Why You Can Trust CNET 11 Great Back-to-School Gift Ideas for Your Teacher
Start the school year off right with a thoughtful back-to-school gift for a teacher.
- 6 years working professionally in the 3D printing space / 4 years testing consumer electronics for large websites.
When it comes to teacher gifts, it's not really about the money -- it's about showing how much you value the time and dedication they give to their students. You've probably thought about this at the end of the year, but what about kicking off the new school year with a token of appreciation? Back-to-school gifts are a great way to acknowledge a teacher and set the tone for an awesome year ahead. Think of it as a hostess gift of sorts, except the hostess is a teacher and responsible for helping students learn and grow for an entire school year, not just one Friday evening.
We've compiled a handy list of back-to-school gift ideas for teachers that fall into one of two categories: gifts for the classroom and presents for teachers that are useful when they're recharging away from school. Whether you're looking for a little something or asking families to chip in for a pricier item (like a Cricut!), you'll find something here that will delight a teacher when fall rolls around.
There's planners -- and then there's this Erin Condren teacher record book, which was specifically designed to help teachers get (and stay) organized. This handy book includes teacher-specific features like a student checklist, seating charts, communication logs and more. Plus, it's cute and colorful and could double as a fun keepsake for the teacher at the end of the school year.
Crummy dry erase markers are a bummer for everyone -- can't you hear that awful screeching noise in your head now? Help the teacher in your life avoid such turmoil by gifting them a fresh set of 21 dry erase markers. These vibrant colors will ideally last them through the entire school year and will save the ears of students everywhere too. It's a win-win. You could also buy this set, open it and tie ribbons around the markers for a fun "bouquet" to jazz up the gift a bit.
Meet Tilda, the funkiest little air plant. Xerographica are low-maintenance plants and only require occasional misting -- they don't even need soil. This one from The Bouqs Co. comes in an adorable 4-inch ceramic face planter and will surely delight the teacher in your life. It could brighten up their space at home or even live in the classroom.
There's only so much space in a classroom and that's part of the allure of the Pinch Provisions Teacher Kit. It contains 15 essential teacher tools in one small (reusable) kit. From bandages to gold stars, a safety pin and even lip balm, this kit will undoubtedly come in handy throughout the school year. You could even offer to be on standby to refill it throughout the year, for extra brownie points.
A gift card to a restaurant can be a great present, but a Goldbelly gift card takes it up a notch. Goldbelly is perfect for teachers who are also food lovers because the recipient gets to pick from hundreds of restaurants/chefs/food makers from across the country and have an epic meal (or treat) sent to them. Whether it's a Maine lobster roll from McLoons Lobster Shack or a loaf of delicious banana bread from Maui Banana Bread Co., the possibilities are endless. Chances are the teacher in your life may not splurge on something like this for themselves, which makes it extra special when it's a gift.
It's true what they say; hydration is key to an active mind. Your teacher needs to stay sharp all day, and the best way to do that is to drink plenty of water -- or coffee.
A good Hydro Flask will keep your teacher's drink nice and cool (or hot) for hours, and the bright colors will look awesome on their desk.
According to the National Education Association, teachers spend around $460 of their own money to purchase school supplies and fun things for kids to do in their class. A Visa gift card -- one that can be used anywhere -- is just the thing to help your favorite teacher buy supplies without having to dip into their own funds.
This is a little more expensive than most of the other gifts, but I think if the whole class got together they could make this purchase. A Cricut Joy is a tiny little vinyl cutter that would allow your teacher to make fun decals for class projects, stickers for a job well done, and many other awesome projects.
While writing this article I asked several of my teacher friends what their favorite gifts would be, and a surprising number of them said an oil diffuser. Most of them said they wanted it because it creates a nice environment to work in -- one even adds eucalyptus to help kids breathe easier during the sniffles season -- but several others also mentioned that teenagers can get a trifle pungent in the warm air of school.
Remember, the gift you give your teacher could also be coming to school smelling clean. And that gift is free!
Face masks are a classic way to destress and revitalize. Pick up some of these for your teacher and see the smile on their face, especially after they've used them.
Your teacher more than likely drinks a lot of coffee -- you need a lot of energy to keep yourself going when you teach dozens of students a day. This simple coffee system creates a single cup of delicious coffee that your teacher can enjoy at the start of their day.
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