Affordable gifts for class

[JamieFraserskiltspeaksout]

I'm trying to come up with creative yet affordable gifts for 30 children. I can only afford £30 maximum. I've done keyrings and Word Clouds in the past but I don't think the children really liked them.
I was thinking of baking everyone a really luxurious cupcake and putting in a plastic holder so it would get home safely with a personal card wishing them luck. Is this rubbish?! I wanted to do something better but I'm moving house and out of money. Any better ideas?

The thing I appreciated the most as a parent was a card with the photo of the class on the front, say at a school trip, and a message written by all adults in class. Not all parents can afford school photos, and this was a really lovely memory to have.

If you really want to buy something - pen, pencil. Books are lovely, but some are duds!

I buy a heap of very cheap glasses and a glass engraver. They then design their own glass. You keep the glass engraver, rinse and repeat for next year.

I do a cheap pencil case. I bought 12 for £3 from the works or Baker Ross earlier this year. I also bought blank key rings which a put a photo in and their name, class name and year on the other side. I put the key ring on the zip pull.

I also do a fridge magnet with all their pics on so a mini class photo but that is an extra. My TA buys them a pencil and my PPA cover teacher buys them a rubber and they go in the case.

I did have a child in year 6 bring me their pencil case to show they still have it with key ring! They look a bit different know and the case is well worn!

The only present my ds has kept was a laminated bookmark that his teacher must have spent ages making with three photos of him taken throughout the year and a personalised message on the back mentioning what he had done well in that year, good luck in year four and about his hobby that he is obsessed about.

The only one we kept was a laminated picture of the class with a lovely message from the teacher.

The laminated personalised bookmark above is even more lovely.

I've got my reception class a flying disc/ frisbee thing each, as they are all really keen outdoors/ active children. They were 79p each in the range. I also have 30 children and didn't want to spend tons on them!

May I possibly gently suggest that cupcake cases are plastic single use, and that sugary food has been demonstrated to be unpopular with parents, some of whom will moan that you're encouraging unhealthy eating habits

There are some lovely pencils and even some pens that you can buy for under 50p (I have to buy similar things with a 30-50p budget). They do love novelty erasers too, and novelty rulers (you can even get recycled plastic ones for under 50p), mini travel connect 4 etc, if it's plastic it's better if it's not single use in my opinion. Multipacks of friendship bracelets. Check baker ross, Amazon and ebay - watch for delivery times and feedback on the latter two as some ship from China and take weeks.

Or buy a load of potting flowerpots (cardboard is an option but I won't shout if it's plastic ) a bag of potting compost and plant something quick growing and easily pleasing. Sticker with photo of class on the pot and cheesy line about the children growing really well this year or something.

The things my kids have kept have been the laminated/framed pictures with personalised messages, DS1 got a 'lucky' sixpence with a little message in year 6 that he still has.

The cake is a good idea though.

As a parent, I don't expect a present for my kids from teachers. It sounds ungrateful but I loathe 'plastic tat' and would much rather the teacher had spent £10/£20 to buy a couple of nice books for their classroom / school library than to buy a load of novelty gifts that soon get forgotten about and dumped in landfill.
Ditto novelty stationery: the erasers are usually crap ones that don't rub out properly! A nice personalised pencil would be appreciated.
Food gifts are tricky - lots of allergies in our school and parents aren't keen on sugary things wrapped in yet more single-use plastic.
What my children would adore and remember is a treat in school like an ice cream / lolly and an hour of free play to celebrate the end of year. And maybe a nice card with some photos from that year that parents might not have already seen (school trips, special visitors in school etc.).

My son came home with a bookmark from a student teacher which she'd written a children's book quote in the back which was relevant to him, he loves it.

Love the laminated photo ideas here

I'm doing for my kids sunflower seeds in a little packet with a nice message inside(probably twee,but I really liked it) mini eraser and mini touchable bubbles. They're a very young y3 so hopefully they'll enjoy it. Maybe even grow something.

Total cost about £21 .

I agree with FourEyesGood, Queen of CBA and others, particularly the ones involving a class photo.
OTOH, do not get involved in starting to put hours you don't have, into making individual laminated bookmarks each. There is FAR too much else for you to be doing at this time of year.

I’m not a teacher, have a 5yr old and read this out of curiosity to see what it was about... I would never expect the staff to give my child a gift, no matter how small!!! I feel pretty confident my child wouldn’t expect one either. It is so sweet of you to try to come up with something the children would enjoy, but my god when I think about staff that have put so much of their effort into teaching and nurturing my child, making him have a brilliant first year of school, etc... having to buy 30+ little treats on top it makes me sad.

Thanks for the continued feedback. I'm very lucky to have the children in my class and Id feel very sad not giving them something. I've spent hundreds of hours with these children .... Poor things deserve something for putting up with me for a year

What did you go for in the end OP? Do you break up Friday?

I used to buy personalised rice paper cake toppers and make the whole class cup cakes - petit fours size. Inexpensive and No one complaining about them being unhealthy.