30 Teacher Appreciation Week Gift Ideas for 2023
The school year may be winding down, but spring is definitely one of the most stressful times of the year for teachers. So what better time to show our love and admiration for the special and amazing teachers in our lives? Being a teacher is not just a career, but a passion and an intentional investment in the next generation. We all know that these special people deserve the world, for helping our children grow into the best possible versions of themselves. Though the WHOLE world isn’t an option, here are 30 ideas to put together beautiful teacher appreciation gifts for the teacher in your life.
20 Teacher Appreciation Week Gift Ideas
Movie Theater or Restaurant Gift Certificate
In the spirit of really treating them, buy them dinner or gift them a movie experience. You can’t go wrong with food or entertainment.
Food Delivery Gift Certificate
In the spirit of really treating them, buy them dinner or gift them a movie experience. You can’t go wrong with food or entertainment.
Personalized Coaster
After all our drink holder ideas, you don’t want them to sweat on the teacher’s desk and get an important paper wet. Go DIY and have your child decorate a blank coaster, available at any craft store. Otherwise, order a personalized one. We have seen some really cute options lately, like the clear resin ones with small school supplies inside and the teacher’s name in vinyl on top.
Themed Gift Basket
Gift baskets are a fun way to put together several small things that your special teacher will love into one personalized gift. You can also go with a themed basket, such as a movie night, spa day, or sweets to name a few ideas.
Tickets to an Event
Find out their interest and grab tickets to a sporting event, museum exhibit, theater performance, or concert. It shows you are knowledgeable about their interests, as well as acknowledges teachers have lives completely separate from the classroom.
A Lanyard
This might seem simple but will be loved and appreciated by the teacher in your life. Whether it be keys, a badge, or a wallet holder, I bet their current lanyard is well-loved and needs to be replaced!
Lotions & Soaps
Another standard go-to gift, make this one extra personal by finding out their scent preference and packing it with a note letting them know you are willing to “lend a hand” when needed.
A Monthly Subscription Box
Do you want to find a gift that keeps on giving? A monthly subscription box would be such a nice gift to receive. There are so many options to choose from, including coffee, chocolate, and fitness options, just to name a few. Makeblock NextMaker STEM Monthly Subscription Box is highly recommended.
Baked Goods
Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, a fresh loaf of dessert bread — I’m salivating just thinking about it. Feed the teachers. I promise, they won’t turn down food, especially some from a local bakery. Send in a box of donuts they can share in the break room, or a special treat just for them.
A Delivery Service Subscription
Teachers live busy lives and often work long days. A nice gift option would be a grocery delivery service, so they could set up and order groceries as needed during those busy weeks. Shipt, Walmart+, and Amazon are just a few suggestions of places that offer this service.
Personalized Tumbler
A fun, personalized tumbler is a practical gift, and it beats out a mug any day of the week. Truth be told, my mugs always wound up as pencil holders. They are too easy to get bumped and make a mess, especially with littles in your classroom.
Carwash Gift Certificates
Keeping with practicality, this is something everyone could use. Better yet, it’s not something bulky that is going to take up a lot of space. Let your teacher enjoy their sparkling clean vehicle, thanks to you. This is an especially thoughtful gift if you know your child’s teacher has a long commute to school.
Handmade Card
If your child is an aspiring future artist, encourage them to create a handmade card! It will be sure to tug at their teacher’s heartstrings and get them started on the right foot for break. For an added “aww” factor, encourage your child to write a poem, share a favorite memory or draw a meaningful picture their teacher can keep and look back on.
Pencil Bouquet
If you’re looking for something that is both practical and unique, work with your child to design and assemble a flower bouquet made with No. 2 pencils. Using an assortment of colorful paper, cut out various flower shapes. Then, use a hole punch to create a circle in the center of each paper flower. Attach one flower to each pencil, with the eraser becoming the center of the flower. Once you have a beautiful bunch, tie them together with a ribbon and your gift is ready to go.
Energy-Boosting Snacks
Everyone needs a midday energy boost now and then, so grab a few fun, high-energy treats to carry a dedicated teacher through a long day in the classroom. If your child can find a creative way to ask for their favorite snacks, perfect! Otherwise, consider easy treats like granola, nuts or even caffeinated chocolate bites they can quickly grab between classes, and don’t forget to include a festive note.
STEM Robots
STEM toy robots can teach kids how to problem solve, how to code, and about robotics. They are best suited for teachers in STEM & engineering areas! Try these toys to bring effective STEM learning into the classroom.
Class Plant
If you know a teacher with a green thumb, a class plant in an interesting pot makes a wonderful gift. It also provides opportunities for the class to discuss science concepts as they learn to care for a living, growing thing. This one has a great message for someone shaping young minds, and it can be combined with a succulent or a small, low-to-medium-light leafy plant that will flourish indoors.
Custom Stamp
Teachers often use stickers, stamps, and other personalization to make a child’s work feel special and to acknowledge a job well done. Make your child’s teacher feel just as celebrated with a custom stamp they can use throughout the school year! There are several to choose from online, but this affordable option is playful, comes in a variety of colors, and offers a self-inking version for no-mess use.
Teacher Bracelet
For fashion lovers, the Little Words Project® teacher bracelet is a subtle homage to their role as a teacher and allows them to carry a reminder of how they inspire kids wherever they go. While they will remember your kindness as they wear the bracelet, they can also one day pass it forward to another inspiring teacher!
10 Ideas for Teachers to Take Care of Yourselves
Organize a Teacher’s Night Out
Teacher fatigue is real and Netflix nights are so easy, but this week treat yourself to a proper night out. Gather your teacher friends, or your non-teacher friends, and do something fun together. Have dinner, take a walk through town, catch a movie, or just catch up and laugh. It doesn’t matter if it’s an early night or if it costs nothing at all, just get out there! You’ll be glad you did.
Plan an Evening to Truly Disconnect
Leave the grading at work, even for just one night. Give yourself a work-free, stress-free, and distraction-free night off. No housecleaning, no grading, no planning. Take a bath or a long shower. Do a face mask, have a glass of wine, read a book for fun, and turn off your phone. You’ll be amazed at just how revitalizing an unplugged night can be.
Take a STEM on Board Online Course
Many teachers were moved by the STEAM on Board online course and how it helped them acquire creative problem-solving skills and apply them to their students’ education.
Get Outside
As teachers, we often get into a strict weekday routine to get everything done. Get out of the classroom (and out of the house) to breathe in some fresh, spring air. Instead of heading home to grade, change your routine and get a healthy dose of nature. Errands and work can wait this week. Talk a walk, hit the park, stare up at the sky, and take a big cleansing breath.
Leave the Building
So many teachers get to school in the wee hours of the morning and never leave the building until evening. This week, take a real break by going outside. If it’s just a few minutes outside, a quick drive around the block, or grabbing a coffee — that works! Take a teacher friend along to enjoy the company and the respite.
Buy Yourself a Little Something
We know teachers don’t earn the largest salaries and often spend much of their own money on their students. If you can, treat yourself to a little something. Maybe get that new top, that top-shelf beer, the wine you love, or that oh-so-delicious latte you rarely order. Whatever it is and whatever you can afford, let yourself indulge with a little something for you this week. It will lift your spirits.
Use a guided meditation app
Meditation can be a handy tool for becoming more present and reducing stress. But if you’re like me, you have a hard time sitting down and figuring out how to do it. Thinking about it and if you’re doing it right can just feel more stressful. To make it easy, use an app that guides you through meditations. Many are free, and some just cost a couple of dollars a month to subscribe.
Take regular breaks from social media
Social media can do good things, like connect us with like-minded people and open us up to new, supportive communities we couldn’t find otherwise. But it can also take a huge toll on our mental health—hello, doomscrolling. Taking a break regularly can help you be more present in your actual life. “I detox from all social media on Sundays,” Allyson C., 37, tells SELF. “I set this boundary over a year ago, and have truly experienced a difference in my overall wellness. This weekly pause helps me to consistently ‘break’ the habit and reset. On Mondays, I find that I am not reaching for my phone first thing in the morning and not mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, which always leads to incessantly checking email.”
Establish a bedtime routine that relaxes you
Getting good sleep is one of the best ways to take care of both your physical and mental health. Establishing a relaxing pre-bed routine can help get your body and brain ready to doze off. Similarly, Jamie B., 42, swears by a white noise machine to help her relax and wind down after a long day working and running after her three young children. Doing anything small like this that makes you feel at ease is a great way to prime your body for a restful night.
Step into nature
When things aren’t going well, we tend to hide in our homes. Maybe behind a locked door. Or three. But being in the outdoors is a natural way to take care of yourself. Did you know walking barefoot on the grass in your backyard is called grounding? The practice of having your feet touching the ground helps you have a night of better sleep, improved blood flow, and even lowers inflammation. But that’s not the only benefit we get from the great outdoors. Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins you need, and you can get your daily dose of it just from being out with the sun. It helps fight illnesses like the flu, depression, and heart disease. And it can even help aid weight loss. If you want to find a simple way to take care of yourself, consider gardening outdoors or even going for a stroll in nature.