Thanks For Helping Us Grow! {Teacher Appreciation}

First day of school! First day of school! The excitement! The joy! The anticipation! The fear! What a bag of mixed emotions on the monumental day. One way to help your child feel better about the big day is to put a little focus on others, namely the teacher!

A row of yellow school buses is parked in a lot under a clear blue sky. Each bus is aligned neatly, displaying the word SCHOOL BUS on the back. The background features trees with autumn foliage. — Flickr by tncountryfan

Recently, we were reading Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School. At the end of the book, the reader discovers that it is the teacher’s first day of school (as a teacher) as well and she was pretty nervous. What a great way to start a discussion about empathy! After the book, you and your child can make a teacher appreciation gift together.

Here’s one I saw featured in Parents magazine a little while back. You can find the original post here. I scored some flower seeds while standing in line at the zoo the other day (thanks to ), so I decided to use those in my flower instead. If you’re anything like me, drawing identical petals is about as easy as trying to lasso a greased pig, so Kelli was kind enough to draw up a template for me (and you!) to use! Grab your Appreciation Flower Template here and let’s get started!

I did this project on my own, but if you’ve got older kids (mine are still toddlers), they could certainly help with tracing, cutting or gluing!

Table of Contents

What You Need:

Yellow Pattern Scrapbook Paper
Brown Construction Paper or Cardstock
Flower Seeds
Sunflower Sentiments Template
Popsicle stick or Skewer for stem
Cellophane
Scissors, Glue, Pencil

What You Do:

Craft materials on a table: a roll of clear plastic wrap, yellow polka dot paper, and brown paper. An instructional sheet titled Sunflower Sentiments with templates for cutting and assembly is also visible. — Getting Started

I didn’t have any cellophane, so I used plastic wrap instead. Its not quite as sturdy, but it worked okay. Wax paper might also be an option, though you wouldn’t be able to see the seeds as clearly. Now to get cutting and tracing!

Three photos show a two-part craft process: tracing circles. First, a brown circle is placed next to a paper template. In the second image, a white circle template is traced on yellow polka-dot paper, with a hand holding the template.

For the petals, I got 6 across one sheet of scrapbook paper. I folded the paper up so I could cut out two sets at once. Now I’ve got two extra petals in case I mess up!

Yellow polka-dotted paper cut into petal shapes scattered on a wooden table, with some layered together. A black pen is visible on the right side of the table. — Petals Petals Everywhere!

Okay, put a few seeds in the center of a brown circle and then wrap in plastic wrap/cellophane. I covered the top and then carefully and quickly flipped the whole thing over to wrap up the back real tight.

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The three-step seed planting process, perfect for teacher appreciation projects, begins with seeds on a round piece of paper. Next, place the paper on plastic wrap. Finally, fold the plastic wrap, securing the contents and symbolizing how teachers help us grow step by step.

Glue petals all around the outside of the bottom brown circle (the one with the seeds on it). You could probably use a glue stick for this, but I had my glue gun ready, so away we went! As you can see, I am pretty terrible at angles and spacing, but you’ll cover up the middle with another brown ring, so no worries!

Two images of a charming craft project perfect for Teacher Appreciation: a sunflower with yellow paper petals and a brown center. The left image shows three petals attached, symbolizing how teachers help us grow, while the right reveals the completed flower, ready to express thanks on any wooden surface.

Once the petals are in place, glue the brown ring in the center. Originally, I tried to “freehand” cutting out the middle. Disaster. One attempt #2, I folded the circle in half and drew a semi-circle to cut out. You could take a metallic gel pen and write a nice “Thanks for Helping Us Grow” message around the ring if you’d like. Now that’s a nice looking flower!!

Create a sunflower card in four simple steps. Begin with arranging yellow petals and a circular center. Fold a semi-circle, then attach it to the petals. Finish by adding a green stem on a brown background, perfect for saying Thanks for Helping Us Grow in Teacher Appreciation moments.

Glue a Popsicle stick or skewer on the back for a stem. I painted mine green for extra effect, but that’s optional! Around here, we’ll take almost any excuse to get the paints out!

A handmade sunflower boasts yellow polka dot petals and a brown center, perfect for teacher appreciation. Text in the middle reads, Thanks for helping us grow! It rests gracefully on a wooden surface.

Stay tuned tomorrow for another flower-themed Teacher Appreciation project!

About the Author

Lindsey Whitney is a mom of two, home day care provider, and blogger over at Growing Kids Ministry. Growing Kids Ministry is a blog designed to help parents, teachers, and Children’s Ministry workers who want to help the kids they love grow in their faith. You can connect with her via twitter or on facebook!