Back to School Apple Jar Teacher Gift Idea
It’s back to school time again, and if you’re looking for a great teacher gift idea, you can’t go wrong with this simple and effective craft. It’s perfect to let your kids make, and it’s a great take on that old cliche of bringing your new teacher an apple.
Fun fact – when my oldest son was in Kindergarten, he adored his teacher (fun fact within a fun fact – my second son just started Kindergarten with the same teacher, and he adores her just as much!). He came home from school the first day, and I swear he was half in love, even if he misunderstood her name and kept referring to her as Mrs Potato. Haha. Anyway, without any prompting, and with no way of knowing how perfect it was, the second day of school, I noticed him putting an apple in his backpack. Knowing he didn’t eat apples back then, I asked him why he was taking one. He told me it was for his teacher. She was pregnant at the time, and he wanted to make sure she had a healthy snack for her and her baby since she worked so hard to teach them.
Like, how do you even get a kid that thoughtful?? I couldn’t love him more.
Anyway, apples are great and all, but they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, and they go bad quickly (especially when kids are dropping them all over the place as they travel to school). So instead I suggest this fun apple-themed teacher gift craft that you can fill with candy, gift cards or anything else you think the teacher may like!
Supplies:
- Glass jar with a lid (Mason jar)
- Red craft paint
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- ⅜” green grosgrain ribbon
- Green felt
- Pen
- Heavyweight brown paper
- Glue gun
Instructions:
Remove the lid from the jar and set aside. Pour a little paint in the bottom of the jar.
Use the paintbrush to coat the inside of the jar. You may need to add more paint so that you have a thick coat. (Let this dry.)
Cut a piece of green felt that is about 5 inches square.
Trim the edges of the felt into a circle.
TIP: You can wait until the end but, this is a good time to fill the jar with treats. Gift cards, Breath Mints, Sticky Notes, Candy, etc. all make fun treats for your jar.
Put the flat part of the lid on the top of the jar. Center the felt on top and screw on the rest of the lid.
Cut a leaf shape from the green felt and leave a stem on it. This is where you will write the “to and from” so make sure it is large enough to write on but in a size that matches the jar.
Cut and glue a piece of green ribbon around the rim of the screw-on lid.
Cut a piece of brown paper that is slightly smaller but in the same shape as the felt leaf. As well, cut a piece of brown paper that is about 1” – 1 ½” tall and 4” long to roll into a “stem”.
Write your “To: Teacher” and “From: Your Child” on the paper. Glue the paper to the felt.
Glue the stem so it will not unroll. Securely glue the leaf and the stem to the top of the jar.
Give this “apple” to the teacher on the first (or second or 90th!) day of school!
And don’t forget to check out this other awesome teacher gift craft!
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
