Best Gift Ideas for Teachers

We all have our favorite teacher, either while we are in school or after we’re completely done with it. More often than not, we have a list of favorite teachers, I mean we have so many to choose from! We go from preschool teachers all the way to college professors, so it is no surprise that we often have more than one “favorite.”

One great way to show your appreciation for your amazing teachers and staff is by giving them a thoughtful gift. This is a great way to celebrate occasions like back-to-school day, teacher appreciation day, holidays, birthdays, and even celebrating a first-year teacher’s successful year of teaching.

A lot of times, especially when we are younger, we don’t get to know much about our teachers’ lives outside of school, so we don’t know what would make a great gift for them. There is a simple solution to this though, simply gift them things that they will need in the classroom!

Maybe gift them some school supplies that you had bought during your first day of school stock-up, or maybe you have noticed that your classroom needs more hand sanitizers, especially during this time of the pandemic. Whatever you choose, however boring it may seem to you, teachers love receiving these things because it means that they do not have to go out and buy them themselves. 

To help you out with ideas, we have put together this list of wonderful teacher gift ideas that can help spark some ideas for how you can show your teachers some love!

1. School Supplies

 As mentioned above, teachers can always use extra school supplies like pencils, notebooks, folders, and coloring supplies. They naturally run out of these throughout the year and then will have to go out and re-purchase them with their own money to have enough for the year. So giving a teacher a gift of these supplies is sure to be one of their favorite gifts.

It is of course important to note what school supplies will be relevant to your teacher and the grade(s) that they teach, but most supplies are useful for all teachers.

2. Classroom Supplies

These are similar to school supplies, however, these include things that are more specific to inside the classroom as communal objects, such as hand sanitizers, Kleenex, hand soap, whiteboard markers, and lotion. 

One great thing that you could give a teacher in this category is refillable soap dispenser bottles for lotion, soap, and hand sanitizers. This will not only help your teacher cut down on plastic waste from the many bottles they go throughout the year by allowing them to buy the bulk options like a gallon jug of hand sanitizer and just refill as needed, but these soap dispensers will also look great and help the classroom feel more organized.

3. Water Bottle

Reusable water bottles are a great gift because they help keep us hydrated. This is especially important for teachers as well because they spend a lot of time during the day giving lessons and can often get dry throats and having a water bottle to remind them to hydrate can help avoid this discomfort.

4. Coffee Mug

If your teacher loves to drink warm beverages like coffee and tea during class, try getting them a coffee mug that reminds you of them or you think they would like. This is also a great gift to give if you are going to be moving again into remote learning because it is something that they can use in their homes as well as their classroom.

5. Tote Bag

Most teachers have to bring things with them to and from work, as well as between classes, especially high school teachers who often have to work from multiple different classrooms throughout the day. So one great, thoughtful gift for a teacher could be a personalized tote bag. 

6. Gift Basket

Maybe make a personalized teacher gift basket that includes a mix of school and classroom supplies, tasty treats, and some form of caffeine (for all of those late nights of grading they have to do throughout the year). One great idea for a gift basket includes these gorgeous glass or plastic soap dispenser bottles that your teachers can use (and re-use!) for things like hand soap, lotion, and hand sanitizer.

7. Gift Card

Gift cards and gift certificates for places where they can buy school and classroom supplies make great gifts for teachers because this allows them to select which supplies they really need more of, but they don’t have to pay for them with their own money. Additionally, gift cards to specialty stores like The Polished Jar, where you can find soap dispenser bottles like mentioned above, make great personalized gifts that your teachers can use for years and years.