School report gifts — celebrate a year of hard work, the holidays can begin

A gift with the school report is a lovely tradition to round off a school period. The most important thing is why you give something — and with a few simple rules of thumb you’ll easily choose something that fits:

• Celebrate the effort, not just the mark. A child who fought tooth and nail for a 6 (a pass on the Dutch 1–10 scale) deserves a pat on the back just as much as a child for whom everything comes easily. By celebrating the effort — and not purely the marks — you send a far more valuable message: perseverance pays off.
• Big or small, it doesn’t matter. A school report gift doesn’t have to be expensive — a small surprise often works just as well. Choose something that suits your child and the moment; it’s the gesture that counts.
• Matching their interests. A child who loves drawing will be delighted with nice drawing supplies, a reader with an exciting book, a builder with a set to tinker with. Something that ties in with a hobby instantly feels personal.
• Something that stays fun for a long time. A book, a board game or good drawing supplies last much longer than a plastic trinket that’s forgotten after a day.
• Celebrating together is often the real gift. A day out or just a cosy moment together — a high five, a big hug and a heartfelt “I’m so proud of you” — often does more than any gift.

Time together may well be the very best school report gift there is. Especially at the end of the school year, a day out is the perfect way to kick off the holidays in style:

• A day at a theme park, the zoo or the swimming pool
• Going to the cinema together, with popcorn
• Getting an ice cream or pancakes at your favourite place
• A “you choose” evening: your child picks both dinner and the film
• An afternoon at a climbing centre, trampoline park or mini golf

Torn between a day out and something tangible? A VVV Cadeaukaart (a Dutch gift card) can be used in lots of places (at the cinema, the Efteling theme park, zoos and many days out) and is valid for 3 years — a particularly nice gift for slightly older children, because they can choose a day out with it themselves. Does your child love discovering things? With a Museumkaart (the Dutch museum pass) you can visit a huge number of museums for free for a whole year — a gift you’ll enjoy all year round (and every holiday). More inspiration for experiences as gifts in our article on sustainable giving.

Celebrating a school report doesn’t have to cost much. It’s about recognition — and you can show that just as well with attention and a bit of festivity:

• A special breakfast with something tasty and a little garland over the table
• A friend can come over to play or for a sleepover
• A film night with a blanket, popcorn and choosing the film themselves
• A home-made “certificate of compliments” or a sweet note in the lunch box
• Baking and decorating something together — and then of course eating it

What suits which age? A short guide, with links to our detailed gift ideas per age group:

• Infant classes (groep 1–2, ages 4–6): the first little reports, or simply rounding off a lovely school year. Choose something cheerful or cosy: a puzzle, a (read-aloud) book or an ice cream together. See our gift ideas for age 4 and ages 5–6.
• Middle and upper primary (groep 3–8, ages 6–12): from groep 3 the first “real” reports arrive and children understand better and better what effort means. Think of a book about their hobby, a board game, drawing supplies or a day out. See the ideas for ages 7–8, ages 9–10 and ages 11–12. Is your child just finishing groep 3? Then a first reader at the right AVI level (the Dutch reading-level scale) is a gift that ties in perfectly with what they’ve learned this year.
• Brugklas & secondary school: those first secondary-school reports are often tough. A gift card, something for their room or hobby, or simply doing something fun together works well. See our ideas for ages 13+.

Not every report is a party, and that’s OK. That’s exactly when a child needs support and confidence above all — not punishment. A few things that help:

• Name what did go well. Almost every report has bright spots — a subject that improved, a kind comment from the teacher, or simply the effort it took.
• Give calm and a hug. Disappointment is allowed. Show that you love your child, regardless of the marks.
• Mark a fresh start. A small surprise with the message “we’ll tackle this together” can be really motivating — a school report gift really isn’t only for a 10 out of 10.