Preschool teachers use a lot of supplies. During the holidays, gifting them with classroom essentials can help them get a jump start on the next year. Of course, splurging on something more personal for your teacher friend, family member, or little one’s teacher will also brighten their day! Whatever you do, be sure to send a simple thank-you to the preschool teacher in your life. Two small words that go a long way can be even better than an actual teacher gift for preschool teachers. (But we do LOVE gifts!) Take a look at our list of some of the best teacher gifts any preschool teacher would love.
Quick tip: Check your school’s gift policy before giving; some prohibit homemade treats and/or gifts over a certain monetary value.
(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)
1. Glue Sticks
All of those adorable preschool art projects throughout the year require tons of glue sticks! Helping teachers restock with a big box of glue sticks will be just like sending a box of chocolates.
Buy it: Elmer’s All-Purpose School Glue Sticks at Amazon
2. Crayons
Crayons are used daily in a preschool classroom. Students are learning how to color, and their little hands go through them crazy fast. Any teacher would love a giant set of crayons.
Buy it: Crayola Crayon Classpack at Amazon
3. Card Stock
Paper is another essential that always disappears fast. Gifting teachers with some card stock would be a nice gesture. Neenah Paper is a popular choice that’s not too thin or thick, so they’ll definitely get a lot of use out of it.
Buy it: Neenah Paper at Walmart
4. Watercolor Paints
My favorite thing to do with young students is introduce painting. Watercolor paints are so much fun but quickly need replenishing. A nice pack of paint sets is an excellent choice for a gift!
Buy it: Crayola Washable Watercolors at Amazon
5. Washable Paint
Did I mention I love paint? Washable paint is another one we use all the time for holiday crafts, parent gifts, and just for fun. All shades of paint make a great gift, but most teachers would love a set of skin color paint.
Buy it: Crayola Multi-Ethnic Washable Tempera Paints at Amazon
6. Books
Books always make for amazing preschool teacher gifts! Check out our list of all the best preschool books including class favorites like Love Makes a Family, Natsumi!, and Find Fergus.
Buy it: Love Makes a Family at Amazon | Natsumi! at Amazon| Find Fergus at Amazon
7. Dry-Erase Markers
Whether they dry up or get lost in the classroom, teachers always seem to run out of dry-erase markers. This vibrant variety pack from EXPO is a fun choice for helping them restock. Also check out more of our top choices for dry-erase markers for the classroom!
Buy it: EXPO Dry-Erase Markers at Amazon
8. Sanitizer Wipes
Teachers definitely need plenty of ways to nix germs. These disinfectant wipes feature two sides: one for scrubbing and one for wiping. They also promise to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
Buy it: Lysol Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes at Amazon
9. Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card
Giving a gift card from Teachers Pay Teachers not only helps teachers spend less of their own money on classroom essentials, but also puts some cash back in another teacher’s pocket.
Buy it: Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card at Teacherspayteachers.com
10. Teacher Tee
Teachers love pairing a cute tee with jeans on Fridays. We rounded up our favorite teacher tees that you can easily get from Amazon, including this one with an uplifting message about kindness.
Buy it: Be Kind Teacher T-Shirt at Amazon
11. UGG Slippers
After spending all year running around on our feet, slipping into comfortable shoes is vital for teachers. UGG slippers always make for welcome preschool teacher gifts.
Buy it: UGG Fluff Yeah Slides at Zappos | UGG Disquette Slippers at Zappos
12. Preschool-Friendly Shoes
You can also help busy preschool teachers with some comfy shoes. I finally found the perfect pair that make me feel like I’m walking around on clouds: Allbirds Wool Loungers. You can read my review to see why I think they’re one of the best shoe options for the classroom.
Buy it: Allbirds Wool Loungers at Allbirds
13. Massage
Treat your teacher friends to a gift card for a relaxing massage from a local spa. Gifting them with an at-home massager also costs about the same as one 30-minute session at a spa.
Buy it: Papillon Back Massager With Heat at Amazon| RENPHO Rechargeable Hand-Held Deep Tissue Massager at Amazon
14. Bath Bombs
A calming bath can make me forget all about the hectic school day. You can find budget-friendly bath bombs pretty much anywhere, but the highly reviewed Happy Dance CBD Stress Away Bath Bomb or OUAI Chill Pills are especially soothing.
Buy it: Happy Dance CBD Stress Away Bath Bomb at Ulta | OUAI Chill Pills at Amazon
15. Mani-Pedi
Another amazing self-care gift: Call up their favorite nail salon and secure a time for your favorite teacher to be pampered. You can also find fun gift sets like this Le Mini Macaron 1-Step Gel Manicure Kit for at-home options that cost about the same price as a salon visit.
Buy it: Le Mini Macaron 1-Step Gel Manicure Kit at Ulta
16. Cricut
Cricut is a huge hit for easily cutting out letters, shapes, numbers, and more to use in crafts, projects, and decor around the room. If your preschool teacher friend has been eyeing one, you can make their day by gifting them the Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine. Plus, show them our handy roundup of 40 ways to use the Cricut in the classroom!
Buy it: Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine at Michaels
17. Hot-Cold Laminator
Personal laminators are all the rage, but a hot and cold laminator with a roll will help teachers say goodbye to boxes of laminating sheets and hello to ease. Giving them one like the Fencia Hot/Cold Roll Laminator will definitely crown you the king or queen of teacher gifts!
Buy it: Fencia Hot/Cold Roll Laminator at Amazon
18. Gift Cards
Gift cards might not be personalized, but they’re always my top choice for preschool teacher gifts. This way, teachers get to choose what they want and when they want to spend it. Whether you choose a store or restaurant, a gift card is sure to make any teacher’s day full of joy.
