Community Corner

10 DIY Teacher Gifts You Can Make in Mason Jars

Get creative (and save cash) with these fun projects.

Written by Julia Halewicz

If you're racking your brain to find the perfect teacher gift, sit the kids down for a little DIY action. All you need is a Mason jar and an idea of what your kids' teacher likes to do in or out of the classroom (does she knit her own scarves?). There's no waste since the gift is also the wrapping, and you'll save money without sacrificing on wow factor. Here are some tips for how to make the perfect teacher gift that keeps on giving:

Start with a Mason jar. We use them to transport our salads to work and impress our dinner guests with beautiful individualized desserts, but Mason jars can have a life outside of the kitchen, too. Choose a large-sized version so filling and decorating it will be easy.

Know your teacher. Maybe your teacher loves to sew or your coach is always losing his whistles. Think about your teacher's personality and find an object, like yarn for a knitter, that he or she could use or would enjoy.

Fill it up. What you choose to put in the Mason jar dictates whether you should fill it up or go for a single object. The beauty of Mason jars is their functionality as reusable storage and their ability to showcase the objects inside. Erasers can be eye catching when layered by color and packed to the top of the Mason jar, but a terrarium is most appealing with some empty space around the plant or flower. Here are some objects you can put in your Mason jar:

  • Neatly packed paint brushes or colored pencils
  • Fresh ground coffee
  • sewing kit
  • Plant rocks, soil and seeds, or a hearty plant, into the jar
  • An LED light
  • Whistles and lanyards in your school's colors
  • Bath salts or bath beads
  • Colorful erasers
  • A ball of colorful yarn
Decorate the Mason jar. Find a small object to accompany the gift and tie it around the Mason jar lid with twine or ribbon. Pair coffee with a coffee scoop, bath salts with a small loofah and a sewing kit with a pin cushion on top.

Make it a group effort. If your child's class decided to pitch in for a group gift card, you could suggest pairing it with a Mason jar filled with signed notes from each student promising to be on time, or stand in line without squirming or clean up after their snack. Your child's teachers will appreciate the thought and your child's effort will shine through which is, after all, what a teacher loves most. 

This article is part of Mix It Up, an editorial series created in collaboration with AOL's Kitchen Daily and Huffington Post. It is dedicated to making the lives of mothers easier through articles, videos and slideshows focused on simple and creative solutions to everyday challenges. From healthy recipes to exciting ideas for a more balanced lifestyle, this section aims to become a resource for moms everywhere. 

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