Teacher gift ideas

I know gift cards are all-the-rage as far as teacher gifts go, but if you wanted to make something a little out of the ordinary, I’m sharing a dozen+ teacher gift ideas that will hit the mark.

I might be late for some of you in the Southern US, but school is still in in SW Ontario – but next week marks the end.

Which means it’s time to thank those over-burdened teachers for ~~putting up with~~ teaching our little bundles of joy.

If I’m being honest – I wasn’t the idyllic student for my teacher at the trade school either… coming up with weird and wonderful projects that took far more of his time than I should have.

So a giant thank you needed to go to him as well.

Well, after 3 years of Covid and a summer full of blockbuster movies – a double pass to the movies seemed like the perfect thank you.

I pick up these double passes (two adults) with a large popcorn and two large drinks included at Costco – much cheaper than buying through the theatre.

Over the years though I’ve tried a few things to let our teachers know how much we appreciate them:

If you are happy in the kitchen, this recipe for candied nuts is scrumptious! I doled them out on Valentine’s Day, but any teacher with a sweet tooth will appreciate Andy’s Candied Nuts.

Try it with peanuts, or better still, PECANS! Mmmmmm!

If you have some scrap bits of wood, and a food-appropriate wood glue, then a shaped cutting board is a fun twist on a kitchen necessity:

I firmly believe that you can’t have too many decorative trays. These nesting, hexagonal trays were gifts for my girls’ teachers a few years ago:

Gift cards are always in fashion, but sometimes it’s the presentation of the gift that makes it even more special. These terra cotta pots held a gift card to a local nursery, but when topped with paper flowers and a watering can tag, this teacher gift was taken to the next level.

It’s not too late for plant gift cards either – did you know that nurseries see a second surge in business mid-summer? People lose plants while they are away on vacation, or they get ready for their fall mums etc.

Skip to My Lou blog has a free printable tag that you can add to any bottle of spirits you like – wine, scotch, tequila… whatever level you think your children might have driven their teacher to. 😂

If your kids want to participate in the gift, then these adorable felt flowers are made with a bit of hot glue and toothpicks:

Another simple DIY teacher gift is this plant stand for hanging baskets:

Just 5 pieces of wood and a few screws!

This simple terrarium uses a fish bowl and some decorative rocks from the dollar store as its base. With a few small succulents and a bit of soil, this is a low-maintenance DIY terrarium teacher gift to brighten home or school.

This simple cedar tray can be left outside all summer and will patina beautifully.

Pair it with your favourite barbecue sauce and a basting brush, or a magazine and fresh berries and you can start the teacher’s summer off in style.

Looking for a teacher gift that can be consumed AND enjoyed long-term? How about a charcuterie board topped with savour cheeses, cold cut roses and fresh summer fruit?

The food can be enjoyed today and the charcuterie board for years to come!

Winter means your car gets full of salt, sand and dirt. Summer means your car gets full of sand, wrappers, and fast food spillage. It’s true of all of us, so what about treating your favourite teacher to a car wash or detailing?

Nothing fancy or too expensive – perhaps a gift card to a local car wash, or (and better still) hire a local student to detail the inside. You’ll be supporting high schoolers with their small business and doing your favourite teacher a favour before summer vacay. You can find a lot of local detailers on Facebook Marketplace.