i love when someone gives me gift ideas. it takes the pressure off. i second guess myself about enough things in a day. gift-giving does not need to be one of them.

for christmas, my family uses a wishlist app to share ideas with each other. before a birthday party, i often text hey what is so and so into these days? and i try to keep a running list of things my husband and kiddos mention they like throughout the year {though this changes everyday for my kids!}.

teacher’s gifts are no different. i like to know that what we get will be exactly what our teachers want. after all, sometimes it feels like my kids spend more time with their teachers than they do with me. eek! there is no doubt in my mind, my kids’ teachers DESERVE a gift.

however, this time of year is admittedly crazy in our house. the start of spring sports. end-of-the-year field trips and programs. summer activity sign-ups. and what-am-i-going-to-do-with-the-kids-home-all-day-every-day? these are all things that occupy my headspace right now, along with our other normal work and life stuff.

because i know this time of year is busy, as are ALL gift-giving seasons, i designed this cute printable to give to our teachers before it is actually crunch time. i try to remember to send it to school around thanksgiving. but really, you can send it in at any point. i cannot tell you how easy it has made teacher appreciation gifts. if you’d like a copy, you can download yours here.

additionally, because i am a teacher, i usually receive texts each year from friends, asking for other creative ideas for teachers. you can see previous teacher gift idea posts here and here. and after four years, i’ve finally gotten ahead of the curve on this. {jury is still out on whether i am ahead of the curve on anything else in life.}

this year, here are my favorites…

easy and affordable

teacher gift ideas

{1} wrap bracelets

i have been admiring this wrap bracelet on a friend ever since i saw it in one of her facebook posts. i haven’t worn a lot of jewelry since new baby C was born. i am always afraid of scratching her. and when i was a teacher, elbow deep in expo markers and reading groups, jewelry wasn’t exactly my priority. but THIS? this is so low maintenance! and comfortable! and at the same time just the right amount of fancy for a teacher. not to mention the inspirational sayings you can choose from. here are a few of my favorites:

• choose kind
• find joy in the journey
• adventure awaits
• live simply
• be the change

you can check out these and all the other options here AND get this…momentum jewelry is offering all blog subscribers a 15% off coupon good through august 2018! i am excited to use mine for our teachers this year {and maybe for myself too!}.

**if you’re already a subscriber, email me and i will send you the code!!

{2} outdoor entertaining gear

i don’t know about where you live, but here in indiana spring took a LONG time to get here. and i am still not sure it’s made up its mind to stay. i am dying for summer.

if you can believe it, i found these colorful stemless and plastic glasses in the target dollar spot this past week. the dollar spot! i had to grab them for gifts! they would be perfect as a stand alone gift {maybe to special area teachers because they are so affordable and these teachers are often overlooked}. or, you could pair them with this matching beverage dispenser and still come in at under $15!! the beverage dispenser could also be a stand alone gift, and you could also add your teacher’s name to it with paint pens or vinyl lettering to make it personal. just no apples please!

this blanket, seen under K and C this past weekend, was given to me by my students 7 years ago when E was born. we use it constantly. now, i love a good craft or diy, but i am not a quilter. luckily, target has fun picnic blankets that fold up into an easy to carry bag in stores and online.

if you want to get even fancier, you could have someone you know embroider or use vinyl lettering to write your teacher’s name on the blanket. this might be good for a whole class gift where you have more people contributing to the cost.

{3} gift cards

never underestimate the power of a gift card. in the last post on teacher’s gifts, i included this bulleted list of what teachers probably already have enough of…

• things to take care of {like plants}. unless you know he/she is an avid gardener, teachers usually do not need more plants. plants for the classroom have to be remembered over breaks and holidays and that is just hard. and transporting plants home is also hard.
• candles. i know. this is kind of my go-to gift. and it’s not the worst teacher gift but teachers get a lot of candles.
• anything with apples. let’s be honest. i don’t know anyone who decorates with apples in their home. and if you’ve been to your child’s classroom, you know there is enough stuff in there as it is. no more apples needed, no matter how cute they look on etsy.
• photos of your kids. your kiddos’ teachers love your kids or they wouldn’t do the job they do. but they do not need extra pictures of them. again, they have enough stuff for their classroom and probably won’t hang something with your child’s picture on it at home.
• kids’ artwork. this is cute, and special, but there is already so much of it. it’s hard enough for you to figure out what to do with it when it comes home. your teacher feels the same way. {and if you need an easy way to organize your child’s artwork at home, click here.}
• food {homemade or otherwise}. teachers know and genuinely appreciate the time that goes into a baked good. but admittedly i am a germaphobe, and the thought of multiple kid hands mixing and sneezing makes me second guess eating a homemade cookie, no matter how delicious it might look.
• things for their classroom. imagine 24 kids in your family room. every day for seven hours. and then imagine all of their stuff. and your stuff. teachers really just don’t need more stuff for their classrooms. if they send home requests, those things are probably better donated and not given as gifts.
• mugs. again, kind of a go-to gift. unless you find a mug with a phrase {not a picture} that perfectly depicts your child’s teacher or something he/she always says, your teacher probably has enough mugs.

something teachers don’t have enough of? ways to treat themselves. we all know a teacher’s salary does not leave a lot of wiggle room. gift cards really are the perfect gift. i’ve heard some say they feel like gift cards are the easy way out. well, why not make it easy on yourself? and speaking from experience, a gift card with money on it that i can use all for myself is something to get excited about. some suggestions include amazon, nordstrom rack, target, charming charlie, homegoods, hobby lobby, or anywhere else indicated on your teacher favorites printable.

alison, who writes at one of the cutest, most creative blogs i’ve ever seen has adorable ideas if you want to get crafty with your gift card presentation. this is an “apple” a teacher can actually get excited about!

{4} graphic t-shirts

graphic t-shirts are everywhere right now. they are the perfect excuse for a teacher to wear a t-shirt to school. or anywhere else! megan at RedWagonApparel on etsy has some really great ones, including the one featured here in this picture. there are ones that specifically apply to teaching, or if you know your teacher well, you might choose one of her other adorable options. i spent waaaaaay too much time browsing her etsy page this week. i think i could wear a graphic t-shirt every day of the week.

{5} magazine subscription

i really hope bookstores never go out of style. and magazines. there is just something about turning those pages and admiring all the pretty things inside. i get really excited when i see my latest issue of magnolia or real simple arrive in the mail {even if i never have time to get through the whole issue}. and the thing about magazine subscriptions is they are inexpensive and they keep showing up. all year long. these are my two favorites but if you know your teacher is into fitness or gardening or cooking, you could go in that direction with a year or half year subscription.

wrap bracelets

outdoor entertaining

gift cards

graphic t-shirts

magazine subscriptions

i hope this takes the guesswork out of shopping for all your teachers this year. and that you are able to resist ordering each of these for yourself as you shop {i was so tempted!} i am sure whatever you decide, your teacher will love and appreciate the thought and time behind your efforts as we close out another school year!

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