Adorably simple, and best of all, inexpensive!

Two images show fun ideas for end of year student gifts

It’s almost the last day of school, and you want to give special parting gifts to your students without breaking the bank. We pulled together some end-of-year student gifts that you can DIY for about a dollar each. These tokens give students something to remember this year by, plus they’re a fun way to celebrate accomplishments.

Emoji pin student gift
@msrachelvincent via Instagram

1. Smiles all around

Students are sure to love these emoji pins! Pair them with a note saying “I’m all smiles because we had a great year!”

Learn more: Emoji Pin Cards

Buy it: Emoji Pins at Amazon

Bookworms student gift
@classroomhoopla via Instagram

2. Package up some bookworms

How cute is this?! Pair some gummy worms with a cute note for a quick and easy DIY.

Learn more: Bookworms

Buy it: Gummy Worms at Amazon

plastic baggie with pipe cleaners and a straw inside
Simply STEAM 

3. Send them off with a STEAM challenge

Assemble this rocket STEAM challenge in a baggie. All you need is one straw, two sticky notes, and a sheet of paper per bag. The challenge for students is to create an efficient rocket.

Learn more: STEAM Challenge

Buy it: Pipe cleaners at Amazon

Small container of play dough packaged in cellophane bags
@teachwithmissmolly via Instagram

4. Let them know it’s been “dough-lightful”

Who doesn’t love their own tiny tub of Play-Doh? These sweet end-of-year student gifts will send them off with a smile.

Learn more: Play Dough Treat Bags

Buy it: Play-Doh at Amazon

Sweet summer gift bags for students
Pocket of Preschool

5. Parting is such sweet sorrow

Kids love candy, but not every teacher loves giving out candy, so if you’d like to substitute a healthier option like fruit chews or honey sticks, go for it!

Learn more: Sweet Treats

Buy it: Chewy candy at Amazon

Bright sunshine gift tags adorn sunglasses
True Life I’m a Teacher
The ingredients to make s'mores packaged in a gift bag with a tag
Lori Flaglor

7. Give ’em s’more

This gift will definitely come in under $1 each when you buy the supplies in bulk. You can create your own printable or get one from Etsy.

Learn more: S’more Time

Buy it: S’more Gift Tags at Etsy

Twix bars with a label that looks like an owl
Highs and Lows of a Teacher

8. “Owl” miss you

These super-cute owls will give your students a personalized treat. You can use any number of things for the body of the owl. Twix candy bars will help make this fun treat come to life!

Learn more: Owl Treat

Buy it: Twix at Amazon

A paper bag is decorated as an owl
Stockpiling Moms

9. Wise little grab bag

Same idea as above but without the candy! You can fill this simple, inexpensive gift bag with pictures, stickers, popcorn—whatever you like!

Learn more: Owl Grab Bags

Buy it: Brown paper bags at Amazon

Crazy straws with a tag that says "I'll miss you like crazy."
Daisy Lou Arts

10. Time to get crazy

End-of-year student gifts should be put to good use, and you know your students will love these crazy straws! Create your own design or download it from this awesome Etsy store.

Learn more: Crazy Straws

Buy it: Crazy Straw Printable Tags at Etsy, Loop Silly Straws at Amazon

End of the year student gifts of sidewalk chalk in bags
Tidy Lady Printables

11. Chalk it up

There are several ways you could give chalk as a DIY end-of-year student gift, and this is one of our favorites. Buy chalk in single packs or in bulk from the dollar store along with chalk bag toppers from Etsy.

Learn more: Chalk Full of Fun

Buy it: Chalk at Dollar Tree, Chalk Bag Note at Etsy

Bookmarks made from paint sample cards
Mrs. Olmsted

12. Ombre bookmarks

This is a project you can hand out on the last day. Make a bookmark out of paint sample cards and a ribbon … so simple and so cute!

Learn more: Paint Sample Card Bookmarks

Buy it: Curling Ribbon at Amazon

Trish Keith

13. Freeze pop bouquets

These end-of-year student gifts come in as one of the cheapest gift options. Get a 100-pack of ice pops for under $10!

Learn more: Freeze Pop Bouquets

Buy it: Freeze Pops at Amazon

Caramel Potatoes

14. Celebrate your smart cookies

No doubt your students have put in a lot of hard work and grown as learners over the school year. This sweet end-of-year gift will show them how proud you are of them.

Learn more: Smart Cookie Packs

Buy it: Oreos and Variety Cookie Packs at Amazon

Colorful painted rocks on a dish
Teachers Resource Force

15. Get creative

Send your students off with love with these sweet personalized keepsakes. Collect your own rocks or buy them in bulk at the link below.

Learn more: Painted Rocks

Buy it: Craft Rocks at Amazon

Deflated beach balls with a tag on them
Miss Irvine’s Class

16. Have a ball

You will be one of their favorite teachers EVER with this DIY idea! These beach balls come out to under $1 each.

Learn more: End-of-year beach balls

Buy it: Beach Balls at Amazon

A rainbow of bubble wands labeled
Sparkling in Second

17. Blow some bubbles

Nothing says summer like a fresh container of bubbles! You can get bubble wands at Dollar Tree at only $1 for two. This is an end-of-year student gift that’s hard to pass up!

Learn more: Bubble Wands

Buy it: Bubble Wands at Dollar Tree, Bubble Wands at Target

End of year gifts for students made from koolaid packets attached to crazy straws
The Crafted Sparrow

18. Sip a taste of summer

Inspire students to start a lemonade stand or make a cool drink to kick-start the summer. Use crazy straws from the dollar store and attach to Kool-Aid packets for a fun gift.

Learn more: Kool Summer treat

Buy it: Krazy Straws at Dollar Tree, Kool-Aid at Amazon

A pink jumprope with a gift tag attached
Our Thrifty Ideas

19. Jump into summer

Encourage healthy habits and challenge them to jump rope every day. Tell them that you’ll do it too. (Now you have to actually follow through!) Jump ropes from Amazon or Dollar Tree come out to a dollar or less each.

Learn more: Jump for Joy

Buy it: Colorful Jump Ropes at Amazon, Foil Jump Ropes at Dollar Tree

Bouncy ball end of the year student gift
Literacy Loves Company

20. Add some bounce

You can buy bouncy balls in bulk, making this option an easy and inexpensive gift for a large classroom.

Learn more: It’s Been a Ball!

Buy it: Bouncy Balls at Amazon

Colorful water bottles personalized with student names
Hanging With Mrs. Hulsey

21. Stay hydrated

These make a really special DIY end-of-year student gift you can create with $1 water bottles and a little creative customization with an acrylic pen.

Learn more: Personalized Water Bottles

Buy it: Water Bottles at Dollar Tree, Acrylic Pens at Amazon

End of the year gift for students made from sponge balls
A Placed Called Joy

22. Fun in the sun

These DIY dollar sponge balls are genius. Kids will have so much fun with them this summer. Better yet, show your students how to make them themselves so they have a fun craft to do this summer.

Learn more: Sponge Balls

Buy it: Sponges at Amazon

A candy ring pop with a message that says You've Been a Gem to Teach This Year!
Simply STEAM

23. Adorn them with a sparkly gem

Make your students feel as special as they are with a little candy bling at your end-of-the-school-year party.

Learn more: End-of-the-year Ring Pops

Buy it: Ring Pops at Amazon

End of year student gifts of colorful pencils with a gift tag attached
Pocket of Preschool
Kraft paper notebooks with positive messages on the front
Amazon

25. … and a journal

Encourage your students to keep track of their summer adventures. Some teachers even offer a prize if students bring back completed journals at the beginning of the next school year.

Buy it: Journals at Amazon

End of year student gifts made from glow sticks with star gift tags attached
The Bubbly Blonde Teacher

26. All aglow

Did you know you can get up to 25 glow sticks in one package from Walmart? This gift is too inexpensive to pass up!

Learn more: Glowing Stars

Buy it: Glow Sticks at Walmart

A red bucket with popcorn inside as an example of end of year student gifts
Bren Did

27. Poppin’ summer

Just popping in with a quick note! You can buy popcorn packages in bulk, making this a DIY project that costs less than 50 cents each.

Learn more: Popcorn Bucket

Buy it: Popcorn at Amazon

Rainbow colored, heart shaped popper fidgets
Tejeda’s Tots

28. Send them off with a “pop”!

Fidget poppers are all the rage with students and make a great end-of-the-year gift. They come in a variety of different shapes and sizes—even bracelets and key chains! Definitely look for the smaller sizes that come in multipacks to keep the gift affordable.

Learn more: Popper Gifts

Buy it: Fidget Poppers at Amazon

Baggies filled with blue slime as an example of end of year students gifts
My Frugal Adventures

29. Slime till the end

Did slime drive you bananas this year? Probably. But now you can give students a gift they’re going to love. DIY this slime along with your students, then add some mini plastic fish for just a few cents more per student.

Learn more: Fishy Slime

Buy it: Plastic Fish at Amazon

A yellow bucket with a green shovel attached
Pocket of Preschool

30. This year was buckets of fun

Your students will “dig” this sweet end-of-year gift from you. Tip: Buy buckets and shovels in bulk for the best price.

Learn more: Buckets of Fun

Buy it: Buckets and Shovels at Amazon

A skinny plastic bag filled with plastic building blocks
@dalyessentialsofteaching via Instagram

31. We built a great year

Students can build STEM skills and create at home with these adorable $1 block sets. Print off a quick note, and these are ready to go.

Learn more: Building Blocks

Buy it: Building Blocks at Amazon

Frisbee rings with a gift tag attached
Teach Me T
Smarties make fun  end of year student gifts
@teachingwithmissmilo via Instagram
Coloring books and crayons as end of year student gifts
Pocketful of Preschool
Colorful friendship bracelets
@stylishin2nd via Instagram

35. Class friendship bracelets

What a sweet way to remember the year! Four friendship bracelets to remind your students that they are smart, you believe in them, you all are family, and you love them.

Learn more: Class Friendship Bracelets

Buy it: Rope Bracelets at Amazon

Pop rocks end of the year gift
@rootedinresource via Instagram

36. Have a rockin’ summer

Start the summer with a rockin’ fun treat.

Learn more: Pop Rocks Fun

Buy it: Pop Rocks at Amazon

Colorful student bookmarks
Tejeda’s Tots
A little book entitled We Are Growing as end of year student gifts
Simply STEAM
Simple black frames with a colorful insert to use as end of year student gifts
@willteachfortacos via Instagram
Pet rocks made from ordinary rocks and googly eyes to use as end of year student gifts
@ateacherandhercat via Instagram

40. Hopin’ summer rocks!

An inexpensive and easy year-end gift that will delight your students. The cute tag plus pet rock care manual makes it an adorable way to end the year.

Learn more: Pet Rocks

Buy it: Googly Eyes at Amazon

Tiny succulents planted in terra cotta pots to be used as end of year student gifts
@mrslearningbee via Instagram

41. Blooming good wishes

If succulents are your thing, this is a perfect keepsake for your students. Simply add a card that says “You’ve bloomed this year!”

Learn more: Succulent Blooms

Buy it: Tiny Terracotta Pots at Amazon

Hand knitted koozies to hold freeze pops to be used as end of year student gifts
@goodsfromthewoods via Instagram

42. Load up on freeze pops

Got a talent for crochet? Whip up a batch of these cuties for your students to use all summer long.

Learn more: Freeze Pop Koozies

Buy it: Multi-colored yarn at Amazon

A multi-colored pen with a card that reads
Fair Winds Teaching

43. You color my world

Send your students off for summer with one of the all-time favorite kids’ school supplies.

Learn more: Colorful Kids

Buy it: Multi-colored pens at Amazon

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Also, check out Delightful End-of-Year Bulletin Boards.