They wipe tears, erase fears, and fix boo-boos every day. You trust them with your precious babies for endless hours during the school year. Teachers play a huge role in shaping our children. If your child has had the pleasure of having an amazing teacher this school year, it is time to show them the love! Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated May 3 – 7 this year. As a teacher and a mom myself, I thought I would share some ideas {free, easy, and/or Pinterest perfect!} that will hopefully help you recognize a special person in your child’s life.
Budget-Friendly Gifts
Letter to the principal: This gift costs $0, but it is definitely appreciated. If your child has a teacher that has gone above and beyond throughout the year, a well-written letter detailing how he or she made a difference, sent to the principal, is an awesome gesture. I would encourage you to send a copy to the teacher as well.
Nominate them for an award: Some school districts have awards for special teachers in the district. Most of these awards are listed on the district’s main web page or forms might be available in the office. Check with the building secretary and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Homemade letter/card/picture from your child: Hands down, these are my most prized teacher possessions. I have a desk drawer designated for cards and letters given to me by former students. They bring a smile to my face every time I read them.
Last Minute Gifts
Deliver a lunch: Buy them lunch and have it delivered. You can send in menus of local restaurants that have a delivery option and the teacher can make their selection. I like to do this and have the secretary choose as well. If you have the time, you can make the delivery yourself. In some locations, you could have meal delivery services like GrubHub or UberEats do all of the work for you. Easy.
Gift cards: Everyone loves gift cards and teachers are no exception. Amazon is by far the favorite place to receive a gift card amongst my colleagues.
Supplies: By May, most of the classroom supplies and consumables have seen better days. The glue sticks are crusty, the markers have lost caps, and the tissues are the scratchy 1-ply boxes from the back of the closet. Sending in fresh supplies to help the teacher restock their materials is a great way to show appreciation.
Cookies/special treats: Local bakeries are a wonderful place to find special treats to show your teacher some love. Cookie and cupcake decorators usually have themed baked goods for every special day that calls for a celebration. Lots of places have goodies that are able to be picked up, but some require early purchases. Make sure you follow your favorite bakery or decorator so you are aware of any pre-order deadlines. I purchased these cuties below from the House of Cookies.
Pinterest Worthy Gifts
Supply cake: Crafty? This idea just takes the supplies mentioned above and boosts the presentation by assembling them in an adorable package. I’ve seen these cake creations in real-life. They are a work of art that will bring even the most stoic of teachers to tears.
#1 Teacher: It never gets old. Hearing that I am someone’s favorite teacher gives me goosebumps. This time of year, you can walk into most stores and find small trinkets that express these sentiments. Coffee mugs, plaques, Christmas ornaments, water bottles… the list is endless. Pick up any one of these items and pair it with some candy or a gift card and you will bring a smile to any teacher’s face. Attach a free online printable, and that teacher will be the envy of the teacher’s lounge!
Gift card tree: Group gift! Pool your gift cards with other families to create a lovely presentation of admiration. This one requires some organization or a “Room Mom” to coordinate, but the recipient will surely be flattered.
