Teacher Gift Guide

Really, Jasmyn? A gift guide the week before Christmas? Little late, isn’t it?

OK - let’s be real. If you’re thinking these things, you’ve been Pinteresting gift ideas since July and your gifts were bought on Black Friday and they are elegantly wrapped, bowed, and tagged sitting under your tree that you’ve had up since Halloween. 

I started my Christmas shopping list on Saturday and it mostly reads things like “something with wheels”. We bought our tree last Thursday and decorated it last night. This morning I put the tree skirt on and didn’t even bother to sweep up the pine needles. They’ll still be there in mid-January when we take it down. 

In all my years of teaching, the parents I knew were more in the second boat than the first. So, if you’re a second boat parent and saw this post and thought, “Crap. Teacher gift. I totally forgot.” - this post is for you.

Let me start by saying that teachers do not expect gifts from their students. It is very nice and greatly appreciated, but I’d say that if it is a point of stress for you, they’d rather you skip it. It makes for a happier mom/dad which makes for happier kids. And the week before Christmas break, happy kids make happy teachers. So, that’s a gift in itself!

If you would like you acknowledge your child’s teacher with a gift, I’ve got some great ideas that won’t break the bank and I’ve already done the thinking, you just do the “doing”. Let’s get to it. 

{Disclaimer: I don’t have any Pinterest ideas on here. No mugs filled with marshmallows and hot chocolate. I figure you can find those on your own.}

Price: FREE

Write a letter or have your child write a letter. A nice, thoughtful note to just say “thanks for loving my kid and teaching him to read” or whatever your sentiments are. I have a file called my “Blue Day File”. It’s full of notes like these from parents and students. Days that left me feeling a little blue prompted me to pull out this file to remind me of why I became a teacher. 

Volunteer to supervise the class. I am speaking largely for elementary teachers here, though you could ask a middle or high school teacher if there’s anything you can do for them. Depending on school policies, you could supervise the class during lunch so that the teacher could eat in peace in the classroom or the teacher lounge. Take the kids out to recess so that she can stay inside and finish grading papers / getting crafts together / cleaning the glitter off the floor. You could read a couple of books, watch the kids as they watch Charlie Brown Christmas, or sing songs with them. Tell the teacher that you’d like to give the gift of time and ask how she’d like to use it. 

Make something. Ok, so it may not be totally free, but if you’re a craft person, you may already have supplies at home. One year a student made me a tiny potholder on a weaving loom, but I ended up using it for years as a drink coaster at school. Paint a couple of Mason Jars and label them “Sharpened” and “Broken”. Whatever you think would useful.

Price: $5 and under

Gift Cards. My go-to gift when on a tight budget {or any budget} for someone I don’t know particularly well is a gift card. A $5 gift card to Starbucks is worth a drink and pastry. Applied to a gift card to a dollar store or WalMart gets trinkets for a prize box, pencils, erasers, and other items that she would typically purchase with her own money. {Of course, this is a great gift for all price points. I’ll not list it again, but keep it in mind. Other ideas for gift cards - though perhaps at greater price points: Barnes and Noble, Target, restaurants, Sweet Frog/fro-yo, Michael’s/craft stores, or Amazon.}

Supplies. Go to the Dollar Tree and purchase a few items that you know she can use. Post-It notes, pencils, pens, stickers, a bar of chocolate, gum, Sharpie markers, magnets - all items I needed on an almost daily basis. You can even purchase a small plastic basket to put the items in and put a bow on it. No wrapping and it’s all useful! 

Her Favorite {or his}. Let your child do some sneaking this week. Find out her favorite drink, candy, chapstick, nail polish color, etc and purchase that! It doesn’t have to be big or large amounts - the fact that it’s her favorite is enough. As a bonus, if she’s a Starbucks drinker, find out her favorite beverage and deliver it to school unexpectedly. The surprise will make her day. Trust me. 

An Ornament. I have many ornaments on my tree that were given to me by students. I’ve written the child’s name on each one. Every year when I put them on the tree, I remember the sweet kids who gave them to me.

Price: $5-$15

Games. Every teacher I know has a stash of Rainy Day Recess games. Inquire as to what she has {your child probably knows} and get something to add to it. Board games and card games can easily be found for every age group. My personal favorites to have in my classroom were Connect Four, Old Maid, Go Fish, Trouble, Scrabble, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Hi-Ho Cherry-o, and Play-Doh {not a board game, but fun!}. One year a student purchased a deck of “Would You Rather” cards and I used them all the time when we needed a quick break!

Books. Teachers need books in their classroom library. Don’t worry about duplicating books because having more than one copy is a good thing. Ask your child what books he/she would like to have in the classroom and they are sure to be a hit!

Puzzles. It could be books of crossword puzzles, Sudoku, mazes, I Spy or actual jigsaw puzzles. These are great items for her to have on hand for students to do when they finish work early, as an activity center, or for indoor recess.

Playground Equipment A new basketball or kickball, jump ropes, a pump to inflate lifeless playground balls - all easily found at WalMart or Target.

Price: $15 and up

Gift Certificates. I have had students purchase manicure or pedicure gift certificates and I always loved those :)

Honorarium. Purchase a gift through Compassion International in the teacher’s honor. Donate books to the school library. Purchase items for the school’s Backpack Pals program {food that goes home with kids who depend on school for food}. Your child’s teacher would be truly honored by this special gift. {It also makes for a great teaching moment. The teacher opening gifts always draws a crowd of students and I would always make a big deal out of the things I received. To be able to share that there are people in the world who need things way more than we do is a great message to share at this -or any- time of year.}

A Word About Fragrances

I discourage you from buying skin products {lotion, bath soap, etc} because of sensitivities to chemicals and fragrances. Unless you know, without doubt, that someone enjoys a particular scent or product, you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere. 

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Disclaimer #2: I feel completely comfortable sharing this list this Christmas. Since I am no longer in the classroom, I’m delighted to give you some insider information because nothing is in it for me. Throughout the year I’ll be sharing other inside info regarding teachers and classrooms, so stay tuned.

I hope these ideas are helpful for you in your shopping this week! If you have other gift ideas for teachers, please feel free to share them in the comments below. Also, are there any other service providers to whom you give gifts at Christmas? We’d love to know!