The Yellow Crayon

Top 5 Best Gifts for Elementary Teachers

Assorted gourmet chocolates arrayed in a black box with gold lining

Teachers do not expect gifts from parents or students, however if you feel like you want to show your teacher or your child’s teacher some extra appreciation at Christmastime, teacher appreciation week, or the end-of-the-year, it’s nice to at least get them something they will use or enjoy.

Obviously, I am grateful for any gift I receive from a student or parent. We, as teachers, love when anyone takes the time to tell us or show us, that they appreciate the work we are doing. Don’t feel pressure to spend a lot of money on gifts for your or your child’s teacher, a simple handwritten thank-you note is often the best.

Amazon Gift Cards

Gift card with red present icon and text saying 'GIFT CARD' — A gift card featuring a red present icon and colorful wave pattern

Pretty much, everyone uses Amazon these days. Teachers appreciate getting Amazon gift cards because they can spend it on virtually anything they want! I think it is the best gift card to give to a teacher because it’s so versatile. It’s perfect for teachers of any gender or age.

Supplies for the Classroom

Twelve glitter gel pens in silver, gold, pink, purple, blue, green, orange, and red colors — A vibrant collection of glittery gel pens arranged in a rainbow pattern

I’m not sure if high school or middle school teachers appreciate supplies for the classroom as much as elementary or early childhood teachers, but as Pre-K teacher, I definitely enjoy getting extra art supplies, whiteboard markers, pens (especially glitter gel pens), and stationary for my personal use or for the classroom. Sharpies, sticky-notes, highlighters, paperclips, white-out, and mechanical pencils, are all things I like to use but typically don’t want to buy for myself.

Sweet Treats

You have to be careful with giving sweet treats to your teachers because of allergies and other dietary restrictions however I think it’s a pretty safe bet that most teachers would appreciate a *little* extra sugar.

Tip: Some teachers prefer to be gifted a pre-packaged sweet treat because they want to look at the ingredients due to allergies or dietary restrictions.

A Book for the Classroom

Stack of old, weathered books with yellowed pages — A pile of worn, old books with weathered covers stacked together

I am always looking for new picture books to read to my class. I appreciate receiving a favorite book from a student with a handwritten note inside. It’s kind of like the gift that keeps on giving, if I receive a new book for my classroom, many students can enjoy it for many years to come.

DoorDash Gift Card

Food delivery courier with red and black bag pressing doorbell — A food delivery courier presses a doorbell before making a delivery

DoorDash gift cards work well if you want to gift a teacher a free meal. DoorDash is like Amazon, its versatile, and teachers can use it for whatever restaurant they want. Teachers also often don’t work in the same areas that they teach, so gift cards to local restaurants can be inconvenient.

Gifts to Avoid

Alcohol, some teachers may not be able to drink alcohol due to health reasons or personal preference. Schools also usually frown upon alcohol being on campus.
Mugs, teachers can only keep so many mugs in their home or classroom due to limited shelf space. It’s such a common gift, that we often get too many of them and even though we’d like to keep them all, we simply can’t.
Scented Candles, some people love scented candles and some people hate them. I’m personally not a fan of scented candles; they give me a headache. Maybe this is just personal preference, but I can’t be alone here.

The Best Gift of All

Kind and respectful students and parents, who appreciate that we, as teachers, are not superheroes, just people trying to do their best for their communities.