It’s not that I want to be wishing away the last term of the school year or anything. But…. I did think now would be a good time to start talking about gifts for the teaching staff that have been looking after our little treasures this academic year.
Teachers gifts, which of course cover teaching assistants and support staff too, are a tricky balance to strike. With quite a few teachers being involved in each year it can easily get quite pricey, and chances are you don’t want anything too big but you do want it to be thoughtful too (even if you don’t really know much about them outside of school). And then there’s a few teachers you’ll get on brilliantly with, and others who you might not know as well.
My most useful personal experience is from friends that are teachers who have in the past been overwhelmed by gifts and struggle to know what to do with them all. Chocolates, wine and flowers are all lovely gestures, but multiplied by the numbers of pupils and it can quickly get pretty intense (not to mention hard to get home)!
So I’ve pulled together a few ideas of gifts for teachers that I think strike a really good balance between thoughtful, useful and gentle on the budget.
1 - Focusing on school work.
Straight in with a practical gift that can be used year round! These small square stamps make a great gift, either individually or you can make them into a set with another one or two or an ink pad. They’re small enough that they’ll easily fit in a desk drawer corner or a pencil case to carry around with them. As well as personalised ones being available, there are also more general ones and even a few in different languages too!
Another take on celebrating great school work is this Rewards clear stamp set. It’s such a versatile set and all it needs is one acrylic block as they can stick-on/peel-off without any fuss. This is a great option for something that will fit flat(ish) within a thank you card too.
2 - Statement Stamps for the Teacher that made a big impression
For those teachers with big personalities who have really made a difference, statement stamps such as these are a great gesture. Again, they’re practical and can be used year-round by them, and when personalised they’ll instantly understand the thought and effort that has gone in to picking it as a gift.
3 - For teachers with outside interests
Obviously Teachers don’t get hidden away in a box over the school holidays, and while you might not always know what a teacher does outside of school sometimes you might have a little idea. They may be an avid crafter, baker, bookworm or bullet journal-er. Or maybe they’ve got chickens or a pet that they’ve brought into class.
One of these stamps could make a lovely gesture towards that hobby or outside interest, but without being too nosey. And what’s more you could easily build them up in a lovely little gift set too with a notebook, washi tape, or some themed stickers.
4- Thoughtful gifts you can make
One of the best things about stamps is how versatile they can be, and if you’ve got your own stamp-stash a homemade gift is a surefire way of making sure they’ve got something no-one else will have thought of.
Bookmarks, a card or a picture are a lovely personalised (and budget-friendly) way to thank them for all their hard work. (In fact I’ve got a few ideas for you on my Pinterest ‘Teachers Gifts’ Board if you fancied a look)
These Alphabet stamps could be used in all sorts of ways, and if you’re really celebrating making it to the summer then this Travel set of clear stamps would be fabulous on a card or even wrapping paper for any gift. Add a few drawings and voila - beautiful and unique work of art!
5 - Don’t forget the finishing touches.
A Homemade card, gift tag or wrapping paper make the perfect finishing touches for any gift you may have gotten them, and is a great way to get your kids involved a bit too. Of all the people who would truly appreciate the effort that goes into making any of these things, Teaching staff would be top of the list, and something homemade really does check the thoughtfulness box with aplomb.
I’ve got a range of stampables too if decorating is where you’re heading, and if you’re looking for some little stamps to add to your own collection for year-round use the last-chance-to-buy section on my Etsy shop has some great decorative ones so you never need to worry about cards and wrapping again!
If none of these are quite what you’re after do take a look through the blog for past posts with loads of ideas - just search ‘Teacher Gift’ in the top bar. And lastly if you are interested in getting a personalised stamp made for them it is a case of the sooner the better for ordering them as it can get busy and we all know how much there is to remember at the end of the year!
(And one very very last thing, don’t forget the best teacher’s gifts are always the ones that have been thought about. It’s never about size or price so don’t feel pressured by the Instagram algorithm or the year-group What’s App, you )
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