The past year has given everyone a newfound appreciation for teachers. Not that we didn’t appreciate them before, but being forced to home school showed parents what educators were actually dealing with day to day, and likely made them want to shower educators with the best gifts for teachers.
Whether they were actually in the classroom, teaching from a virtual one or a combination of the two, teachers certainly had their challenges over the last year when COVID-19 changed all of our lives. Teachers everywhere at public and private schools, of all grade levels, were trying to figure out how to either teach in a classroom safely or fight the uphill battle that is remote learning with young kids. It’s was a daunting task, and one that only people with the patience, Zen temperament and organizational skills of a teacher can handle. That’s why it’s so important to recognize the teachers in our lives for everything they did and continue to do to make sure children receive the education they deserve.
Whether it’s gifts for the classroom or more personal items to help them relax after long days of wrangling kids, these are the best gifts for teachers for the upcoming school year and beyond.
1. Fluidstance Slope Personal Whiteboard
This is another favorite product of ours for a WFH setup. It’s a personal whiteboard that will fit perfectly between their computer and keyboard in case they need to do some quick mental math or jot down a reminder for later on in the lesson. Help them cut down on their sticky note count and keep their remote teaching setup nice and tidy with this personal desktop whiteboard. It has a gentle angle for easy writing and a premium dry-erase surface. It also has a phone dock for propping up their smartphone and a dedicated space for a charging cable in necessary. It’s made of heavy-duty steel making it perfect for magnets, and it has felt bumpers for protecting their desk.
2. Teacher Life: A Snarky Chalkboard Coloring Book
Coloring isn’t just for students. Adult coloring books are a relaxing and fun way to chill out after a challenging day in class or on a remote learning platform, and this one incorporates teacher humor into it, doubling the fun and potential lightness. It includes illustrations specifically about the life of a teacher as well as insights into the #teacherlife. Your teacher will appreciate the nod to their world and enjoy this unwinding activity in the process.
Buy: Teacher Life: A Snarky Chalkboard Coloring Book $7.99
3. Orveay Ergonomic Desk Chair
There’s no better time than now to splurge on a gift for your teacher, so you can make that happen by going in on a present with a group of parents. An ergonomic desk chair is a necessity that will certainly be appreciated. This one is designed to prevent back pain, no longer how long you sit in it. Incredibly comfortable, it has lumbar support, a foam cushion seat, a breathable mesh back and flexible armrests to mold to your body. It’s adjustable to be customized to your height and you can also recline on it. The 360-degree swivel wheels allow for easy, speedy movement. And since you don’t want to add anything else to your teacher’s plate, it’s a cinch to assemble in just 15 minutes and comes with all the hardware and tools.
Buy: Orveay Ergonomic Desk Chair $74.99
4. DENIK Softcover Layflat Journal
You don’t have to drop big bucks to get one of the most thoughtful gifts for teachers. Buy a pretty notebook and encourage all of the students in your teacher’s classroom to write a heartfelt note about them, whether it’s what they learned from them or a favorite memory. It’s important to remind teachers of how many lives they touch and how crucial their jobs are.
Buy: DENIK Softcover Layflat Journal $9.99
5. Scotch Thermal Laminator
Teachers need to brighten up their classrooms more than ever and this handy Scotch Thermal Laminator will help. A personal laminator at their fingertips makes it much easier to spruce up their bulletin boards, laminate student projects and so much more. This laminator has a two roller system with two temperature settings that can laminate items up to nine inches wide and five millimeters thick, including photos.
Buy: Scotch Thermal Laminator $21.99
6. Express Pencils Personalized Pencils
If teachers had a dollar for every time a student asked to borrow a pencil and didn’t give it back, they might be on a private island somewhere. To help prevent that problem, give them the gift of personalized pencils with a cheeky message like “please return to the desk of Mr. X” or “property of Ms. X’s classroom.” This set of 12 No. 2 pencils come in every color of the rainbow and can be customized with up to 45 characters on one line.
Buy: Express Pencils Personalized Pencils $13.95
7. Herschel Retreat Backpack
Backpacks aren’t just for students—they’re equally handy for teachers and this one is the grown-up version they need. It packs so much in, so they can fit everything for a day at school, including their laptop, thanks to the padded and fleece-lined 13″ laptop sleeve that will keep their device safe and secure. Super comfy, it’ll help lighten their load and the, magnetic snap closure flap makes for easy access.
Buy: Herschel Retreat Backpack $84.99
8. Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask
Teachers need some “me time” more than anyone at the end of a long day, so it’s a thoughtful gift to help them relax with this cleansing face mask. It draws out toxins and dirt that can clog pores, and is formulated with oatmeal and aloe vera for a rejuvenating result. It’s the perfect way to unwind in a warm bath or while watching their favorite guilty pleasure TV show and drinking a glass of wine.
9. L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Two things are for certain this school year: Everyone’s hands are parched from all that hand washing and teachers are in need of some serious pampering. This luxe hand cream from L’Occitane covers both bases. It’s packed with 20% shea butter, along with honey, almond extracts and coconut oil for a dreamy blend that quenches even the most parched hands. It’ll deeply nourish skin and leave hands protected sans any residue.
Buy: L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream $29.00
10. Pioneers of California Wine Tasting Trio
If you need a glass of wine after a long day at work, imagine how a teacher feels. Gift them this wine tasting trio featuring bottles from OGs of the California wine industry. The set includes Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay, Gundlach Bundschu Mountain Cuvee and Buena Vista Chateau Buena Vista Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
11. Garden Party Monogram Mug
Many teachers rely on a steady stream of caffeine to keep them going for a full day of wrangling children. These mugs are a fun, personalized way to add some color to their classroom and make them smile every time they take a sip. You can customize the mug with their first or last initial so nobody else in the teacher’s lounge will confuse it for their own, and all of them have an elegant, lively floral design with cold accents. It’s a no-brainer gift for teachers that anyone would appreciate.
12. IPEVO V4K Ultra High Definition Document Camera
Along with a solid webcam, teachers might also be in need of a solid document camera. This comes in all shapes, sizes and price tags — but this one from IPEVO is a solid bet. It has an eight-megapixel camera and produces high-definition images at a high frame rate with lag-free streaming. It has fast focusing speeds to minimize interruptions when switching between materials and features a Sony CMOS image sensor for superb color reproduction and noise reduction. It has a multi-jointed staff that can be adjusted and maneuvered easily to find the perfect height and image. It’s compatible with software on Macs, PCs and Chromebooks so no matter what laptop you’re using this document camera can stream from it.
Buy: IPEVO High Definition Document Camera $111.03
13. Tub O’ Towels Cleaning Wipes
Good luck finding Lyson cleaning wipes in stock this year! However, lesser-known brands are making some fantastic Lysol alternatives, including these Tub O’ Towels heavy-duty cleaning wipes. These wipes contain vitamin E and aloe vera so they won’t dry out or irritate your hands, and they have enough cleaning power to make stains and spills disappear. These wipes are perfect for the classroom, home, office or car.
Buy: Tub O Towels Heavy-Duty Cleaning Wipes $13.98
14. Everlasting Comfort Seat Cushion
Since many teachers are going to be sitting more than they ever have before, a comfortable seat is going to be a must. This seat cushion has over 10,000 5-star reviews on Amazon and is designed to ease tailbone pain. It’s made with pure memory foam and can be used to prevent bad posture and relieve leg pain after sitting for long periods of time. It’s heat-responsive and molds to the shape of your body easily. The U-shaped ergonomic design is recommended by orthopedic surgeons for acute pain making it the perfect work-from-home accessory for alleviating pressure in certain areas.
Buy: Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Seat Cushion $39.95
15. Aromatherapy Essential Oils Set
There’s no way around it — being a teacher is stressful. Let alone, trying to keep students on track and learning properly whilst sitting at home in front of a camera rather than in person in front of them. This essential oils set with calming lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree oils will come in handy during particularly long afternoons of trying to get 3rd graders to focus. Soothe nerves, calm your mind and reap the benefits these plants have to offer in their purest form with this essential oil set.
Buy: Essential Oils 3-Pack $5.99
16. Thank You: (a book for teachers)
Our teachers always deserve our thanks and gratitude, but especially this year. Express your gratitude with this sweet book filled with beautiful words and illustrations as a unique and thoughtful way to say thank you. This year has been hard on all of us, and gratitude is the way to go when it comes to supporting one another.
Related: Unique Gift Ideas for Any Occasion
Buy: Thank You: (a book for teachers) $6.45
17. Glass Regular Mouth Mason Jars
Whether their desk is in the classroom or their home office, staying organized is always a challenge. A set of Mason jars is a fun, unexpected way to keep their desk and all their fixings nice and tidy. Since they’re clear, it’s easy to see what’s stored inside, which can be anything from pencils to candy. Made in America from high-quality glass with a wide mouth, they’re an eco-friendly storage option that will last for many school years.
Buy: Glass Regular Mouth Mason Jars $12.99
18. Avocado Reusable Face Masks
If your teacher is teaching socially distanced at their school face masks are going to be a must. These face masks from Avocado are reusable and made with two layers of organic cotton. They have ties so the fit can be easily adjusted throughout the day and they have a slot for an air filter if he or she wishes to insert one. This pack comes with four masks so they can switch out and will have plenty of wear whilst some of them are in the wash.
19. Baby Yoda “The Child” Funko Pop!
Yes, we know that technically Baby Yoda is known as “The Child,” but he will always be Baby Yoda to us. We love Baby Yoda toys and gifts, and since every teacher needs a few fun pieces of desk decor, you can’t go wrong with this adorable little Funko Pop! gift.
Buy: The Child Funko Pop $8.78
20. Thread Wallets Lanyard
Thankfully, most schools have thorough security measures in place, including requiring all staff to have their ID badges on them at all times. These lanyards are a more fun and better quality way for teachers to keep their badges visible and easily accessible. You can choose a pattern that feels fitting to their personality.
Buy: Thread Wallets Lanyard $11.00
21. Willful M98 Bluetooth Headset
Looking for an affordable and reliable Bluetooth headset? This is one of the best Bluetooth headsets for sale in 2021, and also one of the most practical gifts for teachers in the age of remote learning.
Buy: Willful M98 Bluetooth Headset $37.99
22. LOKASS Lunch Bag Insulated Lunch Box
A bagged lunch will instantly be a lot more fun when it comes out of this lunch box for adults. The best gifts for teachers are often practical ones, so you’ll earn points for this one. The insulated bag is lined with aluminum foil that will stand up to heat and keep foods and drinks fresh or warm for up to six and a half hours. Just the right size, it packs a lot in to the petite bag, since the main compartment can hold two containers and two drink bottles, so sandwiches, salads, snacks and other munchies all easily fit. The top of the bag opens horizontally with a zipper, making it easy to access and preventing leaks, plus it’s a breeze to wipe clean.
Buy: LOKASS Lunch Bag Insulated Lunch Box $18.99
23. Teacher Nutritional Label Gift Aluminum Water Bottle
A little humor never hurt anybody — and this year teachers are probably going to need an extra chuckle here and there. This water bottle features a clever play on nutrition facts labels shows just what teachers are made of. It’ll also remind them to drink water and stay hydrated throughout long days of remote learning and teaching.
Buy: Teacher Nutritional Label Gift Aluminum Water Bottle $16.99
24. Design Undone Teacher Box
This teacher subscription box has everything they need to get the year started whether at home or in their classroom. Each shipment, which happens four times throughout the year, includes essential supplies as well as teacher self-care items for keeping their teaching and wellness habits on point. The box also includes healthy-ish snacks for keeping hanger at bay whilst dealing with young children.
25. Teacher’s Planner
If you’re looking for one of the best gifts for teachers leading into the next school year, a teacher’s planner will most definitely be appreciated. This handy spiral-bound planner has space to keep track of weekly lessons, attendance and grades. It’s a very practical and convenient way to keep everything they need to plan for the year in one place.
Buy: Teacher's Planner $9.86
26. LARQ Insulated Self-Cleaning Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your holistic health, and this water bottle takes the insulated water bottle trope a step further. Hardly any of us clean our water bottles as often as we need to, and this water bottle takes that step out of the equation for busy teachers. It has a self-cleaning feature and a UV water purifier built inside that eradicates bacteria and gives you peace of mind. The UV-C LED light intelligently activates every two hours and eliminates odor-causing bacteria and viruses that normally linger in our water bottles for days. It’s non-toxic, mercury-free and the bottle comes in a whole host of fun colors.
Buy: LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle $95.00
27. TP-Link AC750 WiFi Extender
If they’re teaching from home, a reliable, fast internet connection is going to be key. This WiFi extender can boost your internet coverage up to 1200 square feet and can connect to up to 20 devices at once. Eliminate the potential for drops or slow buffering during lessons that will make holding children’s attention that much harder. This WiFi extender from TP-Link comes from one of the leading WiFi accessory brands and has OneMesh technology built-in for seamless roaming. It’s also quite easy to set up, so technologically challenged teachers shouldn’t have an issue installing and enjoying their gift.
Buy: TP-Link WiFi Extender $24.99
28. Daily Harvest Subscription
Eating healthy, fast meals during the day is a challenge for us all. Thankfully subscriptions like Daily Harvest help make it easier, and could help your fellow teacher get an organic, high-quality lunch in the middle of the teaching day without needing to book it to the grocery store. Daily Harvest creates farm-fresh, frozen meals that can be easily defrosted in your kitchen in just a few steps. There are plenty of options ranging from harvest bowls to flatbreads, soups and smoothies — all with organic fruits and vegetables mixed in.
29. FEIYOLD Blue Light Blocking Glasses
We’ve all heard about the dangers of excess blue light emanating off of our devices’ screens, and these glasses will save your teacher’s eyes from potential damage. They’re made with high-quality 3A transparent lenses that will block out 99% of harmful blue rays and have high transmittance for a balanced view. Two pairs of glasses at this price is quite a bargain for you, the gift giver, and will give your teacher two different looks to rock on their remote learning calls with students.
Buy: FEIYOLD Blue Light Blocking Glasses $15.98
30. ASUS Portable Monitor
If you’re shopping for a loved one, as opposed to, say, your child’s fifth-grade teacher, then this is the ultimate expensive back-to-school gift for teachers. Since most teachers are going to be working and teaching off of their computers this year, an extra monitor will definitely make all the difference. This 15.6-inch HD portable monitor is USB-powered and only uses a USB 3.0 cable for both its power and data transmission. This super slim monitor is light, portable and has a metallic finish for style points. It has a blue light filter for reducing eye strain and headaches, and comes with an ASUS smart case built in that has a two-way adjustable stand and a protective sleeve component to it as well.
Buy: ASUS Portable Monitor $129.00
31. Personalized Post-It Notes
These very cute crayon-themed post-it notes can be personalized with a teacher’s name for a thoughtful and useful gift for teachers. They can keep them on their desk whenever they need to leave messages for their students, other teachers, or even parents, and everyone will immediately know who the message is from. It’s a particularly perfect gift for a teacher of younger students since they’ll likely appreciate the crayon aesthetic.
32. Old Books Soy Candle
Candles make a great gift for teachers because they can keep them in their classrooms or take them home for personal use. It may be a cliche, but we assume that most teachers like to read, so this Old Books candle is a particularly good choice. It’s meant to smell like leather bindings and aged paper, which is a scent that anyone who enjoys spending time in a library will love.
33. Bloomscape Tough Stuff Collection
Plants are another versatile gift for teachers that can be used to brighten up a classroom or home, especially this bundle from Bloomscape that is all meant to be easy and adaptable. Teachers don’t need any more stress, so these are the perfect plants to gift since they don’t require a ton of effort or care. They come in trendy matte pots to make them even more attractive in any space.
34. Multicolor Ballpoint Pen
If you want to make the monotonous task of grading a little more fun for the teacher in your life, this multicolor retractable ballpoint pen will do just that. It may look like something you’d be excited to buy in middle school, but it’s actually useful for teachers who need to make comments and mark grades in different colored ink. They won’t have to switch pens, they can just push down a tab for the color of their choice. This set comes with six pens, all featuring different color schemes, making it an excellent gift for teachers.
Buy: Multicolor Ballpoint Pens $12.99
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