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Card or 3D ideas to send college daughter each week
Has anyone taken this one or have ideas? Thinking gift card holders, pop ups, & decorating 3D tubes that can be mailed. I know snail mail is nice when you are at college.
I'm working on this. My own daughter will be a high school senior this year but a close friend's daughter leaves in a few weeks for her freshman year. I was thinking more of a set of cards with various sentiments ("Need a hug?" "You're a Star", "Thinking of You"), done up in a tin with a "Messages from Mom" label/tag. That way she can send her daughter some happy mail, maybe sneak in a gift card, etc.
For my own daughter, I may get more elaborate, but I just need to get started on these cards. Good luck!
When my younger daughter was away at college I sent her all different kinds of stuff. The usual holiday cards, candy holders. What she really needed was "Thank you" notes to give to school staff (as a Senior & President of her Sorority she had certain people do something to help her). Or Birthday cards, Thinking of You. At Target in their $1 bin I found a card kit where she could put together a Thank You/Thinking of you card. You could put together a kit to make a card (with embellishments) & also include with it several different stamped sentiments so she could choose. Do feminine, male or just in between. This way if she needs a card to give she has it. School book store cards aren't cheaper.
You could also send her little notes before you send her a gift for her room. So she has something to look forward to. How about a little photo album with photos contributed by family and friends. (You could space out her getting new pages.) They could include a note too.If she has a bulletin board in her dorm room you could include some stuff to hang on it (photos, quotes, notes from family & friends).
When my daughter was at school, I decorated mini kraft bags for the 12 days of Christmas. I filled each with goodies and shipped the box to her roommate, who gave her a bag each day. She loved it.
I will be doing the same for my 2nd daughter this holiday.
Check what school they are at. My eldest's school has a mandetory meal plan for Freshman. He was buying food to bring home at the end of the semesters so sending food/sweets wasn't a good idea.
He does appreciate the random we love you/miss you/thinking of you cards. I haven't been good enough to send them every week but I try to send about once a month.
I'm interested in this too, as my first child is heading off to collegel in the fall. Would love a list of ideas, or Pinterest pins, from which to pull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
K
Weekly? You are the best mom ever! My daughter goes to school 2000 miles away and she gets a package once in a while and cards in between. I send treats, essentials like bath gel and lip balm, Target gift cards, magazines, holiday decorations, cute dorm stuff and t-shirts or sweaters, depending on the season. Around Thanksgiving, I sent an Advent Calendar and some holiday garlands. For Valentine's Day, I sent a big box of all kinds of candy and all the stuff to make treat bags for all her friends -- tags, cello bags, ribbon, stickers. It was a big hit with the friends and she enjoyed making them.
Mary Beth
Also depending on major/clubs/frats/sororities they may want/need/appreciate things of a certain theme.
Mine has moved completely off campus this year so I am going to look for different things that when he was completely on campus. Also his favorite restaurants aren't gift card-able as they are local (which probably works out cheaper anyway). TBH it might just be re-charging his gas card. It is really is the practicle things oh and I am sending in a pie for him and his apartment buddies.
FWIW brownies baked in a foil pan and wrapped in foil and then ziplocked do go through the post quite well but mine has gotten them within a couple of days in a medium flat rate box. I sent that for birthday last year with a few candles.
Just remember that dorm rooms are tiny tiny tiny.... and if they will have room for 3D items... I know mine brought home a lot of 3D items and keeps his cards to display year to year.
For those students who are off campus or in an apartment style dorm where they can cook, send them zip bags of all the dry makings for soups, stews, chili, etc. You can stamp/decorate a topper with the how to instructions. That way then can get a homemade meal without buying all the ingredients themselves.
You would be surprised at how willing they are to make basic easy meals. A pot of something is really great when the weather is nasty or during end of semester study crunch time and they can stay in. My son made chili all the time last year for himself and his roomates. They get tired of fast food when it is an everyday, 3 meals a day thing.
Stacy - that's a great idea! My daughter lives in a dorm - she will be a sophomore this year - but each building has a little kitchen on the first floor. She gets so tired of college food.
Hmmm - maybe start a recipe book (use a small scrapbook or cheap plastic photo holder) and send a written recipe card with the spices, so it is a gift that keeps building and is useful!
My son is starting his third year and just moved into an apartment this past weekend and I was thinking of making him a cookbook although to be honest most kids just do an internet search if they want to make something. If I send him the stuff and instructions then he'll make what ever I've sent him because it would be easier than looking it up on the internet. Then again maybe that's a guy thing, lol.
Last year his dorm had a kitchenette and he actually had fun making chilli, tacos, breakfast for dinner, etc. He was so tired of the on campus fast food and the dorm hall's were mostly expensive all you can eats.
I am thinking of getting a canvas board that I can stamp on for a christmas present. A special present just from "mom"!! now to decide what to stamp on it......
My daughter heads off for her first year this fall too... and I will send a card periodically, sometimes with a gift card inside. Also going away is her not exactly boyfriend who is her best friend and our family feels like we are parting with 2 kids. He will be getting cards and treats too.
Maybe we should start a support group! Seriously though, it's exciting to see them start their own lives and cheer them on.
The empty nester thing gets easier, I PROMISE! I have since remembered I'm a person too, not just a mom and it's okay to think of and take care of me first.
I had thought about making a calendar, organizer or stationary supplies holder but knew they wouldn't get used by my son, just not a guy thing. Those of you with daughters might want to make them though. Who knows you might actually get one of your own cards back with a letter in it occasionally.
Some ideas: candy care packages for Halloween and Valentines Day; end of semester study box with junky and healthy snacks
With all the electronic communication available today, I don't think that snail mail has the same impact as it did when I was in college (I remember checking the mailroom twice a day!) But I still wanted to have my kids and others (a friend's daughter at West Point) have something regularly. So I print up a sheet of labels with their address and have that ready, and each week I send the colored comics from the Sunday paper. I jot a short note on it, stuff it in an envelope and slap on a label. IF I have time I decorate the envelope. It only takes one regular stamp too. Voila - frequent snail mail!
__________________ Jo AnnMy SCS gallery / my blogThe cure for everything is salt water - sweat, tears or the sea~Isak Dinesen FS 776
if you have never tried pinterest; you need to check it out. It is a site that offers a ton of ideas by doing a search 'handmade teen cards' or whatever. It also is a great place to store and put into folders the ideas you want to use in the future, from other blogs.
if you want to try a free membership, just send me a message.
__________________ Carolyn
my avatar: (such desparation), Dear God, if you can't make me thin; make my
friends fat"
Some ideas: candy care packages for Halloween and Valentines Day; end of semester study box with junky and healthy snacks
With all the electronic communication available today, I don't think that snail mail has the same impact as it did when I was in college (I remember checking the mailroom twice a day!) But I still wanted to have my kids and others (a friend's daughter at West Point) have something regularly. So I print up a sheet of labels with their address and have that ready, and each week I send the colored comics from the Sunday paper. I jot a short note on it, stuff it in an envelope and slap on a label. IF I have time I decorate the envelope. It only takes one regular stamp too. Voila - frequent snail mail!
This is so true -- I looked forward to newspaper clippings from my mom, even more than the letters she wrote. My daughter loves getting mail and packages, partially because it is a novelty now. Most students at her school live relatively close to school and go just home when they need stuff and don't get packages.
Mary Beth
I send our kids cards weekly while at college, to let them know we love them & miss them & to fill them in on the weeks events. Our son just graduated this past year from college & by the end, he wasn't even opening the envelopes that came. He did always enjoy getting them in the mail though. When I'd just get busy & forget, he'd be after me about sending them. LOL Our daughter, gets embarrassed when I send things for her friends & at times, hasn't even given them out. She does enjoy the words of encouragement too and I have learned, especially with having TWO in college at one time, to make them small & quick! I've ended up making their cards 3" x 3"; super quick! And if there is a special occasion, then I make a normal A2 size card. The school our kids go to recommend/sell care packages for holidays & exam times....(they're expensive & don't have what our kids like in them either). But, this is something to think about when sending care packages! Kids love their munchies! (So do we adults! LOL)
I sent a few cards a semester (not weekly) but at least once a month. The big thing is to decorate the envelope because other people then "SEE" their fun mail. One girl on his floor actually had bought the same paper pad - so it starts a conversation. So I don't think Snail mail is out of favor but it is difficult to know what to say after you have probably texted and Skyped! so I leave snail mail for the "we love you" "we Miss you" "you can do it" "you've got this" sort of messages.
IMHO care packages are better from home because they can be tailored to the student. I know they are a fundraiser but honestly there was a kid on my kid's floor that got one and the fruit was moldy.
Lastly (for now) be careful sending "party balloons" or anything that a kid on the floor could be allergic to.
Breakfast chew bars were a favorite with my lot. Relatively healthy and can carry it until needed and eat just about anywhere.
Having sons in the Navy is a little different but when they first went to boot camp I sent cards with a double purpose, like a bookmark, a puzzle, a maze, or a diorama. etc. Also the first care package had several Thank You cards for personal use and labels for other family members. Now I send a card a week and a box a month to the son on a ship. Very challenging to make so many masculine cards!
Having sons in the Navy is a little different but when they first went to boot camp I sent cards with a double purpose, like a bookmark, a puzzle, a maze, or a diorama. etc. Also the first care package had several Thank You cards for personal use and labels for other family members. Now I send a card a week and a box a month to the son on a ship. Very challenging to make so many masculine cards!
I do this with my Marine son who has another half year in Afghanistan to go yet. My big strong Marine says he keeps them all and puts them up on his bullion board. He challenged me to get it covered before he left. (Of course, he didn't tell me how big it is).I also send him some white chocolate macadamia nut bars (his favorite) which he shares with his guys. For military, most everything is provided and even though we email, I think he really likes the little "I miss you" "I'm thinking of you" "Stay safe" and "lots of love" cards. Even at 40 something, they are still like little kids away at summer camp and love to hear from home.
OK I am going to put this out there and it obviously depends on the relationship you have with your child - personal hygiene stuff is probably low on their shopping list and or can easily run out and can be "embarrassing" to shop for in a crowd of peers.
Also we have a "rule" with our kids that we would rather they be protected than deal with the consequences of not being protected. It is something we all have to consider as we let them fly, we have had years to teach them values, morals, ethics, we felt that college is time not to judge and support their right to their decisions. Even as mom to boys I have told them if they think asking for protection from their mother is embarrassing just think about telling mom you're unexpectedly going to be a parent is going to be like.
Granola bars are a great idea as well as: popcorn, K-cups and peanut butter snacks of any kind. I don't feel obliged to buy fund raising care packages, I pay the college enough $$$ already. My son is super picky and all likely-hood would not like half or more of whats in it anyway.
RiverIsis, I read the last line of your post to my son just now and he said "she has a point".
My daughter's freshman year I purchased several recordable cards and used them at times- the family was able to sing her happy birthday since we wouldn't be there in person; I sent her one with my good-morning wake up song that I sung her most mornings until college and we all yelled out a cheer when we were going to miss attending one of her lacrosse games.
Hi! I am sending my son off to college in 2 weeks, and my idea was to make cards to send to him, all with his school colors! So far I've made 24 cards with various amounts of orange and royal blue, along with neutrals..white, grey, black. Most cards are clean & simple, cased from pinterest, with the colors changed! Also got orange envelopes. Just an idea!
I just remembered something I used to do with my dad.
I would get him those really huge cards with a big animal or something on it.
He used to play darts. We would take those cards and turn them into a board-make point areas on it and tack it to the real dart board. It was different from the regular board, made us laugh and was a good memory.
I dont know if they allow darts on campus or in the military. But maybe a velcro version. Guys always seem to like darts. If they can have real darts my suggestion would be for them to use those 1 foot square cork boards below it and around it to avoid wall holes. Dad and I didnt do that and step mom was not happy with us.
I just remembered something I used to do with my dad.
I would get him those really huge cards with a big animal or something on it.
He used to play darts. We would take those cards and turn them into a board-make point areas on it and tack it to the real dart board. It was different from the regular board, made us laugh and was a good memory.
I dont know if they allow darts on campus or in the military. But maybe a velcro version. Guys always seem to like darts. If they can have real darts my suggestion would be for them to use those 1 foot square cork boards below it and around it to avoid wall holes. Dad and I didnt do that and step mom was not happy with us.
Nerf gun ;) especially if the campus has Humans v Zombies
Card or 3D ideas to send college daughter each week
