End of Year Gift for Day Care Providers

You are very generous and your caregivers will appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity. You will likely get a wide variety of answers and this will depend on the areas and economy of where people are located.

I live in MN and do home childcare. Some of my families over the years have done nothing, some do a small $25 gift card to Target, bookstore or a restaurant they know I like (Olive Garden or a local place I might have mentioned, etc). Some have bought me things for the daycare (like books or a toy I mentioned I longed for for our group..or a gift card for the local educational supply store. One used to have a catered breakfast delivered to us every year on the last day of daycare before whatever break I closed for.

Some were greatly generous and gave me cash equal to a weeks pay along with a small gift (like a coffee mug, fancy chocolate bar or a home made dishtowel set or ornament). Local salon/spa certificates with those higher amounts have been received as well.

My point is, everyone can give differently...you should do what feels right and that you can afford to show how happy you are for (hopefully) the wonderful care your child is receiving. Cash or a very usable gift card along with some baked goods or a pretty ornament...or if you know something specific about them (if one loves coffee....or mentioned something specific?) .In center care perhaps the interactions are a bit different than I am accustomed to with my own home childcare? But do what feels right!

I used to do little gift bags of hand sanitizer, gets, lotions, etc.

I have also done $10 gift cards to Subway or Pizza Hut.
I have also done a group basket of chocolates.

I did $25+ gift cards one year and the teachers were shy about excepting them, and the other teachers were a bit green.

It probably depends on the area you are in - but I think $10-$25 gift cards and cookies and a card is a fine gift - especially since there are 3.

I also give a little photo of my baby - a little narcissitic, I know - but they always say they like it!:) This year I might do a photo magnet! :)

With this economy and the fact that you said you don't have "unlimited resources" I would have thought $25 gift cards since you also intend to give a personal gift AND some cookies. Otherwise, if you don't know the caregivers' tastes, I would just go with a $50 gift card each and call it a day. lol I personally tip each of my three trash collectors $25/each. I can't afford to be a big spender, but want them to know their service is appreciated! Let us know what you decide........:-)

We just can't afford to give that much to each person. When we had one provider, we gave her a $50 Visa gift card each year. Now that our kids are in school, we're doing $15 Jamba Juice gift cards for the teachers -- everyone from school to gymnastics class instructors. That alone cost me over $100 today. I would just go with what's in your budget. Any token of appreciation is great!

ETA: Definitely not tipping our trash collectors. I had to report them multiple times for dumping our empty trash cans sideways in front of our driveway when all the others on our street were straight up. Grr.

We've never "tipped" the trash collectors. They come very early in the morning so I never see them. I would have NO idea who the regular collectors are anyway. I do give my mail carrier a little something. Last year I gave her an inexpensive fragrant candle.

For the caregivers, I'd give them treats. It's very personal (shows you took the time to put into making something) and it's the most inexpensive thing to do. Hope that helps.