Best Teacher Appreciation Gifts They'll Actually Want & Love
- The Betty Edit
- May 1, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: May 7
**Updated April 2025
With teacher appreciation week coming up and the end of the school year, many parents are considering how we can thank all our excellent teachers! My son is currently in elementary school with one primary 4th-grade teacher. However, he rotates during the afternoon and is taught some subjects by the other two 4th-grade teachers. I was only planning on giving his primary teacher a gift for teacher appreciation week, and at the end of the school year, I will give another gift to her along with something small for the other two 4th-grade teachers. Sometimes, I even like to get $5 - $10 gift cards for the women in the office and the janitor - because let’s be honest - they are the heart and soul of what keeps the schools running!
I come from a family of educators. Both of my parents were teachers and administrators at one point. My sister-in is an elementary school teacher, and I have aunts and cousins who are also in the profession. I took a poll to ask what NOT to get, and I heard them loudly and clearly. No more mugs, avoid anything that says “teacher” on it, and don’t even think about gifting homemade food or baked goods. Got it! I won’t be making those mistakes. But they did give me several ideas for what they DO want!
Gift Cards
This seems like a no-brainer, but gift cards were at the top of the list. As we all know, teachers are grossly underpaid, so gift cards are beyond appreciated, and they can be used to buy whatever their heart desires. The most popular at the top of most teachers’ lists are gift cards to Amazon, Target, Visa, and Starbucks. I like to get gift cards to local restaurants so that the educators can enjoy a dinner out after a hectic school year or a gift certificate to a local spa to pamper themselves.
School Supplies and Gadgets
I know—it seems odd to suggest school supplies, but I’m hearing certain items speak to any teacher’s heart.
This label maker makes it so easy for teachers to stay organized in and out of the classroom. If they already have one for their classroom, they can take it home and use it there. I’m always using mine for water bottles, bins of holiday decorations, and even Tupperware.
Along those same lines, a personal laminator comes in super handy. Whether it’s being used by a parent volunteer or the teacher in the classroom, this is great for all teachers.
The Cricut Joy is another great option, especially if you’re looking to collaborate on a gift or give a group gift. Teachers can use the Cricut Joy for a number of things: cards, gift tags, stickers, and small vinyl decals. Given its smaller size, it makes it easy for teachers to pack it away and out of sight when they aren’t using it.
Flair Pens are on every list we get from teachers at the start of the year when they ask for donated school supplies. I keep a couple of packs on hand when I know a teacher’s birthday is coming up. But they would also make a great, low-cost end-of-school-year gift at $10 - $20 per pack.
The Amazon Echo Dot is another great school or at-home gift at a descent price point of $27. It can be used for so many different things in the classroom. My cousin has one, and she mentioned she uses it for everything from setting timers, playing ambient music, giving weather details, and telling a morning joke. The best part is that you can set it to only respond to one voice. ;)
Classrooms, especially elementary school classrooms, can get messy and chaotic. Things are apt to get lost! The Apple AirTags are a perfect gift for any teacher who wants to keep track of their essential items in the classroom.
Specialized Gifts
While I heard that anything with the word “Teacher” on it is a strict no-no, anything personalized with their name or initials is welcome!
I love these clear makeup bags. You can personalize them with the teacher’s initials and custom-fill them with a ton of fun stuff. I’m getting this for my son’s teacher and will fill it with flair pens, bookmarks, personalized notecards, hand sanitizer, and a Starbucks gift card. Buy on Amazon: Clear Letter Patch Makeup Bag
Does your teacher have a sweet tooth or love their snacks? A CRAVEBOX is the perfect gift! It’s not the dreaded homemade food I was told to avoid, but what teacher wouldn’t want a bunch of delicious snacks while they relax by the pool this summer?
Want to look like you are giving something pretty unique without breaking the bank? This personalized zipper tote is perfect for the teacher on the go. Again, you can fill it with all sorts of fun stuff, depending on the group’s budget and donations.
I love giving personalized stationery to all sorts of people for all kinds of occasions: Mother’s Day, birthdays, hostess gifts, and teacher appreciation week! Minted has all kinds of super cute options for personalized stationery and notebooks.
Fun Everyday Items
Perfect for that teacher that likes to keep their beverages and snacks cold and handy right there in their classroom.
Much cheaper than it's lookalike, The Bogg Bag, this Simple Modern Beach Tote is a great gift for any teacher heading into summer. It would even be fun to fill it with a beach towel, sunscreen or any other summer beach and pool items.
How cool is this? Teachers work so hard during the day, it would be so nice for them to have a nice warm lunch. Think of it as a portable food warmer so they can pack something other than salads and sandwiches and they don't need to use the stinky shared microwave to heat anything up!
I know I said that anything that says "teacher" is not something they yearn to get, but this is so darn cute and it's a great price point at under $10.
Tell that favorite teacher how much you appreciate them with a gift full of items to help them relax after an especially taxing day of teaching.
Some of those classrooms can become pretty stinky, especially for those 5th grade teachers when the weather warms up. This candle warmer is a perfect way to help scent a classroom with pleasant smells of their favorite candle without having an open flame in the room. Feeling extra generous? Pair this with a nice candle.
I hope these ideas help! We need to celebrate these hard-working teachers and let them know how much we appreciate them taking care of our littles.
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