9 end of year gifts teachers REALLY want
Great end of term gift ideas suggested by teachers to say thank you for all kinds of budgets, from £4.99 to group ideas from the whole class
If you're reading this, it means it's nearing the end of term and you're in need of a great gift for your child's brilliant teacher. Teachers do so much for our children and of course, you want to give them a little something just to say thank you.
To help you choose the best teacher gift, we asked teachers what the best gifts they have ever received were. The thing all the teachers we asked agreed on was that children don't have to spend any money on them at all and a verbal thank you is all they want. However some did go on to say the little gifts they love: "I enjoy receiving personalised gifts," "anything handmade is really special to me" "vouchers are nice". From these, we have complied a list of all the best teacher gifts that teachers really want, but also ones that won't break the bank too. And for even more inspiration, check out our guide to the best gifts for teachers for all budgets.
Best teacher gifts at a glance
- Best practical gift: Personalised Water Bottle, £22.50
- Best handmade gift: Paint Your Own Pen Pot Kits, £5.95 for 3
- Best personalised gift: Personalised Notebook, £15
- Best whole class gift: Refresh Pamper Day, £99
- Best heart-warming gift: It Takes A Big Heart to Shape Little Minds Panda Teacher Coaster, £4.99
- Best pampering gift: Rest And Refresh Bath Soak Collection, £16
- Best edible gift: Personalised Pencil Biscuits, £13.95
- Best gift for tricky-to-buy-teachers: John Lewis Gift Voucher, £10-£200
- Best gift for remembering the students: Things My Students Say Notebook, £7.27
Best teacher gifts that they really want this year
1. Personalised Water Bottle, £22.50
– Best for a practical gift
If you want to get your child's teacher something they will use everyday then this reusable water bottle is great.
Teachers need a water bottle, plus they will love the thought and the practicality of the gift. The water bottle can be personalised with their name and is insulated to keep their water cool or coffee hot.
MFM parents and teachers Rumi and Beth said how much they love a water bottle as it's practical and can be used everyday.
Available from: Not on the High Street
2. Paint Your Own Wooden Pen Pot Kits, £5.95 for 3
– Best for a handmade gift
Teachers love a handmade gift. MFM parent and teacher Tina said, "I really appreciate personalised gifts and ones that are made by the child" and MFM parent teacher Natasha said, "creativity will always beat any gift from a shop". With these wooden pen pot kits, they can be made and decorated using the teacher's favourite colours, and designed to feel special to them.
MFM Top Tester Club member Karen is alo a teacher and she said "personally I loved the things that were individual to particular children... or things that get used rather than me having to think about storing them, e. g. edible or practical gifts." These pen pot kits tick both boxes, your child's teacher will be touched by the effort and will also love the practical pen/pencil pot that can sit on their desk and be used everyday.
Another bonus is, it comes in a pack of 3, so if your child has multiple teachers, they can each be gifted one.
Available from: Baker Ross
3. Personalised Notebook, £15
– Best for a personalised gift
A few of the teachers we asked pointed out how much they love practical gifts and there aren't many gifts more practical for a teacher than a notebook.
This particular notebook comes with a fun design that can be personalised with the teachers name, school, student name and class for that added personal touch.
As teacher Vicky pointed out, "anything that is a personalised thank you like a card or something is always the best."
Available from: Not on the High Street
4. Refresh Pamper Day with Treatment at the Crowne Plaza Reading East, £96
– Best for a whole class present
You may be looking at this option, thinking that's quite expensive for a teacher gift. However, sometimes students come together to buy one big present for their teacher rather than lots of individual gifts.
If that's what's happening this year then a relaxing spa day may be the perfect gift. After a long teaching year, they probably want nothing more than to just relax and unwind. With this Virgin Experience voucher they can do just that. They can enjoy a 25 minute pamper treatment and afternoon tea.
MFM parent and teacher Mo loves this idea, saying, "if you can club together with other parents, vouchers for a treat are lovely and often very cost effective per person."
Available from: Virgin Experience Days
5. It Takes A Big Heart to Shape Little Minds Panda Teacher Coaster, £4.99
– Best for a heart-warming gift
Most teachers enjoy a hot drink whilst teaching and this coaster would be a great addition to their desk.
The cute message will remind the teacher why they do what they do, and perhaps help them through the hard days and hopefully make them smile.
Available from: Amazon
6. Rest And Refresh Bath Soak Collection, £16
– Best for pampering
Help your child's teacher unwind with a set of pampering treats. This gift set includes bath bars that use essential oil blends for maximum relaxation.
It all comes presented in a nice wooden gift box that can be reused. Relaxation and calmness is an amazing present after an eventful year.
Available from: Not on the High Street
7. Personalised Pencil Biscuits, £13.95
– Best for an edible gift
Teachers often get a lot of chocolate as end of term gifts. If you want to get the teacher an edible gift but want to give them something a bit different, these fun personalised biscuits could be perfect.
Just let Biscuiteers know the teacher's name and they will ice it onto the 5 pencil biscuits which come presented in a hand illustrated gift box. It's a great personalised gift that tastes as good as it looks.
Available from: Biscuiteer Baking Company
8. John Lewis Gift Voucher, £10-£200
– Best for tricky-to-buy-for-teachers
If you have looked through this list and still have no idea what to get for your child's teacher, perhaps consider a John Lewis voucher which they can use to spend on whatever they like, whether that's a fun gadget, clothes, tech, a beauty treat or a bottle of bubbly. John Lewis is a very varied shop making it a great place to give a gift voucher to, and vouchers can be used at Waitrose too.
As with the pamper day for 2, if you're clubbing together as a class, then this is also a great gift for that as you can spend however much you want. MFM Top Tester Club member Tina is a teacher and she says that "at my school, the parents club together and get John Lewis vouchers which are always appreciated as you can make sure you get something you want or need."
Available from: John Lewis
9. Things My Students Say Notebook, £7.27
– Best for remembering the students
Teachers will love this quirky gift as a way to remember the class and the different students they teach. Each page has a place to put the child's name, age and the date and then the teacher can write the funny, weird, or maybe even lovely thing they said into the journal.
Teaching can be hard some days and having this journal to look back on to make them laugh or see how much they have helped a student will really go along way.
Before giving it as a gift to the teacher, you could even get your child to fill in a couple of the pages if they remember things that have been said during their time with them.
MFM parent and teacher Karen said how she loves gifts that relate to students and makes her remember them, so this is a perfect gift for just that.
Available from: Amazon
Authors
Chloe is a Digital Reviews Writer and Coordinator for Immediate Media's Parenting team, specialising in household and trying to help parents save money. She researches and writes articles, recommending the best products, ranging from best cordless vacuums to best playpens. She has a First-Class Honours Psychology degree where she developed a strong interest in child development. During her teenage years she worked as a play worker and Brownie volunteer to support children's play.
Create the perfect wishlist for your baby with MyCrib
Are you expecting and don't know where to start? Discover how MyCrib can help you build your dream wishlist. You can add products from any site with just one click and even use MyCrib's buying assistant to help get you started.