Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! (Ideas To Celebrate)
We’re celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week this year and making it easy on parents and kids to honor their teachers, educators and school staff who have worked so hard to help our kids learn this year. We have a week’s worth of Teacher Appreciation celebration ideas to thank your favorite teachers and show your gratitude. Welcome to a big list of ideas for National Teacher Appreciation Week!
When is Teacher Appreciation Week?
US Teacher Appreciation Week is the first full week of May. This year, Teacher Appreciation Week falls on May 8, 2023 – May 12, 2023. National Teacher Day is May 2, 2023 which was originated in 1953 by former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.
Teacher Appreciation Week is meant to honor teachers for their hard work over the school year and how they truly love and care for all of our kids with small gifts. In my opinion, pampering our teachers five days out of the year isn’t enough, but it’s a start.
Related: Our best list of teacher appreciation gifts kids can make
Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas
When asked what teachers want as a gift, my teacher friends usually say that great teachers want their kids to be safe, healthy, happy, read to, and for mom and dad to support the kids’ learning at home. They also quickly follow those sentiments with “wine” as a favorite gift choice, haha!
Here are some ideas for your child’s teacher that make a great gift…
1. Gift Card Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week
You can’t go wrong with digital gift cards for Teacher Appreciation Week for great places they can go: coffee, Netflix, Hulu, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Kindle, Buffalo Wild Wings, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Target are great quarantine gifts that will be appreciated.
2. Send a Delivery for Teacher Appreciation Week
Send teachers the special gift of Tiff’s Treats or flowers. Have a yard card service set up a message in their yard or school yard (ask permission first), like “an awesome teacher lives here!”
3. Set up an Amazon Wish List for Teacher Appreciation
Room parents and class volunteers can ask the teacher to set up an Amazon wish list of some of their favorite things, school supplies or books they want to read and parents can purchase from there. Even some of the big name stores are getting in on the fun, like Target’s teacher discount!
Thoughtful and Inexpensive Gifts for Teachers
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to give teachers something special. Kids crafts are a great place to start! Who doesn’t love a sweet memento like a video or slide show presentation?
Don’t forget school administrators, support staff and any other helpers in the school district…everyone can take part of teacher appreciation week!
1. Kid Written Notes
Kids can write a nice thank you note or notes of appreciation and mail it to their teacher (if they are willing to give you their address), or you can scan and email it instead. You could even have your child record a video message for their teacher and email it to them.
How Do You Wish A Teacher Appreciation?
We’ve put together a sample daily schedule for online Teacher Appreciation Week that includes five different prompts for students to share something special about their teacher.
There are printable PDF versions that kids can fill out — take a picture of their creation, print it, scan it, and email it to your teacher, post on social media, or upload the picture to your child’s digital classroom in Google Classroom, SeeSaw, or whatever program your school uses. There are also links to each of these messages in Google Slides so you can edit them digitally to make them even easier to share!
Each day has a great idea that is easily completed for National Teacher Appreciation Day and week.
What is each day of teacher appreciation week?
Use the digital version links for each day (copy and edit) or download the Teacher Appreciation Week Graphics pdf version: Teacher Appreciation Week Template Printables
Monday:
- Share your favorite photos with Teachers and Staff on your school’s social media or create a collage and take it to your teacher.
- Today’s Special Message: Use this My Favorite Thing About My Teacher template to share what you love about your teacher. Click here for a digital version you can edit in Google Slides.
Tuesday:
- Record a video message or write a letter to your teacher to show them how they helped you with student success! You can email it directly to them, upload to your digital classroom, or share a photo on your school’s social media or deliver it personally to the teacher’s desk.
- Today’s Special Message: Use this You Taught Me template to share something special that you learned from your teacher. Click here for a digital version you can edit in Google Slides.
Wednesday:
- Dress up like your favorite teacher or staff member!
- Today’s Special Message: Use this Making You Proud template to share a special moment when you knew you made your teacher proud. Click here for a digital version you can edit in Google Slides.
Thursday:
- Give your teacher something special! Students can draw a picture, write a poem, sing a song — the sky is the limit!
- Today’s Special Message: Use this Favorite Memory template to share your favorite memory from your class this year. Click here for a digital version you can edit in Google Slides.
Friday:
- Decorate your desk, classroom bulletin board or hallway for the teachers and staff so they can feel the love. Use sidewalk chalk to leave messages in front of the school, create fun signs and put them in the school yard.
- Today’s Special Message: Use this What I’ll Miss template to share what you will miss most about your teacher. Click here for a digital version you can edit in Google Slides.
More Ways To Celebrate US Teacher Appreciation Week 2023
- Printable teacher appreciation cards you can print and mail to your teacher.
- Make a teacher appreciation gift they will use all the time!
- Some of our favorite DIY teacher appreciation gifts.
- Teacher Appreciation Freebies and Deals
No matter how you honor the awesome teachers at your school for their long hours of service giving high quality education, just make sure you have a good time in celebration of teacher appreciation week! Whether it is preschool, Kindergarten, elementary school teachers, middle school teachers or a high school teacher you are celebrating, let’s support teachers who went way past the call of duty this past year with special gifts.
Happy teacher appreciation week!
Fun Things to Do with Kids this Summer
- Check out these kids education websites offering free subscriptions.
- Help your kids learn how to make bubbles at home!
- My kids are obsessed with these active indoor games.
- Make reading even more fun with this PB kids summer reading challenge.
- Rawr! Here are some of our favorite dinosaur crafts.
- Get kids off technology and back to basics with learning worksheets you can print at home.
- Summer heat won’t be a problem with these indoor games for kids.
- What is Butterbeer?
Teacher Appreciation Week FAQ
Teacher Appreciation Week is every year and falls on the first full week of May. Teacher Appreciation Day falls on the Tuesday of the first full week in May. That means in 2023, Teacher Appreciation week is May 8 – May 12 and Teacher Appreciation Day would be Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
While teachers deserve our appreciation every day of the year, Teacher Appreciation week falls yearly on the first full week of May.
Yes, Teacher Appreciation week is celebrated across the United States every May! Don’t miss this fun opportunity to celebrate the important educators in your life.
How are you celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week?
Comment below, and make sure you tag us with #KABlovesteachers if you post any pictures or ideas on social media!
I would love to use these prompts this year, but would like to change the year on them from 2019-2020. Is there a version where the area with the year is editable? Thanks!
Lisa,
I had new ones made for this year that should arrive in the next few days and I will add them in here! Thanks for asking.
Holly
Hello! These are great!! just wondering if you will have the updated year version available soon? Thank you!!
I’m planning to take the boys’ teacher her favorite lunch!
I bet that will be a hit! Great idea, Kristin!
My kids gathered information on what their teachers liked and then we made a gift basket with items they would enjoy. We didn’t do coffee cards, because not all teachers drink coffee.
Aw, I love that idea, Lori! How thoughtful!
I am a teacher, and some of the best presents I have received were handmade by students. I also have several ornaments that I have on display all year long.
They bring a smile and remind me that I am appreciated.
Aw, those are some wonderful gift ideas! Thank you for the suggestions, and thank you for all that you do!
I’ve heard teachers love getting the papermate flair felt pens as gifts! They’re awesome pens. Can’t go wrong with a handwritten note either!
Those are both great ideas. Thank you, Hannah!
Potted flowers/plant and candy!
Thank you! Love those ideas!
As a teacher my favorite gifts have been handwritten notes from students. I also got a package with flair pens, unique colored white board pens, metallic sharpies, and chalk pens and it made my day! I love those things. I usually have my own kids wrote notes and give a small gift card to a local place for them to treat themselves (coffee shop, ice cream shop, wine bar, etc).
Thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Kristin! Aw, the handwritten notes form students have to be so sweet! Thank you for these wonderful ideas!
I appreciated when one parent offered to bring me lunch! It was such a nice surprise and I didn’t have to make it the night before. So sweet!
Thank you for all that you do, Crista! That is the sweetest gift idea!
When I was a teacher I really appreciated the hand written notes from the parents about something they said their child is doing or saying because of my help or how I’ve helped their child or family. As for a physical gift learning a little something about a teacher as a person and making the gift about them is always appreciated.
Thank you for all that you have done as a teacher, Shannon! Also, thank you for the lovely ideas!
I will have my son write a personal note and give her a gift card to Starbucks
That is so sweet, Kim! I am sure your son’s teacher will appreciate it!
I thank the page for all wonderful ideas! Cheers from Brazil ??
Aw, thank you for your kind words, Pascoa!
I randomly pick a teacher to have a duty free lunch from their students. This seems to be the highlight of their day! 30 minutes of free time ?
That is such a sweet idea! Love it, Keisha. Thank you for sharing!
As an educator, having a parent surprise me with something our class uses all of the time was both helpful and appreciative – glue sticks, pencils, etc. I think of their thoughtfulness everytime the items are used. I love the handwritten notes from students too!
Those are both great ideas, Kat! Thank you for sharing and thank you for all that you do as an educator!
I am gonna give her a gift basket filled with beauty care items and a gift card to Amazon. My daughter’s teacher takes good care of her while in school I want to make sure she takes time for herself as well. My daughter is also gonna add a homemade bracelet and earrings she’s been making on her own.
Those ideas are so sweet and creative, Laura! I am sure that she will love it all, especially the sweet handmade jewelry from your daughter! Thank you for sharing with us.
My granddaughter wrote a note and got a flower for her favorite teacher.
Aw, that is so sweet! Thank you for the suggestion!
As a teacher, the most precious gift I got was from a little girl who gave me her teddy bear. She knew I collected them and wanted me to have hers. ?? I spoke to mom thinking this would be a problem at home, but she confirmed that she wanted me to have it.
The best gift we gave to a teacher was homemade biscuits! ?? At least he said it was the best gift lol..
Kayla, this made me teary!! What a sweet girl. Yum to homemade biscuits, too! Thank you for your suggestions and thank you for all that you do as a teacher!
I gave my daughter’s teacher a bag that I put her hand prints on one side with a fun quote I wrote in fabric paint on the other side.
Aw, that is such a sweet idea! I am sure teachers always appreciate tote bags, with all of the papers and materials they have to carry back and forth from home to school!
Hi Holly! For teacher appreciation, we’ve given handmade cards, homemade hot cocoa bombs, a bottle of wine, and gift cards to some of our local shops!
Those are all wonderful ideas. Thank you, Brooke! We have a fun and easy hot cocoa bomb recipe on here, too!
As a person who works in education myself. I am very aware of the lack of appreciation for what teacher and other educators really do for our children. I do my best to show appreciation for my child’s educators by first simply saying “Thank you”. Thank you for your time, effort, resources and money ultimately. I also am as willing to donate materials to the classroom as well as buy and donate materials off wishlists to help support the teachers in the functioning of their classroom. As we know many educators do not make what they are worth and are also spending many of their own hard earned dollars to buy the materials and items they need to support their curriculum in their classrooms, and offering to donate anything is helpful to them. I also show appreciation by sending small gifts during various holiday or just because to show my appreciation for what they do and what they endure while in the classroom. It is important to show our teachers appreciation because they need our support as much as our children need theirs.
This is SO important, Autumn. I always make sure that I thank my daughter’s teachers for everything that they do, and offer assistance in any way I can. You are right. Teachers need our help and support if they are to help and support our kids. Thank you for all that you do in the education field!
As an educator and a mom, I know that gifts for the classroom are just as much appreciated as gifts for the teacher alone. I like to give a giftcard for a drink place and some bath essentials. Or a new pack of markers and some glue sticks.
Very good point! Thank you for sharing, and thank you for all that you do as an educator, Tanni!
Sorry No Teachers to “THANK! But I always “Thank” all our front-line workers who have been there for all of us in the stores so we can continue to live because without our Front-Line Workers we would not have gotten through this COVID Virus…
Yes, I agree! I always thank our front line workers and medical professionals, too!
As a teacher, I received a balloon with multiple lottery tickets, a heartfelt card, and a gift card to Target (just in case I didn’t win any money from the lottery tickets). 🙂
Aw, so sweet! Love the “backup” idea of this gift, too, haha! Thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Hadeel!
Mugs filled with candy as a kid and items I made with a sewing machine when I got older.
Aw, that is so sweet and thoughtful, Alanna! Thank you for sharing!
I have given my kids’ teachers a bag of natural skincare products (lotion, lip balm, and body polish) because all the hand washing they have to do must be harsh on their skin!
That is such a thoughtful idea, Megan! I love it. Thank you for sharing!
I got box candy from the dollar store and glued them together to make a vase. Then I got more candy and sticks and made a bouquet.
What a sweet idea, Jessie! (Literally, ha!) Thank you for sharing!
My favorite gift that I received as a teacher was a small garden box decorated with each of my students colorful handprints with their names under.
Oh, that is so sweet!!! Thank you for sharing, and thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Jackie!
For teacher appreciation week. How about a 10 to 15 min chair massage? Set up in the teachers lounge with aromatherapy. Oil diffuser and a chance to get away for a little while. Relieve some tension
That is a great idea, Vanessa! Thank you for sharing!
Loved all of the ideas. I appreciate small details like notes from the students or drawings. But as a present, I think that you can’t go wrong with stationary stuff. Every teacher loves it!
Thank you for the amazing suggestions, and thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Francelia!
Some of the best teacher gifts I’ve received include crayons personalized with my name and ‘best teacher’, a handcrafted painted wooden pencil with my name, and of course handmade drawings and letters.
Those are amazing ideas! Thank you for sharing and thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Kelly!
Right before I graduated I wrote notes to my favorite elementary and high school teachers and visited the elementary teacher. (I was still in class with the high school teacher.) I know they really appreciated those notes.
We homeschool, and I think if I were to receive specific teacher appreciation gifts from my kids I’d like either something coffee-related or stationery-related. I would assume that’s pretty typical, but I’m not sure. ?
Aw, I bet they got so emotional! That is very sweet! Great ideas, thank you!
My daughters gave out drawings and handwritten notes, but not on paper! We like using permanent markers on blank tiles. We always find small square tiles at the local hardware store. They’re cheap, less than $1 each, and we have permanent markers of many colors. The girls often draw themselves with their teacher, or their favorite part of school, with a cute note. It’s always been very well received! 🙂
That is such a sweet idea, Valerie! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve always asked my kids’ teachers if they have Amazon wishlists, most of them have and that’s where I usually gift from. That way I know they are getting something they need or want for their classroom, or themselves. Others have loved Amazon gift cards, snack and treat baskets for quick and yummy bites to keep in their desks!
What a great idea, Rachel! Oh my goodness… all the years I asked my daughter to be a spy and find out what her teachers love, when I could have just asked for their Amazon wish list! LOL!
Some ideas we have done in the past are: Teachers Pay Teachers gift card or gift card to their favorite store/restaurant, S’mores kit (we need S’more teachers like you). One that may not be appropriate for all, but since we were friends outside of school, was a Corona cooler with Coronas and limes…cheers! Ha!
Love ALL of those ideas! Teachers Pay Teachers is amazing! How cute is the s’mores idea, too?! Haha to the Corona cooler!
As a teacher I would love an extra planning period, a half day off or a dress down day!
Those are wonderful ideas! Thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Aquanita!
I have given Amazon gift cards. That way they can purchase what they like.
That is a great idea, Jessie! Thank you!
The best thing that you can give a teacher is supplies- they never have enough supplies, especially dry erase markers and some chocolate for those long days when kids are not at their best.
Thank you for your suggestions Maureen! Yes, supplies and ALLLLL the chocolate, lol!
One year I put together baskets of Avon products for the teachers with chapsticks and hand lotions and body creams for the kids to give out.
You can never go wrong with the gift of pampering! Thank you for this sweet idea, Julie!
When I learned that teacher’s often had to buy supplies out of their own pocket, I started giving them sticky notes, new Expo markers, a box of pencils, a new pen, White-Out, etc. along with some chocolates.
Yes, that is true. I have a few teacher friends and they spend so much of their own money on their classroom and students. What a wonderful suggestion! Thank you, Kelly!
My son’s grade 1 online teacher is amazing. I know it is challenging for him to manage this grade 1/2 split class because the kids love to talk and are struggling with online etiquette! Lol. The teacher handles it with such grace and kindness , playfully correcting a student when they interrupt and giving them space to express when reasonable to do so! I plan to show how much I appreciate him by offering a free workshop to his class. I get paid to do workshops for students and aim to give him a much needed free period! I’ll tap into the other ideas here and so far an online gift card sounds good or a surprise care package in his inbox at the school. Sticking with the online theme a gift card or animated slide show of my sons work and him saying thanks for teaching him.
That is a wonderful idea, Imani! Teachers are amazing! I am sure that your gift will be very appreciated!
Every day after school my son who is in 1st grade draws his teacher a picture of something he learned today while in class and brings it into class the next day to give to his teacher. That is his way of showing what he learned and how he learned it
Aw, that is so sweet, Tanna! I’m sure his teacher appreciates it!
I love for my kids to write a personal note to the teacher- those are always soooo special. You can also give them a little chocolate or a gift card for a sweet treat to Dunkin donuts. Everybody loves to be thanked for the hard work that they do.
I know you said it but WINE ? OR their favorite drink of choice is always a go to, Amazon gift cards never miss, spa days for sure! Fresh flowers from Trader Joe’s are always nice! & it your school allows it, volunteer to do their carpool or recess duties! ?
I arranged for a dozen of my classmates to meet up at my high school theater/stagecraft teacher’s assisted living facility during the daytime of our 45th reunion weekend. Due to COVID concerns and his age (92), we brought folding chairs and sat with him as he regaled us with stories for two hours! So glad we finally connected with him in person (I had stayed in touch via Facebook).
I purchase SEL books for the class. Social Emotional Learning books are great.
Some great teacher appreciation ideas include anything personalized! Pens, signs, totes, etc. Gift cards are another good idea – and of course drawings and cards from the heart.
Our class got together and paid the teacher the equivalent of one day off. It was the same amount we would have spent on a gift only since we all pooled together, it was much easier to do and was appreciated a lot.
I have given the standard teacher mug, personalized notepad “From the desk of Mrs. Smith” when I’ve found those shutterfly coupons, homemade hand scrub, and jarred cookie ingredients.
I think the best gifts that I have received as the teacher were a Christmas ornament and tickets to the local Exploratorium for myself and my kids.
Experience gifts are the best! Thank you for these fun ideas, and thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Angel!
Some of the best Teacher Appreciation gifts I’ve received include gift cards from TPT, Target, Amazon, & Starbucks, catered lunches all week, a week of early morning yoga classes in the gym before school each day, handwritten cards from my sweet special education “littles”, getting to leave every Friday afternoon as soon as the last school bus leaves, & being allowed to wear blue jeans & our school shirts or sweatshirts for the entire week. Thanks for the chance to win!
Those are great ideas! Thank you Teresa, and thank you for all that you do as a teacher!
We often give personalized handmade cards and Starbucks gift cards to thank our teachers.
Thank you for these ideas, Rockee! Love it!
In my 24 years, my favorite teacher appreciation gestures were handmade notes/pictures from students. The PTO also hosts a luncheon on Teacher Appreciation day in the school library with yummy food and desserts. I think a great gift from the PTO would be a school mascot/school name tote bag, shirt, or sweatshirt!
Love these ideas, Lisa! Thank you for sharing them, and thank you for all that you do as a teacher!
As a teacher, I appreciate student made gifts! It could be a simple color page or picture. I also really appreciate parents who donate crafting supplies for my class!
Thank you for these ideas and thank you for all that you do as a teacher, Aspen!
I have thanked a teacher via the purchase of a gas card for rising gas prices !!
I am sure that will be appreciated! Thank you for the suggestion, Veronica!
Thanks for this ideas! God bless ??
You are so welcome, Siena! The same to you!