I need your help

[greenpea]

This year I voluntered to be the class photographer of my daughters pre-school. One of the jobs of the class photographer is to provide everone with a group photo of the entire class (no problem), and some sort of photo keepsake.

Last year the guy who did the photography made placemats for each kid (I think he made the placemats himself). The placemats all had a group class photo and a head shot of each kid in it. All the kids loved them.

Now I need to come up with something, and I'm having a really difficult time coming up with anything other than a placemat.

Oh and did I mention, my total budget is $125 split between 20 people.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Here are my pictures that I have to work with. (http://initialphotography.smugmug.com/Gorohoff/250789)

[greenpea]

Really? no one has any ideas for photo gifts (under $6) for 3 year olds? :cry

bump.

[Ann McRae]

Well, lets think about this for a minute - unless the photo gift is a stuffed animal or other toy, they won't really be for the kids. They will be keepsakes for the parents.

The placemat idea is brilliant.

Other 'crafts' that my kids have brought home for playschool & the early years at school include handcrafted photo frames and handcrafetd Christmas ornaments that held photos. Materials used for these can be as simple as cardboard decorated with painted pasta, sprinkles, painted puzzle peices etc. If the playschool would help by having the kids 'make' (decorate with help)the frames, then you could fill them with photos.

Key fobs - simple - take a photo, laminate it and attach a lanyard.

Of course, all these deal with the individual photo, not the group photo.

If you want to take on the task of making calendars, that might work - there are free calendar templates (month to a page, year to a page, etc), put a photo onto it, print at 5 x 7 or 8 x 10, and bind. Actually - you could do this with a bunch of photos surrounding the calendar in the center and have the group photo on it too. Then you could print it fairly large - should work for your budget....I may have a link for templates for you - I'll check

Finally, office supply stores sell kits for printing photos onto t shirts. Probably push your budget to pay for the t shirt too, but it may work out.

One of my favorite photo momentos is of my two boys (KG & Grade 3) together on a school hike. The teacher mounted it onto colored construction paper and presented it in an inexpensive clip frame.


ann

Really? no one has any ideas for photo gifts (under $6) for 3 year olds? :cry

bump.

[DJ-S1]

Magnets? I bet you could do that pretty easy, and they can stick 'em on the 'fridge to enjoy.

[greenpea]

Well, lets think about this for a minute - unless the photo gift is a stuffed animal or other toy, they won't really be for the kids. They will be keepsakes for the parents.

The placemat idea is brilliant.

The placemats allowed the guy to have a group photo and then individual pictures for each kids. My daughter loves her placemat and wants to use it all the time.


Other 'crafts' that my kids have brought home for playschool & the early years at school include handcrafted photo frames and handcrafetd Christmas ornaments that held photos. Materials used for these can be as simple as cardboard decorated with painted pasta, sprinkles, painted puzzle peices etc. If the playschool would help by having the kids 'make' (decorate with help)the frames, then you could fill them with photos.

Good idea, but the class actually did handcrafted photo frames as a school project.


Key fobs - simple - take a photo, laminate it and attach a lanyard.

Of course, all these deal with the individual photo, not the group photo.

That's a possiblity.


If you want to take on the task of making calendars, that might work - there are free calendar templates (month to a page, year to a page, etc), put a photo onto it, print at 5 x 7 or 8 x 10, and bind. Actually - you could do this with a bunch of photos surrounding the calendar in the center and have the group photo on it too. Then you could print it fairly large - should work for your budget....I may have a link for templates for you - I'll check

Finally, office supply stores sell kits for printing photos onto t shirts. Probably push your budget to pay for the t shirt too, but it may work out.

Making the calendars might work. I was actually considering doing calendars through mpix or photoworks. But that would blow the budget. Making them by hand is a possibility.


One of my favorite photo momentos is of my two boys (KG & Grade 3) together on a school hike. The teacher mounted it onto colored construction paper and presented it in an inexpensive clip frame.

That's something else I might try.

Thanks for all the great ideas Anne.

[greenpea]

Magnets? I bet you could do that pretty easy, and they can stick 'em on the 'fridge to enjoy.

I like that idea. The only problem is the goal is to have an individual picture of each kid as well as a group photo. That starts to become a pretty big magnet.

[gmonkeh]

Have you looked at MPix's baseball/sports cards?

[wellman]

How about plates?

[Art Scott]

I like that idea. The only problem is the goal is to have an individual picture of each kid as well as a group photo. That starts to become a pretty big magnet.

Well you can get inkjet printable magnets that are 8.5 x 11....saw them at office depot with all the speciality injet papers.....

to combine a couple.....a placemat calander...and put a thumb of each kiddie on their B-Day.......:wink

[greenpea]

Have you looked at MPix's baseball/sports cards?

I like the idea of the cards, and there are a few boys in the class who would be into that, however the class is 80% girls who are into anything disney princess.

How about plates?

That's a cool idea, do you know a place that will put a photo onto a plate (ideally a plastic plate)?

Well you can get inkjet printable magnets that are 8.5 x 11....saw them at office depot with all the speciality injet papers.....

to combine a couple.....a placemat calander...and put a thumb of each kiddie on their B-Day.......:wink

Inkjet printable magnets? Really, that's a cool idea!