then, my son use hot glue to attach the crayons (one-by-one) to the outside of the container.

The glue is hot, so adult supervision is definitely required. For younger children, adults can do the gluing, and the kids can just pick out which crayon should be attached next.

Then, you can fill the container with tasty treats or a gift card for coffee. You can wrap the container and add a card that says, "Wishing you a SWEET start to the school year!" or "First Day of School Survival Kit".

To download the tags below: click on the desired picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

You could also fill the container with Sharpie markers and add a tag that says, "MARK my words. We are going to have a fun year!" or "A little something to keep you SHARP on the first day of school."

To download the tags below: click on the desired picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

All of these first day of school teacher gifts are easy to make, and the supplies are inexpensive to purchase. Heading back to school with a handmade teacher appreciation gift really is a wonderful way to start the year off right.

♥ 

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You may also want to check out this Facebook Live we did showing how to make this gift. We also shared some of our other favourite first day of school traditions.)

And this if fun too!!!

First day of school treats... "I'm LOOKING forward to having you in my class"

Bringing class treats on the first day of school is a great way to start the year, but sometimes allergies and nutrition policies make baked goodies out of the question. So, for my boys, I like to come up with cute ways to package dollar store trinkets. I recently found these colourful "party glasses" at the dollar store, and I thought they would be perfect for sharing with a cute tag that says, "I am really LOOKING forward to having you in my class." Cute, right?

To download the tags I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

I love how cute the brightly coloured glasses are with the little tags, don't you?

These glasses with the "punny" tags make wonderful gifts for kids to give their classmates, and they would be fun little treats for teachers to give their students too.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Let's start the year off WRITE {first day of school class treats}... with free printable tags

It's always fun to bring treats to share with the class, and bringing goodies on the first day of school is a great way to kick off a new year. My boys like to bring little trinkets instead of edible goodies on the first day because allergies and school nutrition policies are sometimes a concern. Today, I am sharing the simple little treat my youngest son is bringing to share with his new classmates this year... and I am including FREE printable "Let's start this year off WRITE" tags for you to use.

These simple treats are inexpensive, cute, and easy to put together. It doesn't take long to make enough for a whole class.

First, you'll need to print the tags I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Then, with the help of a cutting mat and an x-acto knife, cut two slits in each tag and insert a colourful pencils.

It doesn't get much easier than this little DIY gift!

Do you ever send treats on the first day of school? I think these "Let's start the year of WRITE" gifts make a fun treat for teachers to give to their students on the first day too. They are easy, inexpensive, and fun!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School Class Treats (gum)... with free printable tags

It's always fun to bring a little treat on the first day of school, and every year I try to think of new and unique idea. This year, I came up with these cute, punny tags to attach to packs of gum. (And if you aren't into sending gum, the tag would work on bubbles too!)

To download the tags I designed (for free): right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

Attach the tags to gum or bubbles with a piece of ribbon, and you are good to go!

And if you are using "excel" gum, you could also use this adorable tag. To download it: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo. 

These are the tags that my middle son is using this year. Cute, right?

Do you like to send treats on the first day of school? I think simple treats help to "break the ice", and they add a bit of fun to a day that can be little stressful for kids.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Last Day of School Scavenger Hunt

What better way to celebrate the last day of school than with a scavenger hunt? It's perfect for an "I survived the first week of school" celebration too. It's a wonderful way to get kids active and have some fun. 

Here is an example of the sign I made to let my boys know that a treasure hunt was underway after the first week of school.

I hung it on the door so it was the first thing they saw when they got home from school. They found the sign and the first clue.

Then, they followed the first clue to the second clue... and so on.

They raced all around our neighbourhood solving riddles and finding clues... until they found the treasure!

Fun, right? It involved a bit of prep work, but our neighbourhood scavenger hunt was a lot of fun. It's the perfect way to celebrate the last of school!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

First Day of School 2017

It's been a busy morning at our house, but I wanted to pop by the blog and share a couple of pics from my boys' first day of school. Isn't it crazy how fast time goes by when you are a parent? Today, my boys are going into grades 3, 5, and 7. As always, my boys reluctantly agreed to take a few pics holding their photos for the first day of school last year.

Cute, right?

We also started  the day with a special pancake breakfast.

Now, I'm going to do some work, a little cleaning, and bake a special after school snack for my boys. 

I can't wait until they get home so I can hear all their news. Happy first day of school everyone!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Start the year off WRITE with this perfect first day of school class treat... and free printable tags

Every year, on the first day of school, my boys bring little treats to share with their new classmates. I think this is a simple way to teach my boys about kindness, giving, and the importance of friendship. This year, my 8 year old wanted to share some brightly coloured pencils with his friends, and today I am sharing the finished product, and the adorable tags I designed.

I designed 4X6 tags in Picmonkey.com, had the tags printed at my local photo lab, and cut the tags in half. Then, cut little slits in the tags and inserted pencils. Cute, right?

You can design your own tags, or you can download and print the generic tags I designed. To download these tags for free: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I love how the brightly coloured pencils contrast with the chalkboard tags!

I think bringing a little class treat on the first day of school is a wonderful way to start off a new year. The pencils are a fantastic alternative to sugary treats too... especially when allergies and nutrition policies are an issue. What do you think about sending something small to share with friends on the first day of school? It's definitely not necessary, but it is a fun little tradition that my boys' enjoy.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Back to School Tips, Tricks, and Traditions... and a great giveaway from Sharpie and Paper Mate

Back to school is a busy time for families, but with a little planning, it can be stress-free and a lot of fun! Today, I am sharing some fantastic back to school tips, tricks, and traditions. I am also sharing FREE printable gift tags and a fun contest from Sharpie* and Paper Mate*.

1) Shop early, and let the kids pick out their own school supplies. Shopping early will ensure you get everything on your list, and children will be excited to fill their backpacks with their favourite items. Make sure to pick up some Paper Mate Ink Joy gel pens in fabulous colours. (My boys LOVE them!) Also, keep things simple by shopping all in one place. Chances are Walmart* will have everything you need at great prices.

2) Get organized. My secret weapon is this wonderful homework station that hangs on the back of the door leading down to our basement. A clear shoe rack full of school supplies doesn't take up much space and keeps everything handy and easy to find. Using colourful pens to make lists and update family calendars is also a great way to keep things organized and fun. 

3) Prep for first day of school traditions like: special photos, treats for classmates, and a little gift for the teacher. Sharpies in a cup make a perfect first day of school teacher gift. I found this super-cute mug at Walmart, I filled it with assorted Sharpie markers, and I added a fun "A little something to keep you sharp on the first day of school" tag I designed. (24 Sharpie Fine or Sharpie Ultra Fine markers fit perfectly in a mug.) I know my boys' teachers will love these colourful, fade and water resistant markers!

You could also forgo the mug, and just attach a tag to a package of markers. Check out the tag I designed that says, "MARK my words. We are going to have a fun year!" Cute, right?

To download the tags I designed: right-click on one of the tags below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.

I love the idea of kids bringing a gift on the first day of school. Teachers and students spend a lot of time together, and giving a gift to a new teacher is a nice way to start off the school year.

And I know how you might be able to create these fun first day of school gifts for free! Just take a moment to enter a great contest for a chance to win one grand prize of a $250 Walmart gift card and Sharpie & PaperMate gift pack (ARV $315). You also have the opportunity to win one of three Sharpie & PaperMate gift packs (ARV $65).

For all the details and a chance to win, check out the Sharpie and PaperMate Back to School Giveaway here.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I have partnered with YMC and Sharpie/Paper Mate and have received compensation for this post. All opinions in the post are my own.