Thoughtful Gifts for Teachers

Happy holidays!  It's that time of year again.  You have a million people on your holiday shopping list.  Then you remember you still have to get gifts for teachers in your kids class (how many assistant teachers are there, again?) And you have no idea what to get.

The Monkey Mashup did the work for you.  We took an extensive inventory of dozens of online gift-giving guides. Then we summarized the gift themes down to a few categories.  We present thoughtful gifts for teachers here in this list.

Gift Cards

Gift cards remain at the top of the list of most popular gifts for teachers.  Teachers can treat themselves to something nice.  Give them individual gift cards or combine forces with other parents to give them a card of higher value.

Good stores for gift cards include Starbucks, Target or a teacher supply store.

Homemade Gifts for Teachers

Homemade gifts always seem to be welcome.  These gifts can take the form of something edible, like cookies, or a homemade craft.  One example is  an ornament with your child's name, photo and year on it.  Your child's teacher can look back fondly on gifts such as these with the knowledge that they made a difference in the lives of many children.

A Classroom Gift

Offer to donate your time to build a new shelving unit, or make a much needed repair.  Teach a music lesson or lead the children in a craft.  Offer to paint an art piece that the teacher can use year after year.

You can also buy the teacher something that all the students can benefit from.  A new classroom globe, or supplies the teacher might not have the budget for.  A few different families (or the whole class) can combine resources for larger or more expensive items.

Donations

Some teachers create a donation wishlist where they list much needed items, such as money for an upcoming class trip or science equipment.  You can find them through Amazon School WishLists or Adopt a Classroom.  You can also make a donation to a favorite charity in the teacher's name, donate a book to the school library in the their name, or donate your time to a classroom project.

Acknowledgement

A thoughtful letter of thanks or appreciation can often go a lot further than gifts of monetary value.  Write up a heartfelt note and send a copy to the Principal, Board of Education or local newspaper.

We hope this gift guide provides you with some unique ideas on buying gifts for teachers this season.  Your child's teacher likely doesn't need another coffee cup or tin of store-bought cookies...get them something to really show your appreciation this year!