5 Teacher appreciation gift ideas that teachers Will Actually Appreciate
Do you ever wonder what gifts teachers get excited for, what they never use, and what they get wayyyyy too much of? As a teacher for 10 years, I’ve got 5 teacher appreciation gift ideas that teachers will actually appreciate–and they are easy to put together!
Plants & Flowers
Teacher Appreciation Week comes during Spring and that makes real flowers and plants a great gift! I love giving a potted plant to teachers that they can add to their porch and enjoy all season long!
And this cute little gift tag ties it altogether! You can read more about how to put these flower teacher appreciation gift ideas together in this blog post.
If you live in a more urban area…. or you are looking for something a little smaller to give, I ALWAYS hear how loved these cute little succulents are! Some years I wait and do one bigger gift at the end of teacher appreciation week. Other years, I give tiny gifts each day… and this idea is a perfect tiny gift!
Favorite Things
Does your school keep a log of each teacher or staff members’ favorite things? This is one of the best ways to look for gift ideas! I love using this to send in a snack/favorite drink combo randomly throughout the year. But it also works great as a gift during Teacher Appreciation!
Sometimes they even have favorite flowers or favorite scents on there to give you some other gift ideas for teachers!
Time
Time. Time. Time. This is everything I was lacking and all I ever needed more of when I was teaching.
Time.
At our school, our parents do a gift of time during the week before Thanksgiving and teacher appreciation week. Parents sign up to come “sub” in classes for 30 minutes. The 30 minutes is tacked on to the teacher’s lunch time so that she/he gets an extra long lunch. Then, the PTA caters lunch in and let’s them enjoy their hour lunch.
It sounds crazy, but just getting to sit and relax for longer than 20 minutes for lunch is a BIG deal! If your school allows it, offer to come watch the class for a few minutes after lunch to give your child’s teacher some extra time. Or talk to the principal about coordinating a gift of time event for the whole staff.
Gift Cards
Gift cards are tricky. Sometimes they can seem like the easy way out, but if they are the right ones, teachers truly appreciate them!
My favorite gift cards were Walmart, Amazon, Target, and maybe Hobby Lobby. Those were all gift cards I could use right away and even use to buy stuff for my classroom which I always appreciated!
My least favorite gift cards were for restaurants and especially for coffee shops. I don’t drink coffee. So a Starbuck’s card just goes straight to my coffee-drinking husband, who forgets he has the card and then takes 2 years to spend it. Ha!
The exception to the restaurant gift cards is Chick Fil A. Ha! I can use those right up!
So even though gift cards can be iffy, the right gift card can be truly appreciated!
*Stay Clear* of These Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas
Now, here are my least favorite gifts I’ve received over the years. Let me preface this by saying, I always appreciate any gift I receive. It’s truly the thought that counts. I never expect anything and I’m always thrilled and surprised when anyone takes the time to give something. So please don’t take these next suggestions as ungrateful!
These teacher appreciation gift ideas are popular and teachers get a LOT of them:
- candles (unless it’s a scent they’ve mentioned on their favorite things that they like!)
- lotions
- soaps
- Or anything else from Bath and Body Works! 🙂
- Generic boxes of chocolates
Kid-Made Cards
Whatever you decide to get your kid’s teachers, make sure you have your child make a handwritten note. Those are hands down, my favorite gift every single time. They are personal, remind me of the kid, and just make fun desk area decorations!