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The best gifts for teachers are heartfelt and practical, whether they’re for the classroom or for the teacher to enjoy outside of school. But shopping for teachers can be especially tough if you don’t know them that well. So to find the best teacher-appreciation gifts that express gratitude without adding any apple-themed clutter to the pile, we talked to more than two dozen educators from kindergarten to high school about the gifts they actually want.
One thing we heard from nearly every teacher we spoke to is that above all, the most appreciated gift is a sincere note of thanks. Richard Schwartz, a high-school history teacher of over 40 years and the father of Strategist writer Erin Schwartz, says that a handwritten note helps “contextualize a class, a student, a year, a career.” Occasionally, when things are a little bit bumpy, he’ll pull them out and reread them. “They become a gift that keeps on giving, because they’ll enable the teacher who’s had a bad day or maybe is in a rough patch to look back and say, ‘Doggone it, I am good at this,’” he says.
Of course, pairing those heartfelt sentiments with a more tangible gift never hurts. (Just be sure avoid items that a teacher may already own or that are over-the-top expensive, which can fall into an against-school-policy gray area unless you pool resources from multiple parents or families.) Below, more than 60 gifts that any teacher in your life is sure to appreciate.
Update on November 8, 2024: Organized the guide by price; added new gift cards and classroom supplies; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
Gift cards
It may sound unspecial, but teachers love getting gift cards. “Families often mean well by trying to get you something specific and elegant, but most teachers actually need things that are boring and unglamorous,” says an assistant dean at a New York City private school. To make sure you buy one they’ll actually use, don’t be afraid to ask where they like to shop and eat. Amazon, Target, and Visa gift cards are generally the most broadly useful for purchasing everything from classroom supplies to something nice for themselves.
Former elementary-school teacher Darian Nelson says her favorite gift cards to receive were from Starbucks, since there was a location near her school, and she would often stop to get a little treat in the morning. She also once received a gift card to a local grocery store, which she says was unusual but appreciated. Or go with a food-delivery gift card like DoorDash or UberEats so your teacher can order their favorite takeout after a long day.
Schwartz always appreciates a gift card for books, preferably from a local bookstore. If there isn’t an obvious favorite nearby, a gift card to Bookshop, which supports independent booksellers, achieves a similar result.
Sarah Miller, a former music teacher, suggested gift cards to stores that sell school supplies. Depending on the type of teacher, you can get a more specific gift card based on their needs — like a Michaels gift card for elementary-school teachers or anyone else who works on creative projects.
Under $10
In addition to handwritten notes, Schwartz suggested a framed photograph of a teacher with the student or the class as “an inexpensive but oftentimes very meaningful thing.”
If you want to go the extra mile, try a personalized video message. Pre-K teacher Kat Doolin fondly recalls a card with a QR code inside that, once scanned, led to a recording of a student relaying a sweet message. And if you’re able to coordinate with other students and their families, VidDay is a service that makes it easy to edit several short clips into a whole-class montage.
Used by Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo’s husband to decorate his fourth-grade classroom, this tape “turns anything into a magnet,” including classroom decorations, photos, calendars, and lists.
Chocolate is a quintessential teacher gift; Eleanor Roosevelt High School English teacher Emily Fink is partial to chocolate bars made by Seattle-based Theo Chocolate. “They come in amazing flavors, and it’s nice to have a little stash when you’re working your way through a pile of papers to grade,” she says.
Under $25
As much as teachers appreciate receiving handwritten cards, they’re prolific writers of thank-you notes. Designs relevant to their subject are a solid option, as are these Frank Lloyd Wright and Marimekko designs that would add a nice pop of color to a teacher’s desk or bulletin board.
A word-of-the-day or trivia-fact desk calendar can be displayed in the classroom, and it’s something “that both we and our students can enjoy,” says Tim Lesinski, a high-school Latin teacher.
In the wintertime, when Doolin is outside supervising recess, she’d love to have these rechargeable hand warmers. “We’re out there for a while and the kids are running around, so they’re not cold, but the teachers are!” she says.
Karen Engelkenjohn, a retired elementary-school teacher, says you can’t go wrong with a pack of fancy pens, especially since they have a penchant for disappearing from teachers’ desks.
Any teacher who hangs a lot of classroom signage or decorates a lot bulletin boards might also appreciate a marker upgrade; these “paint effect” Sharpies come in both bullet-tip and brush-tip formats.
A nonobvious but much-appreciated classroom-related gift, according to Marty Rogachefsky, operations manager at Neighborhood House Charter School in Boston, is Expo dry-erase markers. “Teachers are always running out,” she says, “and they can get really pricey.”
To use along with the markers, throw in this paper-saving glass memo board for brainstorming or jotting down a to-do list.
Erin Condren planners are among our favorite paper planners for keeping track of lesson plans and daily schedules, as they come in several different cover designs. Jessica Garza, a kindergarten teacher in Katy, Texas, who runs a blog called the Primary Parade, particularly likes how her planner “can showcase an entire week of plans on a one-page layout.”
Kate, a music teacher at a Boston-area private school, told us she always appreciates a personalized gift, like a “box of customized pencils with the school’s name or the name of the class or ensemble” so the kids can mark their sheet music.
Swingline’s iconic metal stapler has a jam-resistant design and durable metal construction that will stand up to frequent classroom use. Bonus points if you know your teacher is an Office Space stan.
Games like Boggle, Taboo Junior, Scrabble, and Apples to Apples Junior “help teach students new vocabulary and get us all giggling,” says Christina Ziegler, a reading consultant in Connecticut. In elementary classrooms, they also come in handy on days when bad weather necessitates indoor recess.
Engelkenjohn also called out this challenging Melissa & Doug balancing game as a great gift because “it’s something that almost everyone’s going to like, there’s lots of variations to play, and it’s very fun and engaging.”
“All teachers have two things in common: We all need coffee and are generally nerds,” says Regan Marin, an eighth-grade earth-science teacher in Queens. One year, he received a mug that turned dinosaurs into fossils, and now he has his eye on a space-themed mug that turns stars into constellations.
High-school English teacher Rajindra Dev has hit his “soup phase,” but he hates heading to the lounge to heat up his soup and having to balance a hot bowl on the way back to his classroom. One of his students gifted him this stainless-steel Thermos, which keeps his meal toasty and comes with a handy foldable spoon.
Oil diffusers are popular among teachers because they bring a cozy touch to a classroom and emit a pleasant scent without the danger of an open flame.
Freshcut Paper’s vibrant paper pop-up flowers are bursting with joy and whimsy — and won’t ever wilt. Each bouquet comes with a blank card so you can add a sweet note as well.
Under $50
Kids are notorious germ incubators, so a set of upscale hand sanitizers would be a nice upgrade to good ol’ Purell. Touchland’s aesthetically pleasing sanitizing mist contains aloe and glycerin so it won’t dry out their hands.
This customized notepad is a thoughtful gift that’s perfect for teachers to write reminders to parents or notes of encouragement for students.
Or keep the gift going all year with a stationery subscription like Papergang. Sabrina White, an English literature teacher in Mexico City, personally subscribes to it and loves receiving a monthly shipment of pens, markers, greeting cards, and more, all designed in collaboration with indie artists.
A portable Bluetooth speaker can be used in a classroom to pipe in Chopin during quiet reading time or Taylor Swift for an impromptu dance break. Despite its budget-friendly price tag, this Tribit has a sound quality that’s comparable to pricier options.
Doolin has noticed that teachers all over TikTok are using wireless microphones “either for fun like singing, or having kids give a presentation with them.” They’re also very useful “as a voice amplifier, especially if you’re losing your voice” speaking over a noisy classroom, she says.
Fancy water bottles are always useful for teachers, who do a lot of talking and need to stay hydrated. “I always bring my water bottle with me to class — if I don’t have it, I suffer,” says White. While the Stanley tumbler remains inescapable, multiple Strategist staffers swear by the Owala. There’s also the Zojirushi, which can easily handle ice water or hot coffee.
Fink keeps a cheap electric kettle in her classroom that she fills up at the water fountain to “make myself a nice cup of tea.” She’s also used it while throwing class tea parties after finishing a unit on Victorian literature.
“You would not believe how fast we go through pencil sharpeners,” Nelson says, especially in elementary schools, where there’s “a lot of sharpening going on.” She recommends X-Acto pencil sharpeners, which are high quality and last a long time.
Most teachers could use a hydrating hand lotion to keep in the classroom — whether their hands are dry from winter weather or from all the handwashing they do. This one from status-y natural skin-care brand Aesop has a citrusy-woody scent that also provides a quick aromatherapy session.
A delivery of snacks and treats would always be welcome, says fourth-grade teacher Diego Napoles, who keeps a drawerful of snacks in his desk. This variety pack from CraveBox contains a mix of sweet and savory snacks such as nuts, popcorn, and fruit gummies.
A festive box of chocolates will go over especially well during the holidays, when it also becomes fair game for the teacher’s family. Both Schwartzes still remember these chocolate seashells that were gifted by a student in 2003.
Under $100
A coffee subscription will keep your favorite teacher alert in the early hours of the school day and while commuting to work before the sun is up. This one earned a recommendation in our gift guide for coffee lovers from award-winning barista Erika Vonie, who says it’s a gift that will continue to surprise even the most jaded of coffee drinkers.
White told us that her sister, a middle-school teacher, receives a lot of chocolate “but she doesn’t even like chocolate!” If you know your teacher has a penchant for a particular type of treat — mochi, for example, or macarons — a fresh delivery from Goldbelly is bound to delight.
For teachers without a sweet tooth, a flower-delivery service would be just as nice. Make sure to schedule a Friday arrival so the blooms can be taken home and enjoyed throughout the weekend.
“Flowers are nice and everyone appreciates them, but plants last longer,” White says, adding they can be enjoyed at home or used as a teaching tool in the classroom, for learning how to take care of something.
Teaching is notoriously stressful; this scarf-style back massager will soothe a stiff neck and shoulders.
Personal-wellness items are often appreciated as well. “As a teacher, you’re on your feet a ton; many of us commute a fair distance too. So there’s a lot of schlepping,” Fink says. To help soothe dry, cracked, and sore feet, this Recovery set from Tenoverten contains a calming mineral-bath soak and a balm that’s packed with botanical oils.
$100 and over
Brooklyn Preschool of Science executive director Carmelo Piazza recalls one time during Teacher Appreciation Week when a parent, “I kid you not, actually hired a masseuse who came to our school. They brought their own table and everything!”
If you’re looking for a group gift from the class parents that’s not a gift card, membership to a local museum, botanical garden, or performing-arts center is a lovely way for a teacher to spend their days off.
Monica Cohen, a visual-arts educator in New York City, says “a useful classroom gift would be a membership to a subscription site for educators — depending on the subject this could be Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, or teacherspayteachers.com — that will benefit the students as well.”
Additional reporting by Liza Corsillo and Erin Schwartz
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