50 Gift Ideas for your Child’s Teachers …

50-gift-ideas-for-your-childs-teacher

 

It’s often said that “it takes a village to raise a child”.  In other words, parents aren’t the only ones who will influence their children and kids will encounter many people throughout their lives who will all have an impact on how they grow and develop.  The role of some people will be small, whereas the effect of others will be huge and, when I consider that, I think of teachers.  Kids spend countless hours in the care of their teachers, so there’s no doubt about the significance of a teacher’s influence.

 

My girls have been so lucky throughout their school years to have been taught and nurtured by so many wonderful, caring, dedicated teachers who have left an indelible mark, not just on their minds, but on their hearts as well.  The imprint left by most has been truly profound so, at Christmas time, we always like to buy each teacher a gift as a token of our appreciation and as a small way to say thank you for all they have done.  You don’t need to spend a fortune and, to be honest, it’s the gifts that often cost the least and which are the result of deep thought and heartfelt, genuine sentiment that will be appreciated the most.

Here are a few suggestions (in no particular order) if you’re stuck for an idea:

  1. A box of chocolates … for anyone with a sweet tooth … perfect!

 

  1. Jar of jelly beans or other lollies … after all, not everyone loves chocolate.

 

  1. Magazine subscription … it’s so nice to have your favourite mag arrive in the letter box each week.

 

  1. Diary … perfect for starting the new year.

 

  1. A personalized letter is a lovely way for either yourself or your child to say thank you.

 

  1. A special drawing by your child or handmade card.

 

  1. A bottle of wine, champagne or beer (although I’d suggest checking School Policy first) … remember also that not everyone drinks.

 

  1. Wine glass(es) … whether it’s a single glass or a set of 4 or 6. If buying a single glass, you could always have it etched with your child’s name and year.

 

  1. Baked goods … items like cookies/biscuits, brownies, rum balls or fudge are just some of the yummy treats you could whip up when doing your other Christmas baking.

 

  1. A homemade Christmas fruit cake or a Lions Christmas cake if you’re pushed for time.

 

  1. DIY Cookies in a jar … layer all the ingredients in a jar, attach an attractive label and a tag with the recipe/instructions.

 

  1. Books … if your teacher loves to read, the latest novel or a book about a favourite hobby or interest could be appreciated.

 

  1. A book voucher for a local book store if you don’t know what your teacher likes to read.

 

  1. Bunch of flowers.

 

  1. A potted plant … either for the classroom, staff room or to take home.

 

  1. Pens and stationery … even if your teacher doesn’t need any for home, extra supplies will always come in handy in the classroom. Typo and Kikki K are two gorgeous stores where you might find something a little different. Resources can also be in short supply at some schools so putting together a box of things like notepads, pencils, textas, crayons, pens, anti-bacterial soap, tissues, glue, scissors, rubbers, craft paper is a good idea.

 

  1. Candles … so many beautiful colours and aromas to choose.

 

  1. Tea … either a decorative canister of their favourite tea or a selection of beautiful teas … soothing and comforting.

 

  1. A beautiful vase … either for the classroom or home.

 

  1. Soap, hand cream and other toiletries make a simple yet gorgeous gift … and they smell fantastic too!

 

  1. A wall calendar … to help with organization and planning. If you have the time, you could order one online including photos of all the students or school events from the year.

 

  1. Coffee vouchers for a local Coffee Shop or café.

 

  1. Scratchies or a Lotto ticket are a good idea … you can slip them inside a card or create a “Scratchie Tree” by attaching a collection of scratchies to the branches/leaves of a small pot plant.

 

  1. Movie tickets and/or a voucher for popcorn and drink if your budget stretches that far.

 

  1. A nice pen which you could even have engraved.

 

  1. A donation to any charity on behalf of your teacher but charities that help underprivileged children would be especially relevant.

 

  1. A bookmark … either bought or homemade is a simple practical gift. No matter how many I have, I always seem to misplace them and am always on the lookout for a new one.

 

  1. A hand-painted artwork … simply buy an inexpensive blank canvas from a discount store and let the kids create their own work of art to gift to their teacher.

 

  1. A small gift card to a local Department Store, Sports Store, Newsagent and so on.

 

  1. A gift card/voucher for a manicure, pedicure, facial or massage would be a real treat. Everyone loves to be pampered and your teacher probably deserves it more than most.

 

  1. A Christmas decoration is a lovely sentimental gift that the teacher can hang on their tree year after year. You could even buy a plain bauble and allow your child to write on it or decorate it with glitter pens/glue.

 

  1. Give the gift of your time … volunteer to help the teacher with classroom cleanup at the end of the year.

 

  1. Handmade jewellery is a lovely idea if you’re creative.

 

  1. Donate some books either to your classroom or the school library in the name of your teacher.

 

  1. If your crafty and can quilt, a quilted throw would be a hit.

 

  1. Crochet or knit a throw rug, scarf, socks or beanie if your handy with either knitting needles or a crochet hook.

 

  1. A photo frame.

 

  1. A large tote bag … perfect for transporting books and other goodies between home and school.

 

  1. A fruit basket … a great alternative to baked goods or sweets like chocolates.

 

  1. Storage containers like pretty boxes, pen cups, baskets will all help your teacher organise their classroom.

 

  1. A framed print with an inspirational saying or quote. (Stay tuned next year because I’m creating some wonderful prints for you to download absolutely free).

 

  1. A lunch box/lunch tote … it’s always nice to start a school year with a new one.

 

  1. A good quality water bottle.

 

  1. Stamps/stickers … especially good for younger kids where the teacher can use them as rewards.

 

  1. A satchel/case for their iPad or laptop.

 

  1. A personalized pencil case featuring the teachers name.

 

  1. A foldup, compact umbrella …believe it or not, these go astray easier than you may think and perfect for the school playground or carpark on a wet, rainy day.

 

  1. Buy a toy/gift and place it under a giving/Wishing tree at shops like Kmart and Big W on behalf of your teacher

 

  1. A CD by their favourite singer or band or a DVD of a recently released movie.

 

  1. Finally, get together with other families in your classroom and buy one single gift. It usually only takes a small contribution from everyone in the class and, if one person is willing to be in charge of collection and purchasing it can save time and effort and really take the pressure off. It will probably cost each individual less and your teacher will get a great, valuable, useful gift. Usually a gift card to a restaurant, major Department Store or Day Spa is a popular choice.

 

So, can you make any other suggestions and what will you buy or make for your child’s teacher this year?

Comments

  1. I feel like I begin each year, with my son, apologising to his teachers, that they will have to work so much harder for and with him than they did with our girls. They certainly earn far more than their pay!

    What a great list. My favourites are #24, #26 and #47.

    One gift I gave my children’s teachers one year was to make a little cottage garden stitchery (no more than 10cm or so) and then framed them very simply. Next year I will be sharing a classroom with one of those teachers, and all these years later (about 7 or 8 years!) she still has it on her desk. And I smile that something so quick and easy for me is so treasured by her, still.

    • That’s so lovely that your gift has been treasured for so many years … teachers do such an incredible job and I think they really appreciate a small gift at the end of the year to recognise their efforts. I agree with your favourites from the list … an experience, a gift from the heart and something practical. Thanks for stopping by!

  2. What an awesome list of ideas … I love the wine glasses and the personalised pencil case. The older my kids have become, the worse I am at giving gifts. #teamIBOT

    • Thanks Natalie … well I’m pleased to say I have no more teacher’s gifts to buy as my youngest daughter graduated from Year 12 last week … I’ve been incredibly grateful for the wonderful teachers she’s had over the years!