Are you trying to figure out what to get for your child’s teacher or for a teacher friend? Do you want to show them that you appreciate all their hard work and dedication, but you also don’t want to break the bank or spend hours making a handcrafted gift? It doesn’t have to be complicated. I’ve done the research for you and as a teacher, I can vouch that any teacher would love to receive one of these ten terrific teacher gifts (alliteration for the win ;-)).
Finding terrific teacher gifts does not have to be expensive or labor-intensive.
The easiest way to ensure the gift will be enjoyed is to do some research. Find out what the teacher likes to eat, drink, and do. Are they in need of something for their classroom? Are they a new teacher or an experienced teacher?
The best researchers are kids! They are always asking out for the blue questions, so people don’t catch on that they are trying to find out what type of gift to give. If they do give it away it’s usually cute and endearing and makes for a good laugh.
One year I had a student ask (in the middle of a math lesson no less), “So, do you like Outback or Red Robin? My mom wants to get you a gift card and I’m supposed to find out what you like.” Probably not what his mom had in mind, but it made me giggle, and when he gave me the gift he was so proud to be a part of the process.
Teachers can use similar tactics when trying to get gifts for a colleague. Kids love to be detectives and try and figure things out. One year there were a few dedicated detectives that reported to my secret pal, “Mrs. Jones is tired this week. I think she needs a whole box of Dr. Pepper!” When the teacher shared the story of why I had found a 24-can box of Dr. Pepper under my desk it made it an even sweeter and funnier gift.
Teachers lead busy and often stressful lives. With the pressure from administrators, standardized tests, and policymakers they often feel underappreciated. Teachers, like everyone else, love to be acknowledged for the work they do and a small gift can be a great way to do that. Here are a few of my picks.
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Hand Lotion
Teachers handle a lot of papers throughout the day and this often leads to very dry hands. School heating systems often tend to be very drying as well. Hand lotion is something that I always keep on hand. I have some on my desk, in my purse, next to my bed, etc. I can never have enough of the stuff. Hand lotion is also a great gift idea if you are shopping for multiple teachers because you can usually find hand lotion gift sets or multi-packs that can be broken down into affordable gifts for multiple people.
Gift Cards
Teachers frequently spend their own money to purchase supplies for their classrooms or other things for their students. It is nice to have something that they can only spend on themselves. I promise that any amount of money that you put on a gift card will be greatly appreciated by a teacher.
Great gift card ideas include coffee shop gift cards, restaurant gift cards (such as Outback, Red Lobster, Applebees, Panera, etc), Amazon gift cards, and craft store gift cards such as Hobby Lobby or Michaels, etc. This is also a great gift to give along with a card or note.
Spa Gift Set
Help a teacher relax and unwind with a spa kit. Pick up an already-made spa gift set or pick up a few items to make one of your own. A fun way to make one of your own is to center it around the teacher’s favorite color or scent. The dollar store is a great resource for making your inexpensive gift set.
Stainless Steel Drink Container
Teaching involves a lot of talking and having an ice-cold or a hot drink on hand can be a lifesaver. Over the years I’ve found that my drink containers need to be sweat-less, spill-proof, and keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot for long periods of time. Stainless steel water bottles and coffee mugs are the answer. Most keep drinks at a temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Mani-Pedi Kit
Like the spa gift set, this is another great way to help an overworked teacher take a break and treat herself. It can be as simple as a bottle of nail polish with an emery board or a premade kit. As with hand lotion, you can purchase a gift set and divide up the nail polish into individual gifts.
Classroom Supplies
As I shared before teachers often have to purchase classroom supplies with their own money; a gift of supplies would be much appreciated. This type of gift is great for a new teacher as they are working to build their classroom. Teachers will often have a wish list of things the classroom needs that they post in the classroom or share online. You can also check out the site Donor’s Choose to see if they have a project you can support. If you cannot find a wishlist, most teachers love fun supplies like reward stamps and stickers.
Stress-Less Emergency Bag
This gift takes a little bit more preparation but it can be fun to shop for. Get a cute bag (like this one) and fill it with things to help deal with stress. Some ideas of what to fill it with would be chocolate or other candy, pain meds, essential oils, a small hand sanitizer, breath mints, lip balm, band-aids, stress ball, etc. This is another time that a stop to Dollar Tree can be helpful.
Books for the Classroom Library
One way to help students with their reading is to have high-quality reading materials on hand for them to read. This is why many teachers have a classroom library. It is usually on individual teachers to purchase and upkeep these classroom libraries. For new teachers, this can be a daunting task and one that they will appreciate help with. A gift of books helps veteran teachers refresh their library and keep it current.
A great way to personalize this gift is by writing a note in the book(s) to the teacher. This takes a useful item and makes it a keepsake. Many teachers use Scholastic book club and keep a wishlist on the site, but you can also get great deals on books at Amazon.com and free shipping with Amazon Prime.
Favorite Foods or Drinks
If you can find out a teacher’s favorite things to eat and drink you can create a delicious gift. There’s nothing like a gift of my favorite chocolate to snack on after a long day. This is also my husband’s favorite type of gift because he can benefit as well if I bring the snacks home.
Plant or Flowers
A gift of a plant or flowers can brighten up a teacher’s day and has the added benefit of making a classroom feel homey. This is a great last-minute gift to pick up at the local grocery store because they often already look like a gift and do not need wrapping. However, you could also get a set of succulents ahead of time if you need gifts for multiple people.
With all of these gift ideas, I encourage you to include a handwritten note of appreciation. This will put your thoughtful gift over the top. Even after the gift card is used or the chocolate has been eaten the teacher will have that note as a memory.
Don’t stress over finding a terrific teacher gift. No matter what, a tired and often underappreciated teacher will love your gift. She will treasure the fact that you took the time to think about her.
