As the holidays approach, you might be thinking about your own family and all the things you want to do for them, but don’t forget to remember your child’s teacher this holiday season too. Teachers are often overlooked during the hustle and bustle of the winter holidays, but they deserve just as much recognition as any other person in your life!
If you’re looking for gift ideas for a teacher, I’ve got you covered! As a teacher myself, I have ideas that teachers will love!
Teacher Gift Basket
One idea for a teacher’s gift is putting together a basket of their favorite things.
You can get creative with this one and spend as much or as little as you like! Simply use a basket, or cookie tin and fill it with a teacher’s favorite items.
Not sure about a teacher’s favorites? Send home this Free Teacher Favorite Things Form.
Items to Include in a Gift Basket for Teachers:
Here are a few ideas of favorite items to include in the teacher gift basket:
- Favorite drink
- Favorite snack
- Favorite candy
- Favorite snacks
- A favorite scented candle
- A gift card to a favorite restaurant
- A gift card to a favorite place laces to shop
- A gift card to a favorite coffee shop
Favorite Things Gift Tag
Next, add a gift tag to your favorite thing’s gift basket.
The best part of any gift is the thoughtfulness and personalization that went into it. This is not just a generic thing that someone picked out and put in a box, it was specifically put together with a teacher’s favorites in mind. So go ahead and add a special touch to your favorite things gift basket by adding a personalized gift tag! This Favorite Things Personalized Gift Tag is free for you to print and use!
Just add the teacher’s name at the top and the gift giver’s name at the bottom!
Gift Cards for Teachers
If you’re looking for a way to show your teacher that you appreciate all their hard work, consider getting them a gift card. Teachers can use gift cards to buy anything from school supplies to Christmas gifts for their own kids. Gift cards are also great because they don’t require much thought or planning; this way you can get something meaningful without having to come up with an original idea on your own!
A gift card doesn’t have to be boring or impersonal. You can make it personal by choosing an amount that corresponds with how long they’ve been teaching ($20 if they’ve been teaching for 20 years) or chose a unique place or experience. Or maybe you can join together with other parents and give them a larger sum of money.
I recommend choosing a place that you know the teacher loves, but here are a few ideas:
- Target
- Amazon
- Barnes and Nobles
- Local businesses
- Restaurants
- Coffee Shops
- Drink Stops (Sonic or a tea place)
- Car washes
- Grocery Stores
- Teacher supply stores
- Teachers Pay Teachers
Teacher Lunch
I can honestly tell you that I usually worked through my lunchtime as a teacher. I have so many memories of inhaling yogurt while working on grades and answering parent emails. One thoughtful holiday gift idea for teachers is delivering lunch from their favorite restaurant. The stress of not having to pack or prepare lunch during a crazy busy time of the year is a wonderful gift for teachers.
This is a great gift option if your child has multiple teachers too. Just send them a quick email asking for their order from the specific restaurant and letting them know what day they can count on you for lunch. This will let your teacher know that you are thinking of them and that they matter to you this holiday season.
Car Wash
What adult doesn’t appreciate a car wash?
Teachers spend most days inside classrooms, so it’s easy for them to forget about their cars. This is why a car wash would make an excellent gift idea! Teachers don’t have time to take their cars into shops or even drive them across town when they need a cleaning service, so giving them a mobile car wash means they’ll never have to worry about getting their vehicles dirty again! Mobile car washes will come to the school and take care of the car washing while the teacher teaches!
Be sure to ask around. Perhaps someone in the school community owns a car wash and would consider giving car washes to teachers or offering them at a discounted rate.
Classroom Supplies
Teachers are always looking for new ways to improve their classrooms, but oftentimes with limited resources.
You can give teachers items for their classroom as a gift. Here are some ideas of classroom supplies most teachers would appreciate this holiday season:
School Supplies: Teachers oftentimes need basic school supplies like markers and construction paper. Items like this usually run out later in the school year too, so this is a great time to replenish!
Children’s Books: Teachers always have book requests from their students, so why not help them out by donating some books for their classroom? You could also give your teacher money to spend at the school book fair.
Free Teacher Gift Ideas
It’s no secret that money can be tight around the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on giving your favorite teacher a gift. If you’re looking for some ideas that won’t break the bank, here are some ideas:
A Letter or Card
A thoughtful letter or card is a great gift for a teacher. Just help your child draw or write a special letter or card for their teacher.
I always remember the cards I got from my students when I was teaching, and how meaningful they were. Most of them I still have in a special keepsake box! You can make your own card, or buy one that’s already made. Either way, it’s a great way to show your appreciation for the time and effort teachers put into their work.
Gift Wrapping
One year our school’s PTA wrapped gifts for teachers. Each teacher received a certain number of gift tags and volunteers wrapped gifts and attached the tags. This is a great way to lighten a teacher’s load and help them in a different way.
If you know other parents in the classroom consider going in on a teacher gift together. Different schools have different procedures for this type of thing, but you may be able to reach out to all the parents in the class and collect donations to go towards one big teacher gift.
Send them an email telling them how much they mean to you and why they’re such an important part of your child’s life It doesn’t have to be long—just let them know how special they are! Also, it always means a lot to teachers to be recognized by the administration. CC the principal or assistant principal on the email too!
Nominate
Nominate a teacher for a national or community award that recognizes their dedication and passion. Teachers are nominated by students, parents, and members of the community. This is a great way to show your appreciation for your favorite teacher!
Keep your ears and eyes open for ways to recognize and nominate teachers for awards, prizes, and recognition.
Volunteer
Another great gift idea is to volunteer in the teacher’s classroom. This can be as simple as offering to come in and help with something like organization or cleaning up after recess. Teachers are often so busy with answering emails and getting ready for class that they don’t have time for these kinds of tasks—and even though it may seem like no big deal to us, having someone else do these things can make their lives so much easier!
You could also volunteer to help with lesson preparation, making copies, or preparing for a special classroom or school event. Volunteering to help the teacher out can be a great way to show your appreciation for them.
Hopefully, you’ve found this helpful in picking out the perfect holiday gift for your teacher! He or she will really appreciate your thoughtfulness this holiday season!