End-of-season gifts for kids don't have to cost much. Children love things that show they belong: a medal, a photo with the whole team, a sentence from the coach meant just for them. Here are end-of-season gifts by budget per child, for coaches who want to bring something along and for parents who give together.
Who gives the children something at the end of the season?
Often the coach, sometimes out of their own pocket, more often from the team kitty. It is just as common for the parents to club together and the coach to hand the gifts over, because it means more coming from them. Sort this out early in the parents' group chat, so you don't end up with two gifts on the table, or none at all.
Ask at your club, too, whether there is a small budget for the youth section. It costs nothing to ask.
End-of-season gifts for kids: what costs how much?
The amounts below are rough guides per child. One rule matters more than the price: every child gets the same. The ideas are described as end-of-season football gifts for kids and work just as well for handball, hockey or basketball.
Up to about €3 per child: small gestures
That is plenty for a little something from the coach, and the youngest are often the happiest with it.
A certificate with a sentence just for that child
On each certificate the coach writes what stood out about that particular child this season: “You didn't miss a single training session” or “Your pass before the equaliser in the derby”. Printed on thick paper, it costs next to nothing, and children often keep these for a long time.
Medals for everyone
For the little ones, there is hardly anything better than a medal round their neck. Simple medals on a ribbon are cheap in bulk; stick a label with the name and season on the back.
A print of the team photo
A postcard-sized print for every child, signed on the back by all the coaches. A good phone photo at the last training session is all you need.
Ice cream for everyone after the last session
Not an object, but a moment the children will remember. Ask about allergies and intolerances beforehand.
Up to about €10 per child: something to keep
At this level, the coach and the team kitty often share the cost. Things the children will bring along again next season work well.
Their own player card
Design a trading card for every child: photo, shirt number, position and three strengths filled in by the coach. Print a full set for every child, and the swapping starts in the changing room.
A bag tag with name and number
A small tag for the kit bag, printed with their name and shirt number. In a crowded changing room every child finds their bag straight away, and the tag stays on for as long as the bag lasts.
A small ball to take home
A mini ball for kicking about in the garden or bedroom, signed by the coaching team. For handball, a soft indoor ball works well.
From all the parents together: the bigger gift
If every family puts in a fixed amount, more becomes possible without anyone paying a lot. Ask every family before you settle on the gift.
A team yearbook for the whole squad
In a Flashbook every child gets their own double-page spread with two photos and their answers, plus extra pages: the team photo, a page for team awards and blank pages for friends and family to write in. For children, the parents fill in the questionnaire, and photos and answers are used only for the book; more on that under Children's photos and data protection. One book costs €24.90, €22.90 with 3 or more teams from your club in one order and €19.90 with 5 or more. To see what a book like this looks like for football, have a look at the football team yearbook (what Germans call a Freundebuch).
A trip together
A climbing wall, the outdoor pool, a trampoline park or a match at the stadium: an experience at the end of the season is a gift to the whole group. Make sure you have enough adults coming along.
A towel with name and shirt number
Handy for training, the outdoor pool and tournaments. Embroidered, it costs more than a small token, but it will be straight back in the kit bag next season.
A shirt printed with the season
Everyone gets the same shirt with the team name and season. At the next tournament everyone will recognise the team straight away, and years later the shirt is still a reminder of that one season.
What do children enjoy at which age?
The youngest, in football the under-7s and under-9s (Bambini and F-Jugend), love anything that shines and can be worn round the neck: medals, certificates, an ice cream with the team. With the under-11s and under-13s (E- and D-Jugend), photos, player cards and things with their name on go down well, because children that age love collecting and swapping. From the under-15s (C-Jugend) up, experiences and memories of your time together count for more, especially if the team is being reshuffled next year.
Sharing out fairly: what to look out for
A gift for the whole team should leave nobody out. These points help:
- Everyone gets the same, including children who only joined in spring or rarely came.
- Personal words, yes; rankings, no. A certificate for the “best player” makes one child happy and lots of others sad.
- With sweets, ask about allergies and think of children who don't eat certain things.
- Siblings in the same team each get their own gift.
- Children who are leaving the club still get theirs. Ideas for saying goodbye are in our guide Farewell gift for a teammate.
When do you hand out the gifts?
Ideally at the end-of-season party, when all the children and lots of parents are there. A programme, games and team awards for the day are in our end-of-season party ideas. Order anything with names or printing on it as soon as the date of the party is fixed. With a Flashbook, all the families fill in the questionnaire first, and the books arrive 5 to 7 working days after the last answers and payments.