Thoughtful First Day of School Gifts for Students: 16 Back to School Ideas They’ll Appreciate
Ease first day jitters and nervousness in your classroom with these thoughtful first day of school gifts for students. They are sure to get the kids excited and ready for the school term.
I’ll be kicking off the list with gift ideas for the younger kids and progressing to treats for the older students. You are sure to find cheap but meaningful gifts on this list.
If you enjoy gift giving to your students, be sure to check out these ideas for meet the teacher gifts and end of year treats for kids.
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What makes these gifts special?
Giving students gifts on the first day makes them feel welcomed to your classroom, helps to reduce their fears, and builds a level of excitement and trust.
That trust is so important as a teacher since it helps the kids feel supported and safe. And when they feel safe, they are guaranteed to be engaged, ask questions and truly learn in your classroom.
And what’s better than students willing and excited to learn?
First day of school gifts for students
1. Cute welcome notes
Create an adorable welcome note for each student in the class. Personalize it with their name and write a quick blurb they’ll love. It could sound like “I’m so happy you are joining me in class this year! I’m looking forward to having fun together while learning new things and I’ll try to answer all your hard questions!”
You can DIY these notes with pages from old notebooks or cardstock from past projects. Or buy some fun welcome postcards like these:
2. Welcome back pencils
Stationery is always a winner as a gift. These adorable pencils actually have ‘welcome back to school’ on them with sweet apple graphics.
If you want more colorful pencils, these come in bold colors with great motivational sayings and cards!
3. Fun erasers
Erasers are great to pair with the welcome back pencils. These are fun ones and you could let the students pick their favorites.
For the older kids, these Japanese-themed animal erasers are beyond adorable. Students can choose from cat, panda, pig, dog, capybara, and rabbit erasers. I would definitely keep the capybara one for myself. Ha!
4. Play-Doh
Play-Doh is the perfect back to school gift for younger students. It helps refine motor skills while allowing the kids’ imaginations to run wild. It’s certainly a gift they can take home and play for hours with.
5. Mini plushies
Here’s another cute toy for the first day of school. These plushies can super soft and can act as fidget toys. They come with back to school cards too!
6. Welcome back pens
There’s a 50-50 chance the older students would roll their eyes at the ink-credible pun on these welcome back greeting cards that come with pens. But we all know they’d definitely love and appreciate these first day of school gifts. Ha!
Kick the cuteness up a few notches with these beyond adorable multicolor kawaii pens. They are sure to make the students light up! Maybe the first lesson could be practicing writing?
7. Mini notebooks
Mini notebooks are also great gifts for the kids. They can use them to document their day, make notes to remember or even doodle. These ones also have welcome back notes on them!
8. Motivational pouches
These pencil cases come in fun colors and have great affirmations plastered on them. The affirmations are all about reassuring the kids they are brave, loved, kind, smart, amazing, strong, enough and unique.
9. Flair pens
It’s true teachers love flair pens but they’re great for students too! These have comfortable felt tips and have a really nice scent! The kids would surely love them!
10. Scented bookmarks
Scents aren’t only limited to pens, they’re great with bookmarks too. These are adorable scratch and sniff bookmarks that are full of fun puns!
11. Stationery combo
We’ve spoken about having notebooks, pens and erasers as gifts so why not combine everything together and have a mini stationery goodie bag.
You can curate your own goodies with things from the dollar store or save yourself the hassle and get these goodie bags with notebooks, pens, erasers, rulers and stickers.
12. Sweet treats
Fill a small bag with lots of sweet treats like chocolate and candy. Popcorn also works too! Before getting started on this, check with parents for dietary restrictions and possible student allergies.
13. Writing pads
If you have the budget for it, then these writing pads are amazing first day of school gifts for students. They are big electronic writing pads that can be used to write, draw, color and allow the imagination to run wild. One button clears the drawing and allows the kids to create something new.
14. Mini whiteboards
Dry erase boards are super helpful in the classroom. So, gift your students with mini ones on their first day back to school. They can use them to doodle, make notes, conceptualize problems and so much more. These gifts are especially great for any age group.
15. Cute paper for origami
Get an origami kit for the classroom. Fold some fun shapes for each student and ask them to choose what they would want to create for themselves and each other. This could be a great ice breaker and bonding activity for the entire class.
16. Squishy toys
Which kid wouldn’t love a squishy toy to play with on the first day of school? The toys are like stress balls and can help the kids get some of that anxious energy out! There are so many adorable squishy toys you can purchase but these are such fun!
Those are my ideas for first day of school gifts for students. They are mostly small and simple gifts that are sure to surprise the kids.
Be sure to add your own personal touches to the gifts like tying small ribbon bows or adding handwritten notes. Little touches like these really do matter and show how much you care.
