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I have 2 siblings leaving my daycare in 2 weeks. The mom has decided to stay home with them. I have had them for about 5 years. I was wondering is anyone has a good idea of a "going away" gift or something for them. Do any of you do something for the kids that leave your daycare? I thought of the usual picture, but just doesn't seem like much. They were a GREAT family and very good to me. I would appreciate any ideas. The children are 5 and 2. THANKS!
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I just had a little boy leave because they were moving to Portland. I made him a photobook on Shutterfly of pictures of him and the other dcks and then I added quotes and little sayings. Mom cried when I gave it to him. They do such amazing photobooks and it something they can keep forever. I plan on doing it for everyone that leaves and maybe even do something at Christmas time for all the families too. -
Each time a child leaves my care, I make an 8x10 framed collage of LOTS of pictures I've taken of them and their friends since they've been in my care. I write a letter to them telling them how much I enjoyed having them, and things I remember them doing/developing while they were with me. For kindergarteners, I let them paint their hand and put it up on one of our walls. (My daycare is not in my home, but in a separate house, so I don't have kids' handprints all over my home.
) If I have extra pictures after I do their collage, I get a cheap photo album from Wal-Mart and add that to their gift too. I have also gotten t-shirts made, but that just depends on you and your budget! Hope this helps 
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I do the same thing, except I have so many pictures I use a 16 x 20 poster frame and make basically a poster. I'm a scrapbooker, so I usually do some sort of lettering over the top that says 'Daycare Days' or something like that with little embellishments, etc.
With the last couple, I have had my daughter take a photo of me with the child. Then I print it in black and white and put it in the center of the poster~I started doing it because one of my kids who left earlier this summer was upset that I wasn't in any of the pictures! LOL.
It become a tradition here, I've been doing it for 6 or 7 years now and the kids love watching me put it together for them.Comment
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I do a going away blanket or pillowcase. I buy a solid color flannel infant receiving blanket for the younger kids like 5 and under - a solid color pillowcase for the older ones.
All of the kids (plus me, and my pets) put a handprint - using washable fabric paint - in a border around the edge and I write the names by the handprint with a fabric marker.
With a computer printable iron-on transfer, I print out this little poem and iron-on in the center.
Now I lay me down to sleep
And count these hands instead of sheep
And dream of friends I called my own
When I spent my days at Pammie's home.
Kids (and parents) really seem to love them:-)
Not my original idea - I borrowed it from somewhere online years ago!Comment
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I make a book and have each of the kids color a picture for each page and then I put a picture of that child on their page they colored and if I have one of both that child and the child that's leaving I put that picture on there. At the beginning of the book I put a group picture then at the end I put a picture of me and the child that's leaving. It makes it special when each of the kids do their own little thing.Comment
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I had my daughter when I was in HS. She went to a district operated dc. When I graduated they gave her a crib sized quilt with her name, the name of the dc and the dates she was there.
When we moved from MN to OR, my MN dc lady gave my daughter a pair of froggy rain boots and an umbrella (because Oregon is known for it's damp weather. )
Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.Comment
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One time I made a storybook for the kids at shutterfly that had pictures of them doing different stuff over the three years that I watched. I used the story "Cookies Week" by Cindy Ward as my inspiration. It was fun to see how much they had grown and changed over the years.Comment
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WOW! Great ideas, ladies! Now, I just need to decide which one to use. Thanks to you all for your input. Everyone have a great weekend!Comment
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