It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Oh, wait … Is that now or the start of summer vacation? Either way, this time of year is all kinds of busy, crazy, fun and exciting when you work with elementary students. At the same time, it is insanely exhausting and can be a very stressful couple of weeks. There are many changes in your schedule, the kids have sugar plums dancing in their heads, and there are a lot of added activities and projects to do, including making holiday gifts for parents from students.
Every December, I would struggle to come up with an idea for parent gifts from students. I needed something that didn’t take hours to create, break the bank, or be too challenging for students to create themselves. In addition, many of my students came from non-traditional homes and needed to create more than one gift as a result. Finally, I needed to come up with something that wasn’t holiday-specific because not all of my students celebrated the same December holiday.
Over the years, I did my fair share of snow, snowman, gingerbread, and other winter-themed projects. Knowing that my mother had saved each and every gift I brought home added additional pressure. However, as a parent myself, I knew that people don’t necessarily want to see some oversized, glittery object presented to them to be displayed and cherished for all eternity. I really wanted to come up holiday gifts for parents that were practical, personal, and useful.
To quote the Grinch, I puzzled and puzzled till my puzzler was sore and then I thought of something I hadn’t before… Something perhaps that meant a little bit more.
Ultimately, I came up with family dinner conversation starters!
What are Family Dinner Conversation Starters?
This family dinner conversation starters resource is a container filled with question prompts for students and their families. Families can ask each other the prompts during dinner time. The prompts initiate thoughtful conversations between the student and their families. It’s a great way for families to be intentional about their interactions with one another, discuss important topics, and be present during their time together. They are great parent gifts from students.
Why They Make Great Holiday Gifts for Parents
Family dinner conversation starters are great holiday gifts for parents because they…
- are inexpensive to make
- are relatively quick to assemble
- encourage home-school communication
- increase family conversations surrounding school
- help build family connection
- can be used year round
- are not holiday-specific
What Holidays and Special Events Can They Be Used For?
These Christmas gift for parents from students are great for…
- Christmas
- Hanukkah
- Kwanzaa
- Valentine’s Day
- Easter
- Mothers Day
- Fathers Day
- End of the School Year
- Back to School
- Grandparents Day
- Thanksgiving
- Parent Volunteer Appreciation Day
These gifts for parents are always a huge hit among students’ families. Parents will appreciate the gesture and actually use the gift all year long. This will help you strengthen the home-school connection. Learn more about this family dinner conversations gift and download it today!
