Back to School Teacher Kits

Posted by TheRoomMom

Over the years I have assembled a variety of back to school teacher kits to give to my children’s new teachers on the first day of school. I usually make teacher emergency kits. This year I deviated slightly and filled pencil boxes with items for re-stocking a teacher’s desk rather than a little pouch a teacher might keep in his/her teacher bag.

The kits are always a little different, but the contents are based on items I need at school but don’t always have. For this version, I added items I like to have to keep class running smoothly. It’s things I use to grade papers or hang items on the walls or boards. I still included a few personal items like chapstick and Tylenol, but the focus of the kit is classroom supplies that a school might not supply to its teachers.

Back to School Kit Contents

Below is what I included in the kits this time. I wanted to include packing tape and Astrobright paper too, but they wouldn’t fit in the pencil box! You could also consider adding things like a good Flair pen or Sharpie pen, travel sized lotion, Advil or Tylenol, mini Windex wipes for electronics (I have seen these at Target), a Tide to Go pen… I browse the travel-sized aisle at places like CVS and Target for inspiration.

Expo markers in assorted colors
Mechanical pencils
Pilot G-2 ballpoint pens in assorted colors
Frixion erasable highlighters in assorted colors
Heavy duty clip magnets
Wite-out EZcorrect tape
large paperclips
Command hanging strips
Minty gum
Tylenol/Advil
Band-aids
Vaseline (chapstick)
Disinfectant wipes for cleaning surfaces
Assorted Post-it notes
Staples and Starbucks gift cards

To get more inspiration for Back to School Teacher Kits, take a look at some of mine from previous years by clicking the links below. You could also opt for a shared teacher appreciation gift like this SOFT DRINK BAR that I set up in the teacher workroom during teacher appreciation week.

Teacher Emergency Kit 2015

Teacher Emergency Kit 2016

Teacher Emergency Kit 2017

Teacher Emergency Kit 2020 (COVID Edition)

COVID Edition Teacher Emergency Kit

Posted by TheRoomMom

What teacher won’t need a COVID edition teacher emergency kit when they return to in-person school? When my children were in elementary school, I made little back to school teacher emergency kits for their homeroom teachers on the first day of school. I took a hiatus from the back to school teacher gift for the past few years as my kids entered middle and high school. I switched to shared teacher gifts like this SOFT DRINK BAR that I set up in the teacher workroom during teacher appreciation week.

I decided to resurrect my favorite teacher gift this year and adapt it to be more COVID friendly. The kits are always a little different, but the contents are based on items I need at school but don’t always have. For this version, I added small PPE items like a face mask and alcohol wipes. I will be standing by to give these to my children’s teachers on our first day of in-person school. As of now, we are scheduled to start on campus with social distancing modifications, but I anticipate changes.

Teacher Emergency Kit Contents

You can use any kind of bag, pouch, or box for the contents. I have used plastic bead boxes from Michael’s crafts or make-up bags from a store like Bed Bath & Beyond. If I am really in a crafty mood, I sew small pouches. Below is what I included in the kits this time. I wanted to include gloves as well, but they are hard to locate right now! You could also consider adding things like a good Flair pen or Sharpie pen, travel sized lotion, Advil or Tylenol, mini Windex wipes for electronics (I have seen these at Target), a Tide to Go pen… I browse the travel-sized aisle at places like CVS and Target for inspiration.

face mask
pop charger for an iPhone
hand sanitizer spray
mini lint roller
alcohol wipes
Listerine breath tabs (to help with mask breath)
Tums
Emergen-C packets
tinted ChapStick (although with the mask, lip color is not necessary!)
safety pins
all purpose nail kit (includes tweezers– very handy)
$10 Amazon gift card (or any gift card– Starbucks, Staples, Target, Shell gas, BP gas)

To get more inspiration for Back to School Teacher Emergency Kits, take a look at some of mine from previous years by clicking the links below. To enter this year’s giveaway to win a kit for you and a friend, visit my INSTAGRAM account. Like, follow, and tag a friend on my INSTAGRAM POST to enter! Giveaway ends 7/20/2020.

Teacher Emergency Kit 2015

Teacher Emergency Kit 2016

Teacher Emergency Kit 2017

Flavored Popcorn Salts Gift Idea

Posted by TheRoomMom

It’s the time of year where I like to send a small thank you to all the teachers, coaches, and other caring adults who work with my children. It adds up to more than 20 little gifts, so I am always looking for something that I can make in bulk AND will be something that the receiver might use. I typically go for something consumable meaning the gift receiver can eat the item, or it has a one time use and then is gone.

This year, I made flavored popcorn salts. There are many recipes available and lots of cute ways to package the salts to give as a gift. I found containers that look like French fry boxes at Hobby Lobby. I put one package of microwave popcorn in each container along with a variety of mini bags of flavored salts. Even if our teacher friends don’t use the salts, most people I know will eat popcorn, and it is something that can be a good snack to make at school (although you have to be careful not to pop in a central location because the smell does linger!).

We gave a mix of 3 salt flavors– Bacon Parmesan, Buffalo Ranch, and Mexican Hot Chocolate (my favorite). I read through a handful of recipes by doing a Pinterest search and then clicking through to the websites. I used recipe ideas from THIS WEBSITE and THIS ONE. For our popcorn packets, I bought “light” microwave popcorn because that type usually has the lightest amount of salt and butter flavor. You need the least amount of salt and butter as possible to start because the flavored salts are SALTY, so use sparingly. Of course, you could always pop your own popcorn from scratch and control the salt amounts that way.

I printed THESE LABELS for the mini bags. I used my favorite 3″ x 5″ bead bags that I get from Michael’s Crafts and Avery labels 8160, size 1″ x 2 5/8″.

The salts can be sprinkled on meat, eggs, or anything to which you would normally add salt. Based on the few blog posts I read, it is really easy to create new combinations so think about flavors you enjoy and start mixing! If you want to take this idea and make the gift a little more substantial, add a movie gift card for your local theatre or a gift card for Redbox.

BTS Teacher Emergency Kit 2017 Giveaway

Posted by TheRoomMom

Did you see my LAST POST with information about a fun back to school teacher gift? I’m having my annual giveaway, so you don’t have to put one together yourself; you can win two!

One Lucky Winner Will Receive TWO Back to School Teacher Emergency Kits!

Keep one kit for yourself and give one to a teacher friend (or make two teachers, friends, co-workers, neighbors… super happy and give both as gifts). Giveaway ends this Saturday, August 5 at 3 PM (EST). Shipping addresses must be within the USA or Canada.

The winner will receive two clear cosmetic bags and emergency kit contents. Each kit contains a $10 Starbucks giftcard, Blistex, travel sized Pepto Bismol chewables, cough drops, dental flossers, two hair bands, four quarters for soda money, disposable toothbrush and paste, Band-aids, tweezers, and an emery board.

To enter, comment on this blog post with any teacher or parent (or teacher parent) life emergency supply, trick, or advice you have. Do you have a great MacGyver-type move that really saves the day? I’ll share one– if you need deodorant in a pinch because you live in South Carolina and have recess on a playground in direct sun at noon with little shade, and you get totally sweaty no matter what you do, wipe some hand sanitizer under your arms with a Kleenex.

You can also leave a comment on any of my INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK giveaway posts for additional entries. Each comment = one entry. Random name chosen from all comments when the contest ends 8/5/17 at 3 PM (EST).

Back to School Teacher Emergency Kit 2017

Posted by TheRoomMom

Since my children started attending elementary school, I have been cooking up some little back to school teacher emergency kit to give my kids’ homeroom teachers on the first day of school. Each year, the kits are a little different, but the contents are always based on items I need at school but don’t always have. I usually change up the bag or box to hold all of the items, but this fall, I am returning to the plastic bead box with removable divider slots that was the first container I ever used.

The Box: I purchase the bead storage boxes from Michael’s. It has ten slots with removable dividers. I remove a few of the dividers to make sections of the box bigger depending on what I have that needs to go in the box.

The Contents: Below is what I included in the kits this time. You could also consider adding things like mints, a good Flair pen or Sharpie pen, travel sized lotion, Advil or Tylenol, mini Windex wipes for electronics (I have seen these at Target), a Tide to Go pen… I browse the travel-sized aisle at places like CVS and Target for inspiration.

cough drops
safety pins
soda money in quarters
Blistex
Pepto Bismol chewable tablets
tweezers
disposable toothbrush and paste (one time use)
emery board
Band-aids
hair bands
dental flossers

The Labels: I printed THIS 2″x 4″ label for the lid of the box using a Red Cross style logo to make it look like an emergency kit. I created a table for the inside of the box and printed it on cardstock. Using a paper cutter, I cut it down to fit the inside lid and attached it with clear tape. I wanted the “map” on the inside to look like one of those lists they have in the big chocolate candy boxes, so you know what kind of chocolate you are eating. Here is a copy of the Teacher Emergency Kit Map.

To get more inspiration for Back to School Teacher Emergency Kits, take a look at some of mine from previous years by clicking the links below.

Teacher Emergency Kit 2012

Teacher Emergency Kit 2013

Teacher Emergency Kit 2014

Teacher Emergency Kit 2015

Teacher Emergency Kit 2016