17 Clever Ideas to Honor Teachers on World Teacher’s Day

Rule World Teacher's Day by making a ruler picture frame for your favorite teacher. A ruler picture frame can be done cheaply and quickly with just a few items: rulers, picture frame, saw and glue gun. Cut rulers to the length of the picture frame with a saw and glue to the picture frame. Photo: Courtesy of A Cottage in the City

A crayon picture frame can be a quick DIY project for parents and children. Just pick up a picture frame, crayons, a saw and a glue gun. Cut crayons to fit the frame and glue away for an easy gift. If you want to hang the picture frame, check out how to do it right.

For teachers in need of a place to tie shoes and give a special reward to good students, a bench can be a perfect addition to the classroom. Follow the steps outlined in this project to become teacher’s pet.

Sand and water tables range in cost from $30 to $300 but a DIYer can churn one out simply with a few items. Some PVC pipe and a plastic bin can be all you need. Or pick up a mixing tub and some lumber. Got leftover bins, check out these ideas on how to use them for storage.

Take this project on simple shop stools and use it to create a little stool for the classroom. A simple stool can let teacher put their feet up after a long day, help reach items placed high in cabinets or give additional seating options for students.

Milk crates are great for storage or keeping the little ones on the edge of their seat. Add a cushion and a wooden top that fits snugly into the crate and you won’t have to worry about kids dragging chairs across the classroom. You can also use those milk crates at home for storage options. Photo: Courtesy of K's Classroom Kreations

Have some old lumber lying around, turn it into some alphabet blocks with a little vinyl stenciling. Photo: Courtesy of A Glimpse Inside

Need space and somewhere to hang things, look no further than pegboard. It’s been a favorite of teachers for decades and you can start here to get some ideas for the teacher in your family.

PVC pipe is great for many things like storing fishing rods or long objects on pegboard. Turns out it’s great in the classroom for phonics phones as students learn to read. Add some colored duct tape to liven it up or in order to break groups up by color.

If finding a spot for an anchor chart is challenging try using some adhesive command hooks, binder rings and a curtain rod to support your anchor chart. The binder rings slot through the curtain rod, which rests on the command hooks, and teacher has a spot to write down directions or put up an attendance chart. You can also try using a curtain rod for a spice rack.

Use some of these bunk bed ideas to start brainstorming about a reading space design. Or maybe take a look at some of these mancave ideas, but it’s best to skip those ideas that involve adult beverages.

These bins are great for books and handle all kinds of miscellaneous clutter. Shelves and cabinets are great places to store kid stuff, but when you're in a hurry (and kids always are), it's nice to just throw and go.

The classroom is always tight for space so enhance one with these garage storage ideas that can be easily adapted for the school. Store all those markers, pencils and erasers in one spot so you don’t have to worry about them spilling all over the place.

Every teacher has an easel, or two, of some sort in the classroom to easily focus the attention of the class. Easels, however, are rarely provided by the school. Save on teacher expenses by creating an easel of your own. You'll need two 6-ft 1x2s, a 63-inch 1x2, a 50-inch 1x2, four 36-inch 1x2s, a 27 1/2-inch 1x2, a 12 1/2-inch 1x2 and two 2-inch 1x2s along with carriage bolts, flat washers, wing nuts, screws, a 22-inch chain link, two small eye bolts and wood glue. A saw and clamps will also be needed.

Build a simple bookcase for the classroom library or go as elaborate as you can for a one-stop-shop for little readers.

A rolling tool box cart is not only great for tools, it’s great for hauling things around the classroom. From heavy objects to setting up different stations, it’s a versatile option for educators.