Do you like to keep inexpensive gift ideas for students on hand to celebrate holidays, birthdays, or special accomplishments? Do you like to have small rewards to serve as incentives for good behavior or good work? Then look no further! This big list is full of fun, affordable (most are less than $1) little doodads and trinkets your students will flip over.
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Student Gift Tags
These printable gift tags are perfect for attaching to simple and inexpensive DIY student gifts to make them extra special. Grab our free printable bundle of 10 tags.
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5 Most Popular Inexpensive Gift Ideas for Students
Below are the top five gifts from our list that teachers clicked and purchased for their students last year. They’re sure to be winners if you don’t have time to look through all the ideas on our list.
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1. Balloon Animal Erasers
Erasers your students actually may not lose: tiny balloon animals!
Gratitude truly is the secret to a happy life. Train your students to develop the habit by giving them a place to jot their happy thoughts and fun memories on a consistent basis.
Want to encourage your students to write? Gift them these invisible-ink pens with built-in black light, and they’ll be motivated to compose secret messages.
Just knowing that their teacher sees them for who they are can make all the difference for some kids. Instead of a tangible gift, why not put your gratitude into words?
Amazon has lots of terrific children’s e-book options for a dollar or two each, and they make it easy to send a selection to a large group. Plus, check out our big list of free e-books.
Younger kids especially love to color pretty pictures. Snag this pack of adorable coloring books and hand out pages as rewards. Or keep a supply of books on hand for special birthday gifts.
Your students will love our easy how-to-draw tutorials. We cover everything from a butterfly and a rose to a cat and a dragon and more! Bundle a few together along with a pencil for a fun little gift.
Kids can sketch whatever strikes their fancy, then swipe to erase with these mini doodle pads. Best of all, they’re less than a couple of bucks each when you buy in bulk.
If you’ve got an artsy side, make personalized painted rocks for your students. Here are a few ideas we put together for inspiration. It’s easy with a set of perfectly smooth stones and acrylic paint pens made for rock painting.
Print out these free mask templates and create a little DIY kit for your students. You can also include colored paper and a pack of crayons or markers if you’d like.
This glitter slime is as fun to make as it is to squish and stretch! The secret ingredient? Shaving cream! Combine it with glue, contact lens solution, baking soda, and a little food coloring to get just the right texture.
Give each of your students a fun card game to pass the time at home over a holiday break. This set decks comes with an assortment of games, including the classics Old Maid, Go Fish, and War.
Grab our free printable game boards and use them to create personalized games for your students. Pair them with some colorful dice and you’re ready to gift!
Have you met a kid yet who doesn’t love LEGO? These mini building block kits are basically the same thing, but you can get 12 of them for less than a couple of dollars apiece.
Kids love stickers and they really love 3D puffy stickers. With themes of food, animals, hearts, and more, there’s sure to be a sheet every one of your students will love.
How about a fidget toy that doubles as a fashion accessory? Your students will love these push-pop bracelets, and you’ll love that these inexpensive gifts for students are only about 50 cents apiece.
Have you seen our calm-down jars? These are such a good experiment, and they can also make a good gift for students. You can use miniature jars to save money.
Another version of the Pop-It fidget. These colorful bumpy balls are fun to toss around and also to fidget with when your student needs to work off some energy.
Choose your inexpensive gift ideas for students with learning in mind. These inflatable globes are fun to throw around but can be used for reference and exploration too.
These are so popular with kids of all ages. Your students will love choosing one, or you can choose it for them along with a special note. Consider using them as desk pets too!
Yum! These adorable little erasers in the shape of different foods will inspire your students to start a collection of their own. Consider using them in conjunction with your desk pets as well.
Inspire future paleontologists in your class with these super-fun faux dinosaur eggs. The set even comes with excavating picks and species guides. Divvy up the set and package each egg plus supplies for 12 special rewards.
Hand sanitizer is a must-have, so give your students a whimsical way to carry theirs around. Grab a set of these refillable bottles for a fun and useful gift for students.
These bright-hued lanyards include a safety breakaway mechanism, so they’re even safe for younger kids. It’s the perfect way for them to wear their school ID.
