Written by Erin Dague and Ashley Toler
Being a teacher is not just a career, but a passion and an intentional investment in the next generation. We all know that these special people deserve the world, for helping our children grow into the best possible versions of themselves. Though the WHOLE world isn’t an option, unfortunately, here are 50 ideas to put together beautiful teacher appreciation gifts for the teacher in your life.
School Supplies
Most teachers supply their own classrooms, and about mid-year, things can look a little bleak. Crayons snap, scissors break, tissues get used up, and dry-erase markers dry out. School supplies are always appreciated, and I’ve never met a teacher who didn’t love a good pen!
Essential Oil Diffuser
A diffuser would be a nice gift to receive, to encourage relaxation and wellness. Insert water and essential oils for an aromatherapy experience. They are multi-functional, and a pretty decoration as a bonus.
Personalized Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is on every teacher’s wish list, so this would be a terrific gift. If you have a vinyl cutting machine, this can definitely be a DIY project, and if not, personalized labels can be ordered. Get the biggest bottle you can find, remove the brand labels, clean any left behind residue with vinegar or rubbing alcohol, let dry, then apply your decal. Go with the teacher’s name or a fun quote, like “Spread Kindness, Not Germs.” This gift is extra practical because the bottle can be refilled to use again.
Door Sign
If they don’t already have cute signage with their preferred name on it for their door, this is an awesome gift. Look for clues to personal taste from other classroom decor before deciding on a design.
Message Board
Connection is the basis of every great relationship, and you want to encourage that teacher-child bond. A teacher friend of mine has a message board they change throughout the year, with messages like “Let’s get hyped for 6th grade!” or “Don’t be sus. Turn in your report.” It’s a great gift because it allows their fun and playful personality to shine through and the kids always look forward to the updated board.
Massage Gift Certificate
“You’re holding a lot of tension in your…everything?” If anyone deserves the gift of relaxation, it’s a teacher! Help them achieve momentary zen (while supporting a local business) with the gift of a professional massage.
A Calendar
A wall calendar, or a smaller one for a desk, for the next school year, would be a great idea for a gift. This will help them start early with organizing and planning!
Candle
There’s a reason this is one of the main go-to gifts. Choose a scent they can enjoy at home, or pair it with a warmer (meaning no open flame) and they can use it in their classroom. Add a note with the Ruffini quote “A teacher is a candle that consumes itself in lighting others” to make them and all their efforts feel seen.
Board Games
A new board game, for either the classroom or personal use at home, is a great idea for teacher appreciation week. Connecting with family and students through play is a great way to invest in your child’s education and your teacher.
Gift Cards
You absolutely cannot go wrong with a gift card. Some of the most teacher-requested ones were Amazon, Target, TeachersPayTeachers.com, and Starbucks.
Reusable Water Bottle
Teachers are always on the go, and a nice water bottle is a treasured gift for sure! I know I am always misplacing my favorite one, and it is so nice to have it when I am running everywhere all day. You could also personalize it, for an added touch.
Chocolate
Have you ever hidden in the closet to avoid having to share your morsel of chocolate with anyone else? (Kids can just SENSE you opening a wrapper, am I right?) Then you know chocolate, especially GOOD chocolate, can make a world of difference to someone, making it a perfect gift for an educator.
A Tote Bag
There is no such thing as too many bags! A nice bag with good handles and a wide opening is a great option for gifting. There are many companies that offer personalization and other unique features such as water bottle pockets, and waterproof linings.
Lottery Tickets
Grab a few scratchers, put them in a card, and wish them good luck! Even if they don’t win anything, it’s still nice to know you were thinking of them and wishing them well.
Handwritten Note to Their Principal
One of the greatest gifts you can give anyone is a kind word, and even better than giving it to them personally, go a step further and give it to their BOSS. Principals can’t be everywhere at once, but to have a parent reach out and let them know you think one of their teachers is AMAZING? That’s a great gift that doesn’t cost anything.
A Journal
A journal or hardback notebook would be a nice gift this season. You could pair it with a pen because teachers can never have too many pens!
Hand Warmers
Go ahead and grab a container of these. Every teacher will inevitably have car duty, bus duty, or recess duty. Those air-activated heat packs can help keep a teacher toasty in the chilly weather months,
Tea Gift Set
A tea gift pack could be a nice option for your child’s favorite teacher. You could include loose-leaf tea, a nice teacup, honey sticks, and tea bags to tie it all together. Go with a Chamomile or Lavender blend, to help them relax after a long day in the classroom.
Coffee
Whether you send a bag of a fantastic blend, grab a case of K cups, or email them a gift from Starbucks — coffee is the way to go. Keep them caffeinated so they can keep changing the world.
Cocoa Bombs
If tea or coffee isn’t their jam, maybe a creamy cup of cocoa is. Cocoa bombs have been popular in recent years and you can support a local business in the process of supporting your child’s teacher.
A Comfy Blanket
Help your teacher stay cozy with a comfy blanket or throw to snuggle up under after a long day. The weather outside may be frightful, but a nice blanket is so delightful to the teacher in your life!
Fresh Flowers
A bouquet is one of my kids’ favorite things to give to their teachers. It never fails that they will beam with pride and instantly become slightly bashful at the reception fresh flowers receive.
Potted Plant
Can’t stand the idea of purchasing flowers that are going to wilt? Hold on to hope that your child’s teacher has a bit of a green thumb and send in a potted plant. Make it personal and decorate the pot. Some of our favorite ways are with poured paint or your child’s handprints, with the message “Thanks for helping me grow!”
New Books
Whether it be for personal use or the classroom, your teacher will love a new book to enjoy. Not sure what genre to go with? Grab a gift card from a local bookstore, and let them browse the racks to their heart’s content.
Lotions & Soaps
Another standard go-to gift, make this one extra personal by finding out their scent preference and packing it with a note letting them know you are willing to “lend a hand” when needed.
A Monthly Subscription Box
Do you want to find a gift that keeps on giving? A monthly subscription box would be such a nice gift to receive. There are so many options to choose from, including coffee, chocolate, and fitness options, just to name a few.
Baked Goods
Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, a fresh loaf of dessert bread — I’m salivating just thinking about it. Feed the teachers. I promise, they won’t turn down food, especially some from a local bakery. Send in a box of donuts they can share in the break room, or a special treat just for them.
A Delivery Service Subscription
Teachers live busy lives and often work long days. A nice gift option would be a grocery delivery service, so they could set up and order groceries as needed during those busy weeks. Shipt, Walmart+, and Amazon are just a few suggestions of places that offer this service.
Personalized Tumbler
A fun, personalized tumbler is a practical gift, and it beats out a mug any day of the week. Truth be told, my mugs always wound up as pencil holders. They are too easy to get bumped and make a mess, especially with littles in your classroom.
Carwash Gift Certificates
Keeping with practicality, this is something everyone could use. Better yet, it’s not something bulky that is going to take up a lot of space. Let your teacher enjoy their sparkling clean vehicle, thanks to you. This is an especially thoughtful gift if you know your child’s teacher has a long commute to school.
Bottle of Wine
Many teachers enjoy a glass of wine after a long day, so a nice bottle for Teacher Appreciation Week or a holiday is a great way to show your appreciation. If you are unsure if they drink, you could ask them what their favorite drink is. Usually, teachers have an “about me” paper they fill out to help you with these ideas. It needs to be said, don’t send this well-meaning gift to school with your child — deliver it to their teacher yourself.
Movie Theater or Restaurant Gift Certificate
In the spirit of really treating them, buy them dinner or gift them a movie experience. You can’t go wrong with food or entertainment.
Food Delivery Gift Certificate
If you aren’t sure where they would like to eat or maybe there are dietary concerns, a food delivery service gift certificate might be best. With so many to choose from, like Grub Hub, Door Dash, and Postmates, you have plenty of options.
Personalized Coaster
After all our drink holder ideas, you don’t want them to sweat on the teacher’s desk and get an important paper wet. Go DIY and have your child decorate a blank coaster, available at any craft store. Otherwise, order a personalized one. We have seen some really cute options lately, like the clear resin ones with small school supplies inside and the teacher’s name in vinyl on top.
DIY Ornament
Whether you personalize an ornament with their name or personalize it from your child, this is sure to be a treasured gift. From adhesive vinyl to thumbprint snowmen, your options are wide open here.
Themed Gift Basket
Gift baskets are a fun way to put together several small things that your special teacher will love into one personalized gift. You can also go with a themed basket, such as a movie night, spa day, or sweets to name a few ideas.
Tickets to an Event
Find out their interest and grab tickets to a sporting event, museum exhibit, theater performance, or concert. It shows you are knowledgeable about their interests, as well as acknowledges teachers have lives completely separate from the classroom.
Snack Box
Grab a variety of their favorite chips, granola bars, jerky — whatever makes their heart sing — and box it up to send to school. These are snacks they can keep in their desk for a mid-day pick-me-up and they will be grateful every time it comes in handy.
A Lanyard
This might seem simple but will be loved and appreciated by the teacher in your life. Whether it be keys, a badge, or a wallet holder, I bet their current lanyard is well-loved and needs to be replaced!
Flair Pens
I know we already said school supplies, but these aren’t for the classroom — these are for the teacher. Plus, flair pens are in a class of their own, anyway, and well-loved in the teaching community. Grab a free printable tag to go along with them, and you are all set!
Donate to a Cause
Are you looking to make a big impact, or has your teacher requested no gifts? This is a great way to honor them and support their passions. Make a donation in their name and have your child make a card to give them to say thank you for their work and efforts in the classroom.
A Keepsake or Memory Book
A memory book would be a fun way to look back on the school year, and all the memories they made with their class. You could make a scrapbook or buy a blank book to let them fill with words and photos to remember the school year.
A Decoration for the Classroom
Teachers love decorating the learning space. It helps inspire creativity and imagination, and brings fun into learning. Consider gifting a decoration for their classroom that they can use for years to come.
Their Favorite
What does your child’s teacher ABSOLUTELY LOVE? I am willing to bet your child knows — from their favorite color, superhero, drink, sports team, or movie, there is something they go gaga for. A yellow tape dispenser, an Iron Man badge holder, a case of Dr. Pepper, a Colts hat, or a pair of socks with Nemo on them — choosing a fun gift that reflects their personality and interests makes a teacher feel seen and appreciated by you and your child.
Your Time
The gift of time will be wonderfully received by the teacher in your life. I am sure they need help with prep work, classroom organization, or small group work. This is a great way to say thank you to your teacher, on a budget.
Teacher Grading Stamp Set
A stamp set, with premade grade letters or phrases of encouragement, would be a great teacher gift! This will help your teacher get through paperwork quickly and have more time to unwind after a long day. We ordered one off Etsy last year, personalized for my child’s teacher, and it was very well received. (Bonus, it was adorable to boot!)
Personalized Teacher Bracelet
A charm bracelet or a bracelet with a simple saying is a thoughtful way to say thank you. You could add charms with their favorite things, their name, or the school year, just to name a few ideas.
Blue Light Blocker Glasses
We are spending more time than ever staring at a screen, which can cause blurred vision, headaches, and more. Blue light glasses are designed to block that harmful lighting from devices and would be a nice option to gift, to provide some relief!
Personalized Stationery
Teachers are often writing notes, and always could use more stationery! Personalized stationery would be a great gift to give this year, to start your child’s teacher off strong for the second semester.
DIY Card or Note
Hands down, out of over 100 teachers polled, a handwritten note or card from a student was the most appreciated and treasured gift any of them had received. So whether this is their only gift, or you pair it with another item on our list, be sure to let your child have a hand (and word) in the gift.
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