Find the perfect gift for your child’s teacher with The Best Teacher Gift Guide. This wishlist includes practical presents, self care products, and the best gift item every teacher loves. Bonus: we also include a list of gifts to avoid this holiday season.
We have over 20 years of educator experience and have worked in multiple schools districts in several roles. These items in the best teacher gift guide are tried and true and sure to get you all the bonus air high fives the next time you see your child’s teacher.
Practical Gifts
It’s no secret that teachers spend a lot of money on their classrooms and teaching supplies. Purchasing the following materials helps teachers keep their hard earned money in their pockets.
All of the images are clickable and link to our affiliate links to these products. By clicking and buying through these links, you’ll support Witty & Gritty who are educators in schools helping teach the next generation!
Personalized Gifts
Personalized gifts are popular with teachers and show the time and effort that went into the gift (whether you did the work yourself or outsourced it). Adding personalized gifts with the teacher’s name on it gives the classroom space some extra flair (plus these items won’t walk off during summer).
Thoughtful Gifts
Teachers and coaches get a kick out of gifts that reflect their personal interests. Think sports teams, colleges, movies, fandoms, etc! Have fun with this and if you’re not sure what to get, have your child take a look in their room and they’ll start to see the person behind the teacher. Use the affiliate links below (all images are clickable and take you right to the item online).
The BEST Teacher Gift
One of the best gifts you can get a teacher is a gift card! Have you heard that we don’t roll in the dough? Well, unfortunately it’s true. Therefore, we are thrilled to receive a gift card to our favorite drink stops, stores, and restaurants!
Here are some fan favorites for teachers:
- Amazon – Literally all the things
- Target – Tells us what we really need
- Starbucks – To get us through the morning
- Sonic – To get us through the afternoon
- Hobby Lobby – Enough said …
- Micheal’s – Because you can never have too many craft stores
- Support Local Businesses
Some people feel like gift cards show a lack of thought and effort, but that’s not the case in the education world. You could always include a small gift with the gift card if you feel the need. These are affiliate links below that will take you directly to the product.
- Mini Succulents: Split the pack up and pair with gift card.
- Burt’s Bees Chapstick: So it can last as long as car duty in the elements.
- Gum: The coffee is fun to consume, but the after taste isn’t the best.
Gifts to Avoid
It’s important to note that teachers are truly grateful for any gift they receive. We appreciate the thought, effort, and money spent on us. The best part is seeing the excitement in our students’ eyes as we open their gift! The list below serves as a PSA to all non-educators because we either have a surplus of these items, or there’s a better option. That’s why this is the best teacher gift guide!
- Drinkware: Mugs, water bottles, plastic cups with straws, glassware, etc. There are only two exceptions to this rule.
- Exception #1: New teachers. It’s a right of passage for first and second year teachers to collect “World’s Best Teacher” mugs and “My Child is the Reason You Drink” wine glasses. And if you don’t have at least one large, plastic cup with a coordinating plastic straw, are you even a teacher?
- Exception #2: Personalized tumbler. Those are pretty freaking awesome! It helps keep coffee warm when teaching gets in the way. It also transitions nicely to evening events when drinks need to stay cold. It’s really a win, win!
- Scented Products: Body wash, bath salts, body spray, lotion, car fresheners, and candles. Once again, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule.
- Exception #1: Consider gifting your child’s teacher with aromatherapy hand soap, sanitizer, and hand cream. These products are in high demand this year!
- Exception #2: Buy this only if you know the teacher’s favorite scent. If you don’t know their preference, you risk purchasing a scented gift that they find to be unpleasant.
- Homemade Food and Treats: Given the state of germs, cold/flu season, and teachers work in a petri dish of sorts, keep the homemade consumables for the family.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the best Teacher Gift Guide, and have found it helpful and inspiring. It’s a great idea to have any of these items on handy for when the occasion arrises. You’ll always be prepared with an item the teacher can use and enjoy. These ideas are great for teachers at any grade level! Don’t forget office staff, school counselors, nurses, and the elective teachers!
Want more gift ideas? Be sure to check out The Ultimate Enneagram Gift Guide that shows the perfect gifts based on each personality type. It goes right along with episode 77 of the Witty & Gritty podcast. CLICK HERE to see the Enneagram Gift Guide.
