You can support your college student’s endeavors by sending them a care package. What you send, whether it is essentials like toiletries or fun stuff like snacks, will be greatly appreciated by your student.
Nine Great Care Packages
Care packages for students are incredibly creative and can be customized with favorite brands or specific things your student requested. Are you looking for some ideas? Make the student in your life the envy of his dorm with these ideas.
Winter Love Care Package
How much time does your student spend in a climate that is very cold during part of the year? The best way to keep her warm and toasty this winter is to put together a care package that she will love despite the chilly temperatures outside. There are many things that can be included in a great winter care package, including:
- The mug of your choice
- There is nothing better than a hot cup of tea or hot chocolate
- The best gourmet coffee available in an instant
- If you would like to have a mug warmer (check first to see if these are allowed in dorms)
- A bag of mini marshmallows is included in the package
- Spoons that are covered in chocolate
- Blanket made from wool
- Shoes with slippers
- A pair of fleece pajamas bottoms, or long johns made from fleece
- Soups that are ready in an instant
In addition to the items in the box, you can add other warm clothing items like socks, a scarf or hat as filler to the box.
Cozy Dorm Room Care Package
There is no doubt that one of the hardest things about living in a dorm is making it feel like home. With a care package from the heart, you can help your student make her dorm room more than just a place to live. Consider including some of the following items in your proposal:
- Attach a dry erase marker to the back of a scrapbooking paper and frame it. If you want to leave messages for your friends on this board, then you can use it as a dry erase board.
- You can hang a small magnetic chalkboard on the door to give roommates the opportunity to leave notes for each other, or friends can leave notes to let them know they have dropped by.
- There is nothing better than a sign with a favorite quote on it
- Depending on your dorm room, you may need an additional package of sticky tack or blue painter’s tape (since you cannot generally use push pins or nails in the room)
- A feather duster and Lysol wipes are the best cleaning tools you can use
- Postcards with pre-addressed and stamped addresses that you can write home with
- For your bed, you will need a favorite blanket, a throw pillow, as well as a dust ruffle
- If you have inflatable furniture in your room, it will add a sense of fun to the room, and offer people a place to sit instead of sitting on their beds.
- Decor for the holidays or for the season, such as window clings or a poster, would make a nice addition
Personal Items Care Package
On a college campus, toiletries can be extremely expensive. This is especially true if your student is attending college in a smaller town that lacks a large department store that can provide supplies on a daily basis.
Moreover, your college student might not have the time to shop for personal items or may not have the money to purchase them. It is important to take into consideration the following items when creating your checklist:
- Flip-flops made of plastic that can be used in the shower
- Wrap your towels so it’s easy to take them to and from the showers (guys also appreciate this gift)
- The following products are available to you: shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, and lotion
- Blades of razors
- Using a deodorant
- Use a body spray or cologne that has a light scent
- There is a foot massage roller that can be used to massage your feet
- Using a loofah
- Spa items such as face masks and nail polishes are fun ways to pamper yourself
- A nail clipper is a tool that is used for trimming nails
- It is important to use hair gel, hair spray, or other styling products when styling your hair
- If necessary, contact lens solution should be used
First Aid Care Package
There is a possibility that if your student gets sick or injured, he may not have the time or means to go to the drugstore to pick up some items that he might need. I recommend that you make this package and send it right at the beginning of the semester so that he will be prepared for the course. There’s no doubt that he will appreciate having these things on hand if he needs them in the future. You might want to take a look at some of these items:
- Dietary supplements
- There are a number of over-the-counter pain relievers available, such as ibuprofen
- Hand gel with antibacterial properties
- The original Band-Aid®
- A bandage made out of Ace
- An effective antiseptic
- Medications such as DayQuil that are generally used for colds
- This is Zicam.
- It’s Emerge-C.
- Assorted tissues
- Tea bags that are hot to the touch
Cleaning Aids Care Package
I think the reality is that students have to clean their rooms whether it is dusting or doing laundry at the end of the day. By creating a package that takes care of these specific needs, you can make the job a little easier for yourself. It might be a good idea to include the following items in your list:
- There is a mesh bag that can be used for washing delicate items
- Balls made from wool for drying clothes
- Washing machine quarters for the laundromat
- To make carrying laundry detergent easier, there is a small bottle of laundry detergent available
- Wipes that are antibacterial and can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks
- Dusting feathers with a feather duster
- Vacuum cleaner that can be held in one hand (such as a DustBuster)
- Electronic device wipes that are suitable for use on electronic devices
- Towels made from paper
- Sprays that deodorize or freshen up the room are available
Birthday in a Box
You can make your student feel loved with a fun, birthday-in-a-box care package if he is away from home and celebrating his birthday while he is away from home. If you would like to include some for his roommates, then make sure that you include enough so that he can have a little party!
- Ice cream made from freeze-dried ingredients
- Baking a cake in the microwave
- A birthday banner or streamers would be perfect for the occasion
- Hats to wear on your birthday
- Party noisemakers are a great way to get the party started
- Snacks that you enjoy the most
Ultimate Sports Fan Package
You can make sure that your student is prepared for big games whether she watches them in the stadium or in her dorm room by giving her a care package that indulges her sports-fanatic side. It is possible that this package will include the following:
- Items that can be purchased from the school store, such as foam fingers, pom-poms or sports pennants, for the fans.
- You can wear a college sweatshirt or other clothing items in the colors of your college
- If you plan on watching fall games at the stadium, you will need hand or seat warmers
- In order to watch the movie at home, you will need microwave popcorn and a popcorn bowl
- If you are a true fan of the school, you will want to paint your face or body in school colors
- Changing the color of your hair temporarily to match the colors of your school
Stress Relieving Care Package
There is nothing more stressful than being in college. Finals, exams, papers, and a seemingly endless amount of reading can cause things to become extremely stressful and difficult. Make your student and her friends feel better by gifting them with a package that oozes silliness and helps relieve stress.
Make sure you pack enough for you and your friends to share! It is possible that your package will include the following items:
- A silly string of words
- It’s a slinky
- With marshmallows in the gun, you can shoot them
- Whether you’re playing cards or playing games like Uno, Phase 10 or Dutch Blitz, there’s something for everyone
- Playing group games like Bop It with your friends can be a lot of fun
- Play-dough or Silly Putty is a great alternative to Silly Putty
- What is the difference between a chia pet and a bonsai tree?
Studious Student Care Package
Want to show your college student that you are supportive of their educational goals? Would you like them to know that you are there for them? You might consider sending a package that is specifically designed to help you study. There are lots of items on this list that are a bit expensive for a student budget, but are sure to be very useful for them. It would be a good idea to include the following:
- Adding a bookmark
- Using highlighters
- There is nothing more fun than pens and pencils, especially if they have fun designs on them.
- Sharpener for pencils that can be carried around with you
- Music CD with classical music on it
- Notes on sticky notes
- A USB flash drive is a portable storage device
- Clips are used to hold papers together
- Buying educational apps using an iTunes gift card is a great idea
- A stress ball is a great stress reliever
Pre-Made Packages You Can Buy
There are a number of companies that cater to this need if you want to send care packages, but you don’t have the time to put them together all on your own. In other words, these companies do most of the packing for you, so that you don’t have to worry about whether your student will receive a great package.
CampusCube
The CampusCube offers a variety of care packages for students, including packages geared towards girls as well as packages geared towards boys. There are also a variety of situations that are covered in care packages. As an example, they provide a package filled with useful items to help your student through the final exams, for example.
As well as packages designed for birthdays and holidays, you can also choose from a variety of options. If you would like to subscribe to a pre-paid plan of up to eight care packages, you can either purchase an individual care package or subscribe to an individual care package. (There will be no monthly billing.)
If you choose the pre-paid plan, you can even choose which months in the school year your child gets a care package, so that it fits your child’s school year exactly. In addition to only using the best, healthy, gourmet ingredients, CampusCube ships via USPS Priority Mail, and there is a low, flat-rate shipping charge that you can find on their website.
Hip Kits
At Hip Kits, you can choose from a wide range of packages that are specifically designed with the college student in mind. Each box includes food items, as well as a ‘bit of inspiration’ and something fun for you to enjoy. There is a wide range of options available to you, ranging from organic choices to junk food and everything in between.
There are many themes you can choose from, such as exams, thinking of you, or holidays. You can also join Hip Kits’ Kit-of-the-Month club where each month a new kit is delivered to your student, so that he or she never runs out.
A really nice thing about Hip Kits is that you can customize the pre-made options with various ‘add-ons,’ which makes it really easy to create a personalized care package by mixing and matching the options. The prices of kits are typically between $20 and $50, so you won’t have to break the bank to purchase one.
CarePackages.com
There is a website called Carepackages.com that offers a variety of themed baskets that may fit your specific needs. There are categories such as ‘exams,’ or ‘holidays,’ and they offer ready-made packages that range from $20 to $100. As part of every care package, you will find snack food included and there are many different options to choose from.
There are many options for customers to choose from, such as cookies in tins, to full packages that include candy, chips, and other fun items that are based on the theme of the party.
In addition to that, they also offer a variety of care package plans. There are a number of care package plans available ranging in price from $90 for three care packages to be sent out in the fall to $161 for six care packages to be sent throughout the year. If you wish, you can also include personalized messages in your package for your student.
Mirth-in-a-Box
Mirth-in-a-Box might be the perfect place for your child who doesn’t take himself too seriously, if you have a student who may take himself too seriously. With Mirthinabox.com you can receive fun novelty items in the mail in a box. There are many things that can be used as examples, such as things like Shakespearean insult mugs, disguise glasses or Frisbees.
In their college section, you can find boxes full of fun novelty items and snacks for everyone in your college class. You can browse boxes by occasion, such as a holiday, or by reason (such as sending a get well soon package), or by the type of package you want to send. Also, there is the option for you to design your own package from scratch, which is a nice feature for a company that provides care packages.
Due to the huge variety, prices can range from $30 to about $90, so you’re certain to find something that fits your budget since there are so many options to choose from.
From Mom
Care packages from From-mom.com focus on food items like cookies, candy, soup and snacks. You have multitudes of options including themed packages for things like finals, packages that contain just cookies, a ‘Club Mom’ option that lets you pre-order care packages for the whole year, and a customizable option so you can build your own care package.
Prices vary greatly, with a box of cookies for just under $25 to a more developed theme package for over $100. You can also order a pre-made package and add individual items, adding to the total cost of the box.
Gift Boxes by Mail
Gift Boxes by Mail specializes in customized gift boxes for $20 or less. You build the box with a wide selection of novelty and snack items. While the company doesn’t do large gift boxes or baskets, they do make nice boxes full of sweets or snacks (or anything else you want to put in there) that are perfect-sized for fitting into a shoebox.
Amazon Prime Pantry
While Amazon Prime Pantry is not specifically geared toward sending care packages to your college student, it is worth considering, especially if you have a student who is in an apartment. Items available include snacks, cleaning supplies, and even toiletries. For a flat shipping rate, you get to fill a box and they will deliver it.
You can also shop from past lists, which makes it convenient to remember what you have sent.
To Student With Love
Whether you are supporting your student by sending needed items like toiletries, or you just want to send a little something that says, ‘I Love You,’ it’s hard to go wrong with a care package. Create your own or buy a prepackaged box from a company, or alternate between the two the keep your student guessing.