Gifts for Preschool Graduates: A Collection of Heartfelt Handmade Ideas
As graduation season approaches, many teachers may be thinking about giving heartfelt gifts from current students to those who are graduating.
Handmade items have a special warmth that makes both the giver and the recipient feel special.
Here, we introduce ideas for graduation gifts using familiar materials like plastic bottle caps and paper cartons.
Everything—from magnets and trinket boxes to photo frames—can be made together with the children.
Celebrate the graduates’ new beginning with a one-of-a-kind gift!
- From current students to graduates! A collection of handmade graduation gift and keepsake ideas
- [Graduation Ceremony] A collection of handmade corsage ideas you can make with your child
- [Graduation Commemorative Gifts] Handmade Presents That Kids Will Love! A Collection of Easy-to-Make Ideas
- Recommended for graduation ceremonies! A collection of stylish wall decoration ideas
- [Graduation from Kindergarten] Ideas for Handmade Gifts to Give to Someone Special at Farewell Time
- At the End of Preschool Practicum: Simple and Cute Handmade Gifts
- Unforgettable graduation certificates for preschool! A collection of fun, handmade ideas
- [Graduation Keepsakes] Gifts for Teachers and Children: A Collection of Heartfelt, Memorable Present Ideas
- Feelings That Reach the Heart! Handmade Gift Ideas to Give at Graduation
- Recommended for graduation from preschool! A collection of cute handmade farewell card ideas
- [For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
- Handmade ideas to brighten up your preschool graduation album: fun to create, delightful to receive!
- [Graduation from Preschool] Messages with Hand-Drawn Illustrations! A Collection of Ideas to Share with Children
Gifts for Preschool Graduates! A Collection of Heartfelt Handmade Ideas (101–110)
plastic shrink film keychain
How about making a keychain with shrink plastic? It’s easy: draw a picture on the shrink plastic, round off the corners, and bake it in a toaster oven.
A couple of tips: since shrink plastic shrinks when heated, draw your picture larger than you want the final size to be, and as soon as it’s done baking, place a weight on it to flatten it.
It will be hot when you take it out of the toaster oven, so use tools like chopsticks to avoid burns.
Let’s celebrate the kindergarten graduation by gifting a keychain decorated with your own original drawings or lettering!
Making gifts for kindergarten graduates
How about incorporating the making of graduation gifts into an art activity, where the current students create presents to give to the graduates? Let’s make practical gifts that are fun to create and will become memorable keepsakes for the graduating children.
For example, you can make photo frames using cardboard or empty boxes and put in photos from their time at the kindergarten, pencil holders using milk cartons or plastic bottles, or bookmarks that they can continue to use in elementary school—these are all practical and highly recommended.
Put your heartfelt wishes for the graduates into making these wonderful gifts.
Handmade stickers
Some kids enjoy collecting different kinds of stickers.
How about making some handmade stickers to add to their collection as a gift? Stick one side of double-sided tape onto a piece of parchment (baking) paper, and attach your illustration or other design to the other side.
Then cover the surface with clear tape to seal it, and cut it out to match the design—your handmade sticker is complete.
You can make stickers from hand-drawn illustrations, magazine clippings, and more, so think of designs that suit the person you’re gifting them to.
Handmade magnet
Let’s try making handy homemade magnets for posting school worksheets, photos with friends, letters, and more.
Place a magnet into a silicone mold, add a glue stick in your favorite color, and warm it in the microwave.
Once the stick hardens, remove it and attach beads or other decorations to the side without the magnet—done! You can also make DIY magnets from items like fabric-covered buttons or acrylic keychains, so try creating them in whatever way you like.
Album card
An album card that can hold memorable photos is also a highly recommended idea.
Since there are various shapes, start by finding one you like and use it as inspiration.
There are standard book-style albums and horizontally long albums, for example.
Options with a mechanism that lets the cover open separately, or designs featuring popular characters, are great too.
Part of the charm of this idea is the excitement of thinking, “What kind of album would make them happy?” while you plan it.
