End of Year Gift for Teachers

I am a teacher and some great ideas are a gift certificate for target, staples, wal-mart because we are always going to get things we need for school. If your wanting to give them something that they will use for themselves then maybe a restaurant, a place for a manicure, pedicure, candles or something to help them relax and begin their summer. It depends on what you wanting to spend. Hope this helps.

When I was a teacher, the best thing I got was a gift card to Mardel. The teacher can use it for supplies or bulliton boards for the next year. Teachers have to pay for that stuff out of their own pocket, schools don't help, or if they do, it's for very little.

Hi M.,
I am a teacher at a local school and can tell you that gift cards are so appreciated by teachers whether it is to a restaurant, Target, Starbucks, Kohls, etc.
But also,don't feel that you have to purchase a gift. The letters I receive from the parents and children telling me how much they liked school or appreciated anything from the year I truly treasure the most. Sometimes as teachers we don't get to hear the "good" stuff and we truly treasure it when we do get to hear the "good" stuff from the children and parents.
You may consider also a nice hanging basket of flowers or potted flowers if you are wanting to purchase something.
Have a great summer!

Hi M.,
Every year my kids help make their teachers gifts. Anything from Fake Candles (from a craft store) in a decorated holder, to suncatchers, and also small cache' bears. all are things that kids can help make. This also makes it to where the teachers remember the kids more and can enjoy the gift for years to come. Hope this helps.
L.

We always do Border's Gift Cards and Coldstone Creamery gift cards. They can them for the classroom and/or themselves. One of my kids teachers loved the Coldstone card, so she could take her kids there and enjoy an evening out.

I sent my daughter's 5th grade teacher an e-gift certificate from Books-A-Million.com Teachers love books!!

I am a teacher and I really appreciate gift card and certificates. If there are parents who can pool money together, get a spa gift card - massages are the best at the end of the year. Mall gift cards and restaurant gift cards are great too. Thanks for thinking to do this - not all parents do.

I sell a product called Wildtree and we sell all natural food products like Grapeseed Oil, Beer Breads and a ton of mixes and blends. I give these to my daughters teachers and they always loved them and usually end up wanting to buy more. You can go to my website to see what we carry and then email or call with an order if you find this might be what you are looking for. www.stacyflynn.mywildtree.com

This year for my daughters teachers and therapists, I'm giving thank you cards (homemade with her handprint and a picture). I can't afford gift cards for 8 teachers/therapists.

I also know a teacher who brings everything she has received to our church and let members take what they want. Just wanted to share that with you too. I'm sure supplies and gift cards would be more appreciated than an actual gift and expecially an apple !!

We like to do gift cards at the end of the year.

This year, we found some fun popcorn boxes (plastic ones--like the ones you used to get at carnivals,) and included one for each member of the family. We filled them with microwave popcorn, movie theatre sized candy & a gift card to Blockbuster, so they can treat their families to a movie night in.

We have also done seed packets in a bucket/planter, gardening gloves, trowel, etc. w/a gift certificate to a local nursery for teachers who have a green thumb.

Other years, we have done Borders certificates with a book light or home made book marks.

We have also done restaurant gift cards w/a take-away menu and note to enjoy a night OFF on us!

Always, we include a note letting the teacher know how much we appreciate his/her time and guidance. That is the most important thing--to just say thank you. The best teachers could do ANYTHING - they choose to teach. We're lucky there are so many dedicated, loving teachers out there!

Have fun!

I sell Mary Kay & also make them into wonderful gift baskets. You could get them a gift card or something of your choosing, this usually goes over pretty nice....the Satin Hand pampering basket & I like this because it removes ruff dry skin & restores it BUT it can also be used on the feet which I really love. If your interested let me know & I'll be glad to get them together for you. I can be reached at ###-###-#### or ###-###-#### (cell) if I don't answer just leave me a message & I'll return your call. Good luck & God Bless!

There are from Bath and body works a gift card if not for the soothing bath time stuff then for the aroma of their wall flowers or candles. As if to say ahhhhhhhhhh no children for awhile. I think that is so thoughtful of you. They work hard all year and with little recognition.

Hi M.,

I usually give to my kid's teacher a nice plant to be put in a pot later, those little ones or a porcelain rose. I think they last for a long time, and in my opinion that is the objective.
Good Luck

Alejandra

I am actually a teacher and got the cutest gift this year. I actually ended up making it for my daughters to give their teachers also. It was a clay pot turned into a apple candy dish. They used the small pot (I believe they cost around $1 at Wal-Mart), it was painted red, and then we used white paint and a black sharpie for the eyes and mouth.Here is the link, http//familycrafts.about.com/cs/applecrafts/l/blcapple.htm

If you cant get the link to come up let me know if you want me to tell you exactly how we made it. They were so cute, and EASY!
R.

I like to get gift certificates either to a bookstore, or to Caribou coffee (or Starbucks, whatever's close to you).

We always give them something nice that they can use at home, like from Pampered Chef, Candle Lite, etc and then fill the item with stuff they can use for summer school or the next year. We always give them pens, pencils, highlighters, dry erase markers, post its, paper clips (fun ones), magnets, push pins, if they really need something then we give them a new stapler, electric pencil sharpener, label maker, stuff like that. I've sent out a survey to the teachers to fill out with questions to help me know what they like.
If that seems to much for you, give them a gas card. Some teachers drive a long way to get to the school they teach at and with gas prices as high as they are, it could be very helpful to them.

You could always do a gift card for a bookstore, the cinema, movie rental store, or you can look around and see if there is a school that teaches massage in your area you can usually get a reasonable rate for a nice 15-30 minute massage and they are normally very good. You could also do a summer survival pack and take a basket or container and place items in it for them (i.e. sunscreen, disposable camera, beach ball, etc) it's a good way for your kids to get involved and it doesn't have to be really expensive if you plan it right. Good luck and I hope that this helps.

Teachers get so many things throughout the year they don't have any room left at the end. They always appreciate any gift certifacate they can use during the rest of the school year and the summer. If you know they have a favorite place to get their hair done and/or nails, in this day even a gift card for some gas for their car is great! Always well taken is a food card for many restaurants they don't have time to do during the school year. And I promise they will remember you and your child more for the time and thought you put into your gift.

I wanted to give them a Gift card to a fast food place but didn't have time. (We are already out of school). I think Sonic is a good one, especially for Summer. I had some flower pens made (you know, flowers you tape to pens with that green flower tape?) So they only got those this year.
Have a Great Summer!

Gift certificate not a bad idea, provided restaurant is near where she lives (gas prices & all).
Teachers are also always in need of basic supplies. Sadly, they often have to buy their own because the school doesn;t supply them. We have at times had the kids decorate tote bags or baskets full of dry erase markers & erasers, pencils, pens, crayons, stickers, reward items for kids, etc. Sometimes even coffee, tea, chocolate & cookies if to the teacher's liking.
If you know a teacher's personal preferences, it can also be a big help.
Teachers, like anyone else, are just glad to see you and your child appreciate them. Do what you can afford. Even homemade Thank You card from your child is a treasure!

We have given in the past movie tickets and a coupon for treats once they are there. Everyone like the movies, but they are becoming so costly. We have given these as Christmas gifts for the teachers. They love them./

As a parent with 3 school-age children I have bought several teacher's gifts. I will tell you that at our school there is a policy that any gift to the teacher must be $10 or less. It keeps everyone in our area on an even playing field and no one feels that there is favoritism. Be sure to check with your school to see if there is a policy on this first.

Now, our gifts have depended on the teacher. One of my son's teachers always wrote note cards about things that happened to my son at school or about upcoming events-hand written notes mind you - which I thought was wonderful. So we bought her several boxes of note cards ( plain, thank you, and just for you). Other gifts have been plants, gift bags with healthy snacks such as granola bars, microwave popcorn, nuts and bottled water, candles and hand lotion, and gift certificates to Scholastic Books since that is the book orders our school supports.

With all of them I always write a note to let the teacher know how much they have affected my child through the year and how I think my child liked them.

Good luck and I don't really think you can go wrong with anything as long as it is a show of appreciation.

My kids go to a mothers day out program and I always give the teachers flowers. Women never buy flowers for themselves but always enjoy them, when they get them.

I asked my sister, a fifth grade teacher, and she says a gift card to a restaurant would be perfect. Or a teacher's store or book store (maybe my sister hopes she is your teacher). But, she says, under NO circumstances get her anything with an apple on it! *laugh*
A.

My step-daughter is a school teacher, and she drives quite a distance to get to school. With the price of gas what it is now, a good gift might be a gas card or certificate to Quicktrip. Just a thought.

S. M

probaly short notice but I took all the pictures throughout the year and made a storybook for my Daughters teacher through creative memories. You can download the story book creator for free, I didn't get it finished in time but plan on sending it to her. Since I didn't get it in time and teachers have to spend their own money for things, I went and bought items from the dollar store and walmart for her treasure box, crafts, stickers and a photo box and put it in a tote bag.

M.,

As a teacher I wanted to tell you the gift certificate idea is FABULAUS!!!!!
We teachers love this as at the end of a long day with children sometimes cooking is the last thing we want to do. Thank you in advance for all the teachers who will get this great gift because someone read your idea.

I got lucky this year in that my daughter's teacher asked me where I got one of my daughter's stuffed animals and then latter asked me if I would be willing to check out some of the Betrix Potter books from the libary for her to read because she did not have any. I was able to get her a book with the whole collection in it as well as the stuffed animal. I would think that depending on if you are looking for a pre school teacher gift or a school agers teacher's gift that a gift certificate to a book store would be good. I know that at Christmas time I did the cookie mixes for her pre school teachers. They all seemed to really like them every year that I did them. I have the recipes somewhere if you email me I would be more than willing to email them to you.
L.

I posted this a few weeks ago and go a lot of responses, but I had my son paint a tara cotta pot and then i put pictures from the field trips on the side. i then filled it with teacher supplies for next year including a bottle of tylenol and she LOVED it.
I was going to make a photo book through walmart for 10 dollars with all the pictures but you needed like 2 weeks to do it.

I always try to something that is just for them. I make a spa basket with lotions, shower gels, etc. Or I get a gift cert. for manicure, pedicure,or massage. They give so much of themselves to our kids all school year, this way they get to do something just for them over the summer.

I purchased my end of the year gifts at "PERK UP" it is a coffee shop on college and quivera. They feature other items, the gifts I purchased were Decadent Carmel Apples on a stick and cheesecakes on a stick. The teachers absolutley loved them!!! " Give a teacher an apple" concept!! Good Luck

For the last three years (my son is 9), I have gotten his teachers things that they can use for a long time. For instance, I got his 2nd grade teacher a rose bush to plant and she still tells me that she thinks of my son every year when it blooms. His 3rd grade teacher I bought a beautiful bird feeder with a bag of seed and this last year, his teacher got a pretty glass hummingbird feeder with a box of feed mix. It seemed to be the most unique gifts they received. I hope that helps.

I am a teacher and I have always appreciated any small gifts! Fresh flowers are great, gift certificates to a teacher supply store are useful, a gift basket of bath/body products or gourmet food items...we just like to feel appreciated! Even a nice card with some kind words would mean so much.

There are a lot of responses so I am not sure if anyone suggested this. A handmade picture frame with your little sweeties pic in it seems to be an awesome idea to me. My daughter gave that to her favorite 6th grade teacher. He still has it on his desk. I think this is a great way for the teacher to remember his/her student. The crayola.com website also has lots of fun ideas.

M.,
I applaud your effort to choose a gift for the teachers! As an elementary school teacher myself, I will suggest gift cards. Even small ones, like $5, really mean a lot. I receive so many heart felt gifts that I simply cannot use or wear. Even though the thought is touching, I feel terrible when I receive a gift that will go in a drawer!

Your children's teachers will be so happy that you thought of them. That's just my opinion. :)

Good Morning M., no trinkets :) Gift card to dinner is great idea or one to a shop that caters to learning / teaching supplies. Gift bag with Tissues, crayons, construction paper, small scissors etc.. Something that can be used in the class room. Some teachers would just enjoy a nice card with a Big Thank you for your hard work.

All the Best
K.

M. -

I am a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant and I offer a very cute end of the year gift! It's a hand lotion and a coffee mug with a single serving of hot chocolate. It's only $10 and gift wrapped oh so cute. Let me know if you'd like more info.

K.