Buying the perfect gift for teachers (whether yours or your child’s) can be a huge guessing game. After all, you tend to only connect with them on a professional level, and you might be unsure of what’s appropriate to spend on a gift.
But don’t stress too much about finding a teacher-appropriate present. “In my opinion, parents don’t need to break their heads over what to get teachers,” says Jacqueline Abramowicz, an elementary school English teacher.
To help you find the best gifts for teachers, we interviewed a handful of educators to find out what they’d actually like to receive — just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6 through May 10 this year!). We also included some great gift ideas with teacher-approved reviews to round out our list. Here are the best tokens of appreciation to gift that special teacher in your life — and they’re all under $100.
Teachers love receiving personal notes from their students, and this fill-in-the-blank book is an easy way to get your kid to open up about why their teacher is so awesome.
For a personalized gift that ships quickly, we love this custom sweatshirt that's personalized with your favorite teacher's name and a school-themed rainbow. It comes in 14 colors and sizes S-3XL.
Teachers are often writing notes, so a set of personalized stationery will always be well received. This one from Minted is available in three color schemes and comes in a gorgeous keepsake box.
Allow your favorite teacher to stay organized with this comprehensive academic calendar featuring plenty of note space, a list of holidays and a bright floral cover to raise their spirits every time they look at it.
How cute is this? These 30 aesthetic affirmations won’t only imbue their classroom with a magazine-worthy vibe, but they’ll also help give your child the confidence they need to power through the school day.
Apples on their desk is so yesterday. Have them keep this candy-filled jar of sweet treats on hand, complete with crowd (and class!) favorites like Jolly Ranchers and Nerds whenever they need a jolt of energy — or decide to reward a student for top marks.
It doesn’t get cuter than this cat-shaped note dispenser that’ll have your little student associating their teacher’s grading system with all things cute and cuddly. Plus, it’ll be super handy for their teacher with its traction-heavy base and ability to accommodate accordion-shaped notes.
Maybe you're shopping for a loved one who is a teacher or a recent grad who just got their first teaching job. If so, this thoughtful scrapbook is an excellent choice. It has 130 pages, so there's plenty of space for classroom photos, rosters, notes and more.
In a time crunch? Print out a classroom photo, pop it into a simple frame and voila: a quick, easy and affordable gift that your teacher can keep on their desk.
Skip the boring old periodic table of elements poster and gift the high school science or chemistry teacher in your kid’s life this unique quartz silent clock featuring element symbols in place of numbers.
Whether they teach geography or work tirelessly to expand your child’s *worldview*, this globe-shaped pencil holder is sure to provide some method to the madness that is their current desktop situation, helping to hold all their office supply and teaching essentials.
Incentivize their students to give it 100% each day with these punch cards that can make them eligible to win prizes of their teacher’s choice, from the best desk in the house to a new cool school supply.
Getting less-than-exciting homework assignments can come with a serious case of, ahem, sticker shock. Allow their teacher to soften the blow with these 893 stickers they can use to share an uplifting graphic or customize with an extra-special note of encouragement.
Enough said. While any teacher will say they live for their students, a heavy pour of wine at the end of a day full of particularly rowdy classes is often just what the doctor ordered.
Homework and quiz feedback is a lot easier to deal with for both teachers and students alike when it’s delivered in these sweet gel pen hues from lime green to soft lilac.
Gift cards aren't usually seen as the most thoughtful present, but they're especially valuable for teachers: “I usually receive gift cards to Amazon, which I personally love because it gives teachers the ability to buy things we need either for ourselves, our families or for our classrooms,” says Abramowicz. “Parents can either gift these themselves, or sometimes one parent will organize with other parents in the class, and each one puts in a certain amount and that gift comes from the entire class.”
“My favorite gift is coffee of any kind,” says Erica Szwimer, an athletics coordinator and physical education teacher. This coffee sampler features gourmet options from around the world to allow them to feel like they’re on PTO from their desk.
Teachers need to stay hydrated like the rest of us. Help them reach their water quota for the day with one of our all-time favorite tumblers from Stanley. It has an ergonomic handle making it easy to tote from class to class and a removable straw that's perfect for quick sips between lessons.
With so many germs floating around the school, it makes sense that Szwimer loves getting an Aesop soap, sanitizer and hand cream set. “It smells so good and it’s nice because I never thought to buy it for myself, so it was such a nice surprise.”
Whether for the teacher's personal use or for their classroom library, these floral magnetic bookmarks are a practical gift they'll get lots of use out of.
“Sometimes, parents prefer to give gift baskets, which are also really appreciated, like a board with candies, wine or mugs,” says Abramowicz. Here, the combination of Lindt milk chocolate truffles, sesame cranberry cookies, a trio of olive oils with garlic herb dip mix, cracked peppercorn crackers and more make this sweet and savory gift box ideal for snacking on between classes.
Every student seeks that stamp of approval from their favorite teacher. Allow them to dole them out liberally with their own personalized rubber stamp in your choice of ink color and name.
“I once received a tree that said ‘Thank you for helping me grow,’ referring to her children — it was cute!” says Abramowicz. Simply add a succulent or small plant to this ceramic pot for a thoughtful yet inexpensive present they'll never forget.
“I also love a relaxing candle,” says Szwimer. One of our all-time favorite luxury candles from Voluspa doubles as décor and aromatherapy with its invigorating citrus scent.
If they’re struggling to drum up next week’s lesson plan, they’ll resort to The Thinker blend with the likes of organic green tea, ginseng and rooibos. To wind down after a rowdy and disruptive class, they’ll be thankful for Chill Out —?a tea blend infused with organic peppermint, lemongrass, apple and more.
“Nice pens are good because you can never have too many,” says Rachel Sheiner, an elementary school teacher. “Any color is useful, be it black or colorful.”
“Items that are customized are cute and beloved because we see the thought put into it,” says Abramowicz. “Last year, I received a small tote bag with my name on it. It came in handy when I went to Europe. They wrote my name in sparkly letters and it had a butterfly pin so I loved showing it off.” On VistaPrint, you can choose from nearly 300 customizable designs or make your own creation.
This custom acrylic name plate featuring your choice of font and school-centric decals is the perfect way to make them feel like royalty while teaching from their desk or hosting office hours.
If you’ve got a history teacher who’s left a mark on this particular chapter of your life, show them you care with this unique silk tie featuring text from the Constitution.?
When Abramowicz worked in a daycare, the teachers would send parents pictures of their children that day —?and one mom placed photos of her daughter and Abramowicz onto a custom mug for a sentimental gift. “It said ‘Thank you for being an amazing teacher’ and inside it she put candies and stuff," says Abramowicz. "I loved it and I still use it because teachers definitely use coffee mugs."
Whether they’re writing feedback on students’ assignments or leaving themselves reminders around their home, any educator will get tons of use out of these adorable sticky notes in teacher-friendly designs like pencils and apples.
Daniel Sailofsky, an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Toronto, always appreciates “emails from students after class saying they really enjoyed the class and it changed the way they see the world — but if he had to choose a material item, it would be a gift card to a nearby coffee shop. “I constantly need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up and it would be nice to be free of the guilt of spending time and straight money on it every day,” he says.
They’re going to need a vessel for all that coffee. Let it be this easy-grip lidded coffee mug with a sweet note to remind them of their superhero status.
From the sleep mask to help them feel rested before another long day of lectures to the printed stainless steel wine tumbler/coffee mug, this survival kit comes with everything they need to stay sane this school year.
This affordable yet thoughtful selection of essential-oil-infused hand sanitizers allows them to double down on cold and flu prevention with delectable scents like Passionfruit & Banana Flower and Pink Pineapple Sunrise.
“Our school at the start of the year gave us cute water bottles with our names on [them] with straws and this cool material,” says Abramowicz. Coming in your choice of design, color and name, it’ll be impossible for someone else to mistakenly grab their water bottle in the teacher’s lounge.
Sheiner says you can’t go wrong with flowers since “they make you feel super appreciated and also add a nice ambiance to your house or classroom.” One of our favorite places to buy flowers online offers this stunning bouquet of tulips in bright spring colors. Plus, it's eligible for same-day delivery.
Some of the most enriching forms of learning happen on the track, field, court or rink. Treat your coach to their very own engraved whistle and you may just find them going easier on you during practice.
Like most offices, classrooms can get quite breezy. Allow your child's fave teacher to wrap themselves in a warm hug with this easy-to-style shawl. It comes in tons of chic colors ranging from rust to pink.
When in doubt, go the sentimental route. “A nice card with a picture and note from the child or parent is always a beautiful thing to receive,” says Sheiner.
Between its calming lavender scent and giftable display box, this teacher-friendly spa set is sure to put your student in their good graces (and in a position to grade leniently).
Cooking a hearty meal after a long day of controlling a classroom can sound daunting, but with this gift card offering access to 115,000 takeout restaurants in over 2,200 cities, they’ll be happily fed and refueled without having to lift a finger.
If the school semester is like a box of chocolates — you never know what kind of teacher you’re going to get — show them you’re thrilled they ended up on your schedule with this sweet and thoughtful Godiva gift box made with a selection of gourmet dark, milk and white chocolates.
Montblanc is the gold standard when it comes to quiet luxury-inspired writing utensils. With a calfskin-lined notebook this elegant, they’ll be carrying it in their tote bag or briefcase wherever they go both as a daily necessity and a style statement.
When they kick their feet up at the end of a school day, allow them to make it known they will be not taking any questions or bathroom requests with these funny yet comfy vinyl socks that fit women’s sizes 4 to 10.
