• Involve your child in choosing a gift.young gift image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  Gift cards are an obvious and easy gift for your child's preschool teacher, but she may receive dozens at the end of the school year or during the holidays. Instead, give her something she can use in the classroom or expresses your gratitude for her work. If you need more help being creative, ask your preschooler for help. He might think of a gift idea that you wouldn't.
  
  

From the Child

• If it's Christmas, help your preschooler make the teacher personalized ornaments. Buy clear glass ball ornaments and paint at a craft store. Once a few drops of paint are placed inside the ornament, your child can swirl the ornament around gently until he likes the look of the design inside. Or he can draw on the outside of the ornament with paint pens. With your child's name and the year on the ball, the teacher will have a memento specific to him. You can also buy plain wooden picture frames or jewelry boxes at the craft store and let your child decorate them for his teacher.
  
  

Books

• Many preschool teachers have limited budgets for classroom supplies. Buy a few books for the classroom. Have your child help pick them out to make sure you don't buy a book the class already has. Include a bookstore gift card for $10 or $20 and a note encouraging her to buy a book for herself as well.
  
  

Adopt an Animal

• Adopt an animal in the teacher's name from Heifer International or the World Wildlife Fund. For $20, as of September 2010, Heifer will give a flock of chicks or geese to a needy family in a Third World country. This gift gives the recipient family eggs for their diet as well as income they can get from selling some birds to others in their community. WWF offers adoption packages ranging from $25 to $250, as of September 2010. You can choose from among 100 animals to help, and the organization sends a certificate of adoption and a photo. Teachers appreciate a unique gift, and the class can learn about the animal and the part of the world where it lives throughout the year.
  
  

Sweet Treats

• Surprise your child's teachers by delivering coffee and breakfast pastries for the entire classroom staff. You can also have pizzas or sandwiches delivered at lunch or drop off a box of cupcakes or a cake. Give this gift on a day before the classroom Christmas or end-of-the-year party are scheduled; too many goodies are around on those days, and you don't want your gift lost in the festivities.
  
  

DVD Collection

• Give her a selection of movies about great teachers. The Times of London made a list of films with the most inspiring teachers, including "Mr. Holland's Opus," "To Sir With Love," "Good Will Hunting" and "Dead Poet's Society" among others. You can use that list as the basis for your shopping.
  
  

Give Her Credit

• If your child's teacher has gone above and beyond during the school year, go to the school director to express what a great teacher she is. You can also write a letter directly to the teacher to let her know how much you appreciate her hard work and be specific about the progress you've seen in the child. She will receive many gifts at each holiday, but knowing she has made a difference in that child's life may be her favorite.