Unique Teacher Gift Ideas

We decided that asking parents what they buy teachers probably isn’t the best way to find unique teacher gift ideas. Instead, we asked teachers what they would most like for an end-of-year gift! We combined this with some extensive research online and within Facebook groups to give you a list that suits all kinds of teachers.

Note: Teachers don’t expect gifts. That was the consensus wherever we went. Your heartfelt appreciation is valued far more than any trinket or voucher and so never feel like it is your duty or you are bound to gift giving at the end of the school year. That said, if you want to give your teacher a token of your appreciation for education, nurturing and taking care of your child, then this list will make it easy for you to choose a teacher’s gift.

Unique Teacher Gift Ideas

• A Handwritten Note from both you and your child. This is priceless and valued. Honestly, after extensive research, this was the most requested gift!
• A Christmas Decoration. This is my favourite, and something we pretty much stick to every year. Why? I think it will be remembered and used and one can never have too many.
• Local Honey. This is meaningful and useful, as well as supporting local and promoting the conservation of our bees.
• A Brooch. Jewellery is tricky and personal, but a nice and classy or a fun brooch would be a lovely idea. If you know the teacher has a love for something in particular, or even a colour preference, then all the better!
• Movie Tickets. These are always appreciated and can always be used.
• Book Vouchers. Again, you could support local here and choose a gorgeous small book shop business to buy your gift card from, or grab an Amazon gift card so they get fast and free delivery included.
• Instant Scratch-Its or a Quick Pick from Gold Lotto.
• Alcohol (a teacher made a note here to say – also, remember not every teacher drinks!! If they do, and they are male, they may prefer some good boutique beer instead of wine).
• A Vase. Perfect for keeping flower gifts from students on display throughout the following years.
• A selection of Post-It Notes. You can never have too many Post-Its!

• Scented Candles. Candles are often given in abundance, but there are plenty of lovely Christmas scented ones to celebrate the end of the year. Or just choose a foodie or floral scent you know the teacher likes.
• Day Spa Voucher. You can’t go wrong with this. Maybe even combine with other parents to get a higher value voucher?
• Selection of Boutique Teas. Even if your teacher is not a huge fan of tea, it’s a nice thing to have on hand for them to offer to visitors at home.
• Lions Christmas Cake. Support your local Lions Club while also offering a tasty and handy Christmas treat.
• A Terrarium. They don’t have to have a green thumb to keep one of these low maintenance mini-gardens alive!
• A bunch of Flowers. A nice reminder for them to take home and reflect on a wonderful year.
• A Hamper or Esky filled with different goodies (chocolates, a candle etc). You could put this together yourselves, or buy one ready to go. Eskys can be great for male teachers in particular, and not just for alcohol!
• A nice Plant. Think succulents, something flowering, or even a miniature fruit plant (note: this present requires your presence to help them when they walk to their car).
• Coffee Vouchers. What teacher can get by without caffeine?! If it’s a drive-through location for them to stop at on the way to school, even better!
• A Gift Card for a major retailer, or a card that has lots of retailers on the one card.

• Funky Water Bottle. An insulated stainless steel bottle means your teacher can enjoy cold water all day long! You could even have it personalised so everyone knows who it belongs to.
• Personalised Pens or Stationery. This might take a bit of planning in advance, but it’s a great way for teachers to hold on to their pens, or send out a special note with their name already printed on it.
• Donation to a Charity in the name of the classroom. Thoughtful, and clutter-free!
• Combine forces with the whole class to buy one Large Gift. This avoids double ups and ensures a well thought-out gift full of useful and fun inclusions.
• Some cool Baking Tools. Whether they use them at home or in the classroom, things like baking trays, cookie cutters and rolling pins will always come in handy.
• Quality Books for the classroom. Teachers are often out of pocket for classroom supplies, so why not ask them what books they might need to stock up on for next year?
• A Magazine Subscription. If you know what they are into in their spare time, you could set them up for a whole year of magazine deliveries. Sports, home design, travel and more are great options. You might just need their mailing address for this one though.
• Novelty Jelly Beans in a big jar. These could be fun as rewards for the whole class (if the school allows it), or just a hidden sugar boost for your teacher when they need it.
• Your Time as a parent. Volunteering in the last week to help clean up the classroom is priceless and greatly appreciated.
• Battery Powered Pencil Sharpener. This is actually way cooler than you can imagine, and also very useful.

At the end of the day, what matters most is showing your appreciation for the time your teacher has put into helping to educate your child and demonstrating to your child the importance of giving thanks. Sometimes, gifts are best given in the morning when spirits are high and little people are more likely to be the most loving (There, I said it! I added that because mine have been known to run out of the class at the end of the day and forget to say anything. I learnt that giving thanks in the morning and a farewell in the afternoon is a great way of ensuring we don’t miss out on thanking the person who has looked after my child for 12 months.).

NOTE: Teachers often have to declare gifts or gift cards received over a certain value, so you should also consider this when making your decision on how much to spend.