5 Grand Ways to Show Your Appreciation for Teachers and Volunteers

Teachers and volunteers work tirelessly for our kids, spending hours putting together everything from quizzes to crafts to spelling lists. Try these creative and heartfelt ideas to show your appreciation.

1. Thank You’s from the Kids

All the work and effort these people give is because of the kids. Package the kids’ cuteness and gratefulness to make a special message that goes straight to the heart. Have the kids create a thank you video, interview them to see what they appreciate about that person, or have them recreate a scene or a skit that illustrates their feelings. Kids can also work together to create a gratitude flower with petals from each child, or a large handprint or fingerprint craft as a handmade gift.

2. Gifts They Can Use in the Classroom or Take Home

We all know that teachers often use their own money to get things for their classroom. Many teachers purchase craft supplies, decorations, or organization items like bins. Ask them to write out a wish list that you can distribute to other parents so their wishes can come true! Or invest in some great fabric or transparent bins that they can use in their room or take home if they wish. Practical, money-saving gifts can really make an impact while improving the classroom.

3. Decorations that Surprise Them

Sneak into their space and decorate like mad! Decorate their classroom door with a theme and their kids’ contributions, or dedicate a hallway to your volunteers or teachers by hanging items from the ceiling and decking out a bulletin board. If you have access to their classroom or the PTO/PTA room, transform it into something surprising and fantastic, like an underwater party, a royal castle, or a magical forest.

4. Options for Choosing Their Own Gift

Instead of another mug or pen, combine efforts with other parents to purchase a gift card so that they can purchase whatever they’d like. Another option is for schools that sell scrip — take donations from families and let teachers or volunteers choose the scrip gift card.

5. The Cute Gifts

Sometimes you have to just let the cuteness flow. Themed snacks, decorated gifts, and puns galore (like “Thanks a latte!” or “You are a tea-rrific teacher!”) will still bring a smile to the teacher or volunteer’s face. Pair your sentiment with a nice gift card, coffee, or flowers, and that person will surely feel your appreciation.

If you’re a school volunteer, a teacher, or a parent who is looking to thank others, please accept our gratitude for all you do for kids in your community. If we could send you all gratitude flowers, we would!

Gifts to Give Your Child's Teacher for Back to School.

Teachers are some of the most underappreciated people on the planet.

They work hard to make sure our children’s education is always top-notch and push them to become better people day in and day out. Every now and then, teachers deserve some recognition.

It’s always good to start off on the right foot with your child’s new teacher, so getting them a gift is never a bad idea. Some of the gifts could be a simple craft project that you and your child did or other practical options that you can just purchase.

Here are 10 ideas that you can consider:

1. A gift card. It’s simple and you don’t have to work too hard on this one. Teachers can always use $10 to a coffee shop or a nice $20 gift certificate to one of the nicer restaurants in town.
2. School supplies. Teachers can always use some extra pens, a stapler here or there or some colorful Post-It notes to help them out during the year. Teachers usually have to buy their own supplies, so getting them this simple gift will help them save money out of their own pocketbook.
3. Homemade Cookies. If you want to get to a teacher’s heart right off the bat, give them some junk food. What teacher wouldn’t turn down a fresh box of chocolate chip cookies? Besides, teachers never get enough time to eat during the day. They’re lucky if they get 15 minutes for a lunch break. A box of chocolates would also work!
4. Supply Cup or Jar. Teachers always need places to store pens or other school supplies. If you can get them a crafty cup to hold their pens, they would be very grateful. Your kids can help personalize it by painting or decorating it to add a special touch.
5. A photo album. This is a little retro, but some people still like to keep their photos in albums. This keepsake will help teachers keep track of photos with each class that they teach. What teacher wouldn’t love that?
6. A plant. Putting a simple seedling in a cup or pot would be a special gift from your child to their teacher. They can both watch the plant grow over time and help take care of it together.
7. A bulletin board. Teachers have to fill out endless amounts of paperwork and have to keep track of everything that is going on in their personal lives at the same time. A bulletin board is a simple thing to give them to keep track of everything that is going on at school and at home.
8. A tote bag. Bringing in loads of items to school every day is the norm for educators. A simple bag or tote bag that will help them carry their supplies would be more than welcomed.
9. A water bottle. Staying refreshed during the day is something that teachers don’t always think about. They go from class to class and forget to eat and drink during the day. Having a water bottle in front of them will be good for their health and remind them to stay hydrated.
10. A good book. Endless grading and research go into teaching lesson plans every day. Teachers can always use a break from reality. So, why not give them a good book to read on the weekends? They will appreciate the thought that went into buying something a little more personal.