10 Heartfelt Gifts and Ideas to Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

Every day, educators help our children learn, grow, and celebrate their wins. Naturally, Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to give back and show teachers how much we value everything they do. 

Fortunately, whether you’re a parent, administrator, or other volunteer, honoring your school's teachers has never been easier.

Throughout this guide, we share 10 thoughtful gift ideas for Teachers Appreciation Week and fun facts about the celebratory week itself. 

When is Teacher Appreciation Week?

In 1984, the National Parent-Teacher Association dubbed the first full week of May National Teacher Appreciation Week.

If you’re wondering how to start celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week this year, there are many ways—gift giving, food prep, and supply donations are just a few common activities.

Below, let’s dive into 10 heartfelt ways to celebrate special teachers through gifts and experiences.

1. School supplies

Classroom supplies often run short, making the gift of extra school supplies a fantastic way to show a teacher you care (especially since many teachers pay out-of-pocket due to budget constraints).

Consider asking parents, staff members, or other community members to donate items to assemble a generous basket of supplies. You can even send out a wish list with suggestions, including:

• Pens and pencils
• Folders
• Notebooks
• Markers
• Tissues
• Hand sanitizer or wipes

If you want to give to multiple teachers but aren’t sure how much you can contribute to each, create a donation box for the administration office where teachers can help themselves to supplies for their students. 

Classroom supplies basket by Grady Elementary PTA

2. Gift cards

Gift cards go a long way—especially if you purchase them through your RaiseRight gift card fundraising program. Not yet enrolled with RaiseRight? Here’s a quick rundown of how it works: 

1. Get started for free by enrolling your organization with RaiseRight, whether it’s your school’s PTA, booster club, music program, or sports team.
   
   
2. Invite participants to join your program. For every RaiseRight gift card you and your participants purchase, your organization instantly earns a percentage back—6% on average.

Just consider these top brands that would make great gift card gifts for your favorite educators: 

• Michael’s
• Walmart
• Target
• Amazon

You can also purchase gift cards for restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, and more.

3. Free meals or snacks all week

Tell teachers to forget about preparing their daily lunch—ask staff members, administrators, and volunteers to make meals or snack bars instead. Potluck-style foods, like casseroles or macaroni and cheese, are easy options.

Alternatively, you can surprise your teachers with gift cards to popular restaurants, including: 

• Chili’s
• Outback Steakhouse
• Bonefish Grill
• Pizza Hut

Superhero-themed popcorn bar by Eaton Academy

4. Spa or massage gift cards

Want to give the gift of luxurious relaxation? Send your teacher a Spa & Wellness or Spafinder gift card. 

A little well-deserved pampering may be just what they need to relieve stress, reduce tension, and enjoy their special week to the fullest. 

5. Volunteer time

Educators spend most of their day with their students (excluding lunch and their planning period), which makes it challenging to find time for other tasks, like grading or setting up activities. 

Give teachers the gift of quality time by asking volunteers to cover a period to provide extra planning time. Even if this isn’t feasible, asking people to help monitor, set up, or break down activities or clean up at the end of the day can be immensely helpful.

6. Classroom cleanups

School janitors typically make the rounds to each classroom to mop the floors and empty the trash, but a teacher rarely has the time for a full-scale, deep cleaning session. 

Give your teachers the gift of a tidy, stress-free space by offering to:

• Organize filing cabinets and folders
• Straighten and alphabetize bookshelves 
• Brighten up the walls with colorful decorations

7. Teacher's lounge upgrades 

Another space where teachers spend much of their time is the teacher’s lounge. The lounge is one of the few spaces where teachers can truly unwind, but often, there isn’t enough time or resources to make it as relaxing as possible.

This Teacher Appreciation Week, transform the teacher’s lounge into a workplace oasis by:

• Adding or replacing appliances, like a coffee machine or microwave
• Stocking the fridge and pantry with delicious snacks and drinks
• Adding comfy pieces of furniture or accessories, like armchairs, throw pillows, and diffusers

Teacher lounge makeover, designed by Krystle at Perkins on Parkway

8. A day off

Sometimes, what a teacher needs most is a break. Teachers have a set number of vacation and sick days, but they’ll always appreciate an extra day of rest. 

To that end, consider fundraising via RaiseRight to pay for a substitute on a day of the teacher’s choosing. Alternatively, substitutes or volunteers can rotate throughout the day to teach lessons or read to students. Even having an aide in the classroom for a day can take some stress off your teacher.

9. Appreciation video or scrapbook

What’s a better way to show your appreciation to teachers than to tell them in writing or video? Collect thank-you notes or video clips from students, faculty, and other parents and compile them into a keepsake your teacher will surely treasure.  

The key to conveying genuine appreciation is to be as specific as possible. Ask participants to include classroom anecdotes or detailed memories in their responses.

To get students' creative juices flowing, have them answer some of these prompts:

• What’s the most interesting subject your teacher has taught? 
• Describe a time when your teacher helped you overcome a challenge.
• What’s one lesson from your teacher you’ll always remember?

By containing your gratitude in a physical object or video file, teachers can read or hear your kind words whenever they need a reminder that they and their work are deeply valued.

10. Teacher award nominations

Find ways to honor your teachers both in and out of the classroom by nominating them for awards.

Many communities have local awards for exceptional educators, and there are also many state and national prizes you can look into. 

For this gift idea, collaborate with other parents and volunteers to write a heartfelt nomination for the teachers who deserve extra special recognition.