In today’s post: Find 20 teacher appreciations gifts that are cute, easy to put together, and inexpensive!
I know we love giving teachers homemade goodies, but they often receive so many treats during teacher appreciation week they end up giving most of them away. Same with cute DIY decor projects – there’s only so many places to put framed handprints, etc. I’m sure teachers appreciate every single gift they receive, but let’s try giving them something a little more practical. Here are 20 easy, cute, and practical teacher appreciation gift ideas that teachers will love (many are cheap too!). Make sure to read #20 – it’s the single best gift you can give a teacher!
20 cute + easy teacher appreciation gifts
1. I love this soap & printable teacher gift idea from eighteen25 – teachers go through tons of soap each year, and this printable is super cute!
2. Teachers need lots of water (and/or soda) to keep talking to their students all day long, so Crazy Little Projects shares a cute cup & printable gift idea:
3. One of the best teacher appreciation gifts is a gift card, since teachers spend so much money on their classrooms! Make a gift card extra special with this personalized photo gift card holder from It’s Always Autumn.
3. This great teacher appreciation gift idea from Sweet Rose Studio helps replenish the teacher’s stash of books, stickers, etc:
4. This highlighter teacher gift from Love The Day is another way to replenish some of teacher’s supplies:
5. This Target gift card holder from Landeelu is such a clever teacher appreciation gift idea! Doesn’t everyone want a little extra Target cash?
6. Everyone loves lip balm! Package some up with a cute printable from Simple as That for a super simple teacher gift:
6. If you have lots of teachers you’d like to recognize, this cheap teacher gift idea via Spoonful might fit the bill:
7. Use these cute printables from Tatertots and Jello via Skip to My Lou to dress up a gift card to the teacher’s favorite fast food restaurant:
8. Here’s another teacher appreciation idea from Tatertots and Jello via Skip to My Lou: movie gift cards and a cute free printable.
9. This is a super cute way to package up dry erase markers for a cheap teacher appreciation gift (from Spoonful):
10. Here’s another super easy and inexpensive teacher gift idea (perfect for your junior high school kids who have 6 or 7 teachers to give gifts to!). From The Happy Scraps:
11. These teacher appreciation printables from Chickabug are hilarious! Pair them with a gift card for every teacher’s favorite gift.
12. This cute baking teacher appreciation gift could be put together with items from the dollar store! Idea + printable from Eighteen25.
13. Pair this adorable bookmark from Positively Splendid with a stack of books for the classroom for an easy teacher gift idea:
14. These cute drink sleeves from Finding Pins and Needles are a great personalized teacher gift idea.
15. If you like to sew, this simple kindle cover would make a pretty teacher appreciation gift (and since it only takes a bit of fabric it would be inexpensive too!) Find instructions at The Polka Dot Chair.
16. My mother-in-law used to go through massive amounts of sanitizing wipes when she taught school, so I knew I wanted to start giving these as a teacher appreciation gift. Get the free printables here:
17. It can be a little harder to come up with ideas for male teachers – but if he’s a golfer this idea’s perfect. From The Creative Cubby.
18. This stationary gift set from Becky Higgins is pretty and makes a practical teacher gift since teachers often write notes to their students.
19. Use these cute printables from The Tiny Tiara to package up some Tic Tacs, Altoids, or Andes mints for an inexpensive, practical teacher appreciation gift.
20. And lastly, for the truly best gift a teacher can receive: write a letter telling your child’s teacher what you most appreciated about him or her this year, and send a copy of the letter to the school principal. Teachers treasure personal letters (who doesn’t?), and by sending a copy to the principal, you’ll be adding a positive recommendation to her file that could be helpful when she is considered for advancement. The letter doesn’t have to be long – three or four sentences is plenty – and you can get ideas for what to say in this post. This completely free gift may be the best one your child’s teacher has ever received!
Looking for even more teacher appreciation gift ideas? Check out this post full of fun ways to give gift cards for teacher appreciation.
Tressie berry says
Thanks for such awesome ideas!
Suzanne says
So clever. Can you come up with one for paper? My kids’ teachers ALWAYS are in need of paper. a cute tag to put on it would be awesome!
Corbi says
These ideas are fabulous. I’ve been teaching for 19 years now. My most treasured gifts are handmade, letters from parents and students, and photographs. I love your #20 letter idea. We do not get compliments given to the principal about us passed along to us. Thank you.
autumn says
Thanks for your kind words, Corbi, and for your 19 years of taking care of and teaching children!
Corbi says
As I check back in on my year 20, I am sadden to admit that I am retiring. I can no longer deal with the politics, constant changes, extreme demands put on teachers. I have to “recuse” myself and rediscover my family. This truly saddens me because I LOVE teaching. I love the kids and parents. I love my school family and friends. I just wanted to share this with someone. Thank you for listening.
RENEE says
Hello Corbi,
My parents were both teachers in the Public School System. I saw them go through so much. Had it not been for their love of the children, they would have left I think. You are sooo right. Things are far worse these days. People go into teaching for the WRONG reasons. So many just can’t wait to go into Administration and make their $100,000. While the good teachers suffer, and the students suffer from a system that teaches to goofy tests like PAARC. Weeks and weeks are wasted on this absurd test that is only a record for the system to evaluate, evaluate, while the kids are stopped from learning.
They are going to miss you. Generations will suffer as the good ones retire, or leave as they are frustrated with a system that expects far too much, yet has so many barriers to success.
It is ok to share. Thank you for sharing and your dedication.
I will remember to let the great teachers know, if only with a note of thanks. You all deserve it!
Pam says
For the past few years we’ve been giving the teachers gift cards. The kids choose where from-Staples, Michaels, or WalMart. The year my don’t have his teacher the Staples cards she was excited, because she could replenish her school supplies.
Not sure what to do this year as my son has 6 different teachers.
LIz says
Your ideas were a lifesaver!! I have always bought my twins teachers a nice gift card for the end of the year..but this year being in 5th grade and each of my daughters having 5 teachers plus a coach…I just couldn’t afford it. I saw your ideas today (the day before school is out) and we made the adorable sticky note idea for all the teachers tonight and included a pen. They came out adorable with the printable. Thanks so much!