The Hidden Power of Smencils

Smencils are one of our most successful fundraising products! They are pencils that have a scent. There are many reasons to choose smencils instead of regular pencils this school year! Scent is proven to affect the user's mood and they are made from recycled material that is better for the Earth.

What are Smencils Made From?

When the idea of scented pencils came about in 2000, it proved difficult to scent wood. So, unlike regular pencils that are formed from trees, smencils are created with recycled newspaper. 172,000 Smencils can be made from just 430 newspapers! In this way, smencils are more responsible for the environment.

Besides smencils, we also offer smens! Smencils and smens are very fun products for kids to use at school and collect or trade with their friends. Once your child has one, they will certainly want more!

The Power of Scent

Smencils’ goal is not just to make writing fun, it is also to affect the user with the power of scent! Your sense of smell can trigger memories, make you hungry, and even boost your mood! Smencils release a scent that can be your child's favorite smell or remind them of a family vacation. It is said lemon can help a person feel more alert and focused. Try a lemon smencil for your student!

Another trick to try with your smencils is studying with one particular scent, say strawberry. Then when test time comes, use the same strawberry smencil. The words and facts you have studied will be more easily remembered when you harness the power of scent!

If you or your school is interested in selling smencils and are excited to get your hands on this popular product, the best distributor is Gifts 'N Things. We offer the absolute LOWEST price on the internet plus free freight! However, seasonal products sell out fast, so order early because there is a limited supply! VISIT ilovesmencils.com or CALL: (800) 468-7511 today!

Gifts to Give Your Child's Teacher for Back to School.

Teachers are some of the most underappreciated people on the planet.

They work hard to make sure our children’s education is always top-notch and push them to become better people day in and day out. Every now and then, teachers deserve some recognition.

It’s always good to start off on the right foot with your child’s new teacher, so getting them a gift is never a bad idea. Some of the gifts could be a simple craft project that you and your child did or other practical options that you can just purchase.

Here are 10 ideas that you can consider:

1. A gift card. It’s simple and you don’t have to work too hard on this one. Teachers can always use $10 to a coffee shop or a nice $20 gift certificate to one of the nicer restaurants in town.
2. School supplies. Teachers can always use some extra pens, a stapler here or there or some colorful Post-It notes to help them out during the year. Teachers usually have to buy their own supplies, so getting them this simple gift will help them save money out of their own pocketbook.
3. Homemade Cookies. If you want to get to a teacher’s heart right off the bat, give them some junk food. What teacher wouldn’t turn down a fresh box of chocolate chip cookies? Besides, teachers never get enough time to eat during the day. They’re lucky if they get 15 minutes for a lunch break. A box of chocolates would also work!
4. Supply Cup or Jar. Teachers always need places to store pens or other school supplies. If you can get them a crafty cup to hold their pens, they would be very grateful. Your kids can help personalize it by painting or decorating it to add a special touch.
5. A photo album. This is a little retro, but some people still like to keep their photos in albums. This keepsake will help teachers keep track of photos with each class that they teach. What teacher wouldn’t love that?
6. A plant. Putting a simple seedling in a cup or pot would be a special gift from your child to their teacher. They can both watch the plant grow over time and help take care of it together.
7. A bulletin board. Teachers have to fill out endless amounts of paperwork and have to keep track of everything that is going on in their personal lives at the same time. A bulletin board is a simple thing to give them to keep track of everything that is going on at school and at home.
8. A tote bag. Bringing in loads of items to school every day is the norm for educators. A simple bag or tote bag that will help them carry their supplies would be more than welcomed.
9. A water bottle. Staying refreshed during the day is something that teachers don’t always think about. They go from class to class and forget to eat and drink during the day. Having a water bottle in front of them will be good for their health and remind them to stay hydrated.
10. A good book. Endless grading and research go into teaching lesson plans every day. Teachers can always use a break from reality. So, why not give them a good book to read on the weekends? They will appreciate the thought that went into buying something a little more personal.

How to Get Your Kids Ready for the School Year

Now that the summer is nearing its end, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming school year. It may seem early for some families to start getting ready for school, but it’s worth it to help your kids prepare and look forward to their best year yet! Before summer comes to an end, take a peek at this list on how to get your kids ready for the school year:

Shop Wisely

Getting back to school can seem like it costs a small fortune. Look around the house for items that you can reuse, such as pencils, backpacks, and calculators, and take a look in the closet with your kids before purchasing a new wardrobe. You can also host a school supply swap with other parents and shop thrift stores for excellent deals on back-to-school goods.

Set Expectations

With busy schedules and new friends, it can be easy to lose focus and fall off track. Help your child set expectations for academics, family time, and chores. Encourage healthy behaviors; help them define and prioritize the important things, and remind them of their expectations regularly. It may also help to teach them to use a planner or set up a chore chart.

Rethink Study Habits

Implementing consistent study habits will set your kids up to be future scholars. Encourage healthy reading, studying, and work habits. Encourage them to always ask questions. It can also help to set up a study nook for them with all the necessary school supplies. This can help them focus and take pride in their work, as well as provide a dependable place for them to study.

Start a Normal Sleeping Schedule

Sleep is an important part of living a healthy, happy, and energized life. If your child’s sleep schedule (or yours, for that matter) was thrown off by the summer, start sending them to bed at an appropriate time and getting them out of bed earlier at least a week before school starts. Giving them time to adjust will make the transition run much more smoothly.

Encourage Healthy Behaviors

In addition to sleep, encourage healthy behaviors for your kids. Get them in the habits of eating a healthy and nutritious diet. Make sure they get in some physical activity every day. Promote respect, open-mindedness, and healthy ways of dealing with emotions and the emotions of others.

Open the Lines of Communication

As exciting as the school year is for kids, there will always be certain challenges that your kids may face. Between bullying, learning challenges, and busy schedules, maintain open and honest lines of communication. Remind them that they can come to you for anything. This can encourage them and help build their confidence before they dive into the new school year.  

It’s never too early thinking about school and all the fun, educational, and exciting things your kids will get to look forward to this year! And if you are looking for more ways to prepare and celebrate the new school year, visit Gifts ’N Things for more information.

Get Back into School Spirit with Gifts ‘N Things

With summer halfway over, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming school year! Gifts ‘N Things offers plenty of items to help your kids get back in the mindset of school and encourage some school spirit.

Fall is often the busiest time of the year for families. Students, in particular, are thrown back into a full school schedule packed to the brim with sports, clubs, and extracurricular. How can you help your child feel school spirit and a sense of pride in the teams and clubs they belong to?

Gifts ‘N Things offers a variety of high-quality and personalized activewear to promote and unite school groups. You can design with school colors and mascots in mind. The versatility and ability to personalize make our active wear lines a hit with sports teams and school clubs. The affordability of Gifts ‘N Things items can also make it easier on the family budget if your child is involved in a variety of groups.

With a wide range of activewear, outerwear, and much more, you can outfit the entire team with tops, jackets, caps, and pants. And these options aren’t limited to students; our range of polos, knitwear, and customizable shirts will look excellent for teachers and parents who want to show their school pride on casual Fridays and at school events.

You can also get the whole family involved with some school spirit. Gifts ‘N Things offers a whole line of totes, cinch packs, travel bags, coolers, and more to represent your children’s team for when the whole family is on the go! Additionally, there are infant, toddler, and youth-sized active wear in t-shirts, polos, caps, activewear, and outerwear that will involve little siblings in school spirit. And with excellent sizing options in tall and ladies’ fit, there’s something to fit every body type. The whole team will look sharper than ever!

When it comes to repping the team, look no further than Gifts ‘N Things for your school spirit essentials! Take a look everything that Gifts ‘N Things has to offer to get your school year off on the right foot.

Shop Gifts ‘N Things for Back to School Supplies

Retail stores aren’t the only places where you can shop for back to school items for your young, bright students. Explore Gifts ‘N Things for colorful, unique, and exciting school tools and accessories for this school year.

Smencils, Smens, Smarkers, Oh My!

Help your child understand what it is to be environmentally-responsible from a young age. These colorful writing and drawing tools are created from recycled newspapers and corn-based biodegradable plastic, and, additionally come with environmentally-friendly packaging and biodegradable erasers. They come in a variety of delectable smells, and your kids can choose from a variety of options including glitter, metallic, seasonal, mini-sized, and more! Learn how to mix your own here!

Highlighters and Erasers

Check out colorful, fun-shaped erasers like the quirky Dino Puzzle eraser and vibrant fruit-scented erasers so your kids can really make the most of their education and have fun learning. Look in the Lil’ Shopper’s Shoppe for more fun school accessories.

Incentive Prizes

For all the teachers out there, Gifts ‘N Things has a collection of items that you can use in the classroom as incentive prizes, small gifts, and classroom tools to reward excellent behaviors and fantastic scholarship. Browse our selection of monster/zombie finger tattoos, tornado high bounce balls, and jurassic putty, as well as putty, rings, bracelets, stickers, and more!

Personalized School Spirit Apparel

Get your kid in style by adding some school spirit to their closet. Personalizing t-shirts and hoodie sweatshirts can be a practical addition to your school supply list or a fun Christmas or birthday present. With an array of colors and designs to choose from—school emblems, mascots, buildings, and more— the quality and versatility that the school spirit apparel adds to your child’s wardrobe can make any school year more exciting. Start designing your apparel here.

Gifts ‘N Things offers a variety of presents and supplies for holidays and birthday, but they also have items that make for excellent additions to your child’s school supply list. Start your search today.