Stuck on You Teacher Appreciation Gift and Tag

A pack of cheerful stickers, a small hand-lettered tag and a loop of striped baker’s twine: that is the whole “Stuck on You” teacher gift. It costs very little, takes a few minutes per teacher, and still looks thoughtful.

The pun on the tag does the work. Stickers are “stuck on” a page, and the teacher is “stuck on” by every student who gives one. Because the pack of stickers can come from a craft store for about a dollar, you can thank teachers, aides, the librarian and the bus driver without a big budget.

Supplies

One pack of stickers per gift (sheets of stars, apples, smiley faces or colorful shapes all work)
Cardstock or heavy printer paper for the tags
Baker’s twine or thin ribbon in a coordinating color
A hole punch
Scissors or a paper trimmer
Markers, or a computer and printer if you prefer typed tags

Designing the Stuck on You tag

Keep the design simple so it reads quickly. Use the words “Stuck on You” in large letters across the middle, with a short line underneath such as “Thank you for a great year!” Add a space at the bottom for the student’s name.

A tag around 2 by 3.5 inches suits a sticker pack. Choose two colors that match your stickers, such as navy lettering on a white background with a coral border. If you are working by hand, pencil in the letters lightly first, trace with a marker, then erase the guidelines once the ink is dry.

If you use a design app, make a page of several tags at once, print on cardstock, and cut them apart with a trimmer for clean edges. Print a few extras in case of smudges.

Putting it together

Cut out each tag and punch a hole in one top corner.
Write the teacher’s name or a short message on the back, and sign it from the student.
Cut a length of twine, about 10 inches, and thread it through the hole.
Loop the twine around the sticker pack and tie it in a bow or a simple knot.
Trim the ends and gather the gifts in a basket or box to carry to school.

Variations

Match the stickers to the teacher. Choose animals for a science teacher, musical notes for the music room, or sports icons for the gym.
Make it a bundle. Tuck a pencil, a small notepad or a tiny pack of sticky notes under the twine alongside the stickers.
Use a different pun. If you can’t find sticker packs, a roll of washi tape works with the same tag.
Class gift. Have each student sign the back of a tag, then tie them together on one larger bundle.
Thank the whole school. Make a big batch with a plain tag and hand them to aides, office staff and lunchroom helpers.

For a neat finish, tie every bow in the same direction and keep the twine lengths even. If the stickers will go to young students, check the label for age guidance before you give them.