My mother, bless her heart, has been a first-grade teacher for the past 25 years. During her time, she has received countless gifts from eager students and their grateful parents— here’s a list of her favorites to give you ideas of what to gift the educator in your life.
- Sticky notes
They are absolutely essential for any professional adult, especially those who work strictly on paper. When gifting these, stick (get it?) with the simplest designs possible— it can be super hard to work around images and extravagant designs when trying to leave a note.
2. Classroom-specific décor
Elementary educators tend to have a theme for their classroom. My mom’s, for example, is bees. Any age-appropriate décor that will complement the classroom will be adored. Some of my mom’s favorites have been bee plushies and honeycomb signs.
3. Stickers
Kids love stickers, and they’re a super easy way to grade work with the stamp of approval. Slapping a sticker on a spelling test is 10 times easier than drawing a smiley face on each one.
4. Gift cards
These are an easy win— no shopping, no personalization, just free money. However, make sure the gift card is for a place that the teacher frequents. My mom ALWAYS receives Starbucks gift cards, much to her dismay. She hates coffee and will only get a sweet treat from Dunkin’ because it’s more familiar and convenient. Moral of the story— don’t send something that won’t get used.
5. Themed apparel / accessories
Again, stick with the classroom theme. You can probably find a T-shirt, hat, or claw clip on Amazon that will make the teacher look and feel connected to their work. My mom’s favorite is a shirt that says, “Bee kind!” with a little beehive on it. Hint: always size up; I promise nobody will be offended with an oversized offering.
6. Water bottles
A good water bottle is hard to find and maintain. They always get dropped, stolen, or damaged, especially if the teacher has kids themselves. Bonus points if they go with the classroom’s theme!
7. Self-care items
Elementary educators often go above and beyond to be teachers, parents, counselors, and friends to their kids. That’s a lot of jobs, and the stresses of the day are often carried home. So, something to help them relax at the end of the day is very thoughtful. Think candles, fuzzy socks, lotion, and alcohol (maybe don’t send that one to school with a kid though…).
I can assure you that any of these gifts will be appreciated. Please remember to thank the teachers in your life; they always love a little shout-out and absolutely deserve all the credit in the world for shaping every one of us.