Great end-of-the-year gift ideas that teachers are sure to love

Looking for some great ideas for an end-of-the-year gift for your teacher?

Here are some smart gift ideas from Such A Smart Mom with a little help from her friends.

Gift cards are fast, easy favorites and for good reason. Whether you’re organizing a group gift or giving your teacher a thank you present from your family, you can’t go wrong with a gift card.

Back in the days when I was an elementary school Room Mom, I’d defer to the wishes of the majority whether they wanted a class gift or individual family gifts for the end of the year. I’d ask parents I saw on campus or send out an e-mail asking for input.

If you do collect for a class gift, I’d definitely suggest asking families for a set amount but say that any amount would be welcome. Remember, it’s the end of the year and everyone is busy, so sending out a reminder or two may be necessary.

If you have a card for kids to sign, I’d suggest having everyone in the class sign it. Perhaps they could write a note about their favorite memory from the year or what they liked best about the teacher. In any economy, but particularly in this one, it’s just not right to exclude a child because her parents forgot or declined to chip in on the gift.

Middle school and high school teachers and coaches deserve a thanks from parents, too. After all, educating 150 or so teens for nine months isn’t easy. If your child it too old and doesn’t want to bring a thank you note and gift card to school, you can mail it or drop it off at the office.

A gift card to a book store is always a great teacher gift idea. I’ve never met a teacher yet who doesn’t look forward to relaxing with a good book after a long school year. Of course, if you know her taste in books you can bypass the cards and get more personal. (Gift receipts are always a wise idea.)

For a group gift, you might consider tossing the books in a beach bag, along with a towel, sun visor, sunscreen, body lotion, flip flops, a magazine or two and snacks.

A gift certificate for your teacher’s favorite restaurant, store or movie theater is another idea he’s sure to appreciate. (If you are not certain what he likes, you can always ask a teacher who knows him well or a relative. Kids are also a good resource since teachers share tidbits of information throughout the year.)

You might consider a certificate for a back massage, pedicure or anything else she probably would not splurge on. But make sure you know her and her likes pretty well.

A favorite hobby, perhaps gardening or golf, also lends itself to gifts or gift cards. If you know he’s taking a vacation, you could purchase a travel guide or items he’ll need for his trip. One year, one of our teachers was going to Europe, so a mom picked up foreign currency from a money exchange.

Of course, impending weddings or births and adoptions are great themes to build a gift around.

If you are giving small gifts centered around a theme, a bit of coordination with families is always smart. You can avoid finding out at the last minute that 10 families sent in 10 adorable watering cans for the teacher’s garden.

Some teachers are beloved and families want to do something special at the end of the year to say thanks for a job well done. One year for one of my son’s teachers who was amazing, we went over the top with a gift card to Nordstrom and gift certificates for a massage and a favorite restaurant.

Another year, one of my daughter’s teachers was adopting a baby, so crafty moms in the class worked with the kids to make an adorable quilt that included their artwork.

If your teacher is retiring, I’m all for giving a little extra. If you’re really ambitious, you could contact families who have had kids in her class.

Recently, I had a mom pose an interesting question: What do you do if you didn’t like your child’s teacher? Do you still need to give a gift? Hmm.

Here’s my suggestion: Ask yourself if your child learned what she needed to learn during the year. Then ask yourself if the teacher provided a safe, caring environment for your child. If you can answer yes to both questions, I’d offer a small token of appreciation. If your answers are no, I think it’s appropriate to forgo a gift.

Want some ideas for end-of-the-year class parties? Read Such A Smart Mom’s
End-of-the-year class parties that kids, teachers and parents will love.