Teachers go above and beyond, day in and day out.
And with the end of the year right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the teachers in your life and what you might get them as an end-of-the-year gift. Even if you’ll see them again next year, take the time to get them a little something — it will show them how much you appreciate all of their hard work and dedication. Plus it’s just one easy way to let them know you are thinking of them!
We curated a list of the perfect end-of-the-year gifts for teachers of all sorts, from elementary school PE teachers to college professors to your guitar instructor.
(See all of our gift guides here to find a gift for everyone on your list!)
Teachers, teachers, teachers!
Who are the teachers in your life? Take stock of all of the amazing teachers you know and think broadly. Yes, we’re talking about all of the traditional teachers, but also the non-traditional ones too — the ones who are so valuable and impactful on the people around them, the ones who impart knowledge and information wherever they go, even if they don’t carry the title to match.
Think about the teachers in your life right now or the ones from the past that at this time of year, you would be remiss to leave off your gifting list, such as:
- Your own teachers. Whether you’re getting a certification or a master’s degree, are taking music or water coloring classes, or there’s someone at work who teaches and guides you, all of these teachers in your life deserve recognition.
- Your kids’ teachers. This is a great opportunity to find a gift that can be from you/the family. Pick something out with your child to gift their teacher as a way to include them in the gifting experience.
- Your friends, neighbors, or colleagues who teach. Even if you don’t have a direct teacher-student relationship with a teacher, that doesn’t mean you can’t show your appreciation for the value they bring to your community.
- And recall teachers that you’re thankful for having in your life. The end of the year is a nice time to reconnect and reach out to those people who have positively impacted you or imparted wisdom to you, no matter how long ago it was.
Whether you’re mid-school year or winding a class down and bringing it to a close, treat your teachers with a gift. Even if they’re small or handmade, end-of-year gifts for special teachers are a way you can express how important they are to you or your loved ones.
Gifts galore! End-of-year teacher gifts any teacher will love
Gifting can be hard, but with the ideas below it doesn’t have to be. Of course, you’ll want to take into consideration the recipient’s likes and dislikes or note what items they already have. This will ensure you choose a thoughtful gift that they’ll appreciate and enjoy. Pick and choose one or a few of our recommended items below and you can’t go wrong!
Pens. For the teacher who writes and grades all day long, pens are an essential tool. Not all pens are comfortable, long-lasting, or easy to use, but we love these ones and think they fit the bill:
- A nice, reasonably priced, non-junky ballpoint pen, the Zebra Fortia 300 Retractable Ballpoint will provide your favorite teacher with many hours worth of ink for writing, grading, and box-checking. And if your teacher is on the go or short on space, this pen comes in a collapsible and mini option! Slim and compact, it’s still a comfortable pen to write with everywhere they go.
- If your budget allows, up teacher’s ballpoint pen experience with the Schneider ID Ballpoint Pen — its chunky-shaped barrel is unique, but will deliver on both the writing and the ease of use.
- Every teacher needs a trusted red, blue, and black pen for marking up student work. The Le Pen Basics 4-Pack delivers just that and is nicer than the ones that come in bulk.
Paper and stationery. Help your teacher stay organized and get ahead of their schedule, personally and professionally, with functional and beautiful paper products. You’ll keep them going with our favorites:
- Our Let’s Do This Notepad is a bestseller for a good reason; it’s pretty enough to brighten any desk, yet has a functional and simple structure with the lines and checkboxes.
- A teacher’s day never ends and it is filled with things to do and accomplish in the present and future. That’s why the Ink+Volt Priority Pad will give them that extra dose of organization each day; it’s the perfect way to identify priorities and stay on track even with interruptions.
- Notice teacher’s desk is missing a deskpad? By combining the notetaking features of a notepad with a calendar, a deskpad utilizes space efficiently for even the most overwhelmed workspaces. Check out our Ink+Volt Calendar Deskpad, Pink Floral Weekly Deskpad, or the Paintstrokes Weekly Deskpad.
- Forget the traditional spiral-bound notebook students usually carry around; your teacher deserves something elevated and extra special. Kunisawa products deliver luxury at affordable prices, such as the Spiralbound Notebook, Softcover Notebook, or Slim Notebook. We love the paper quality, and your favorite teacher will too!
- And lastly, don’t forget a planner! This is the perfect tool to help keep teacher’s goals, dreams, tasks, and daily to-dos all in one place for the year ahead.
Writing accessories. What teacher doesn’t like fun paper flags to mark their spot or pretty clips? Sometimes the most loved gifts are the ones we might not buy for ourselves.
- These Ink+Volt Planner & Calendar Stickers make scheduling life a breeze and provide a perfect visual for appointments, meetings, holidays, and adventures.
- Foil Stamped Adhesive Tabs are not only pretty, but make organizing a planner, notebook, or deskpad easy and fun. Books will also love being marked up with colorful tabs like these Adhesive Point Tabs, monster page pals, or ninja cats. They’re adorable!
- Upgrade their desk accessories with touches of gold - gold binder clips for clipping papers together, a gold-accented acrylic tape dispenser for taping up kids artwork, or an acrylic gold stapler for all their stapling needs.
Fun, one-size-fits-all clothing. Quirky and cute socks, fun ties, or scarves and beanies for cold weather won’t offend anyone with the wrong size and it is a nice yet subtle way to let teachers express their hobbies or loves. Unicorn fanatic? There are socks for that. Basketball fan? Why not a tie? Do they love the basics? Go with a simple beanie or scarf.
Focus on relaxation. Without going overboard or spending a lot of money, give gifts that encourage your teacher to relax and take a breather. A movie pass, a gift card to the local/popular nail salon, a coloring book, or a bag of their favorite coffee or tea is a nice touch.
Or just say thank you
Sometimes, a heartfelt, handwritten thank you is more special and meaningful than any tangible gift. Share how important the teacher is to you with a beautiful thank you note or card that expresses what a treasure they are to all.
Spread the love to all those teachers with an end of the year gift and share your discoveries with us.
