We Asked Educators for the Best End-of-Year Gifts, and They All Want One Thing (2024)

Lots of teachers say that what they want most, above gifts, are hand-written notes. But if your student finds it hard to get the words out, this journal helps them make it easy by offering fill-in-the-blanks that'll get the inspiration flowing. The class can even work on it together and make it a group gift.

While our teachers asked for desk plants, they said nothing about the pots they come in. This two-pack features pots with cute messages designed to make teachers' hearts melt. All you have to do is get a succulent or air plant to pop in it, and you're good to go.

These are wonderful for anyone who has crossing-guard duty or needs to supervise recess. They can last up to four hours on a single charge, and they come in several colors and patterns.

The same travel tumbler that's used en masse by students last is also a hit with their teachers. And, with the ability to hold a whipping 40 oz of liquid, we get it. The insulation keeps beverages hot or cold, which is helpful for a teacher that has to stand up and talk in front of a class all day. Just don't forget the straw cover to go with it!

After gift cards, personalized items came up the most often as a much-wanted gift. So teachers will delight in their very own stamps, created to look just like them, with their hairstyle, facial hair, glasses and other accessories. You can get them for male teachers and female teachers, and you can also personalize the text.

Teachers more than most need to keep sanitizing their hands. With this set of 10, they can stash sanitizer in every corner of the classroom — plus their bag and car. You can even get them a fun holder that'll clip to their bag.

Perfect for a reading or English teacher, these name plates are made from repurposed Scrabble tiles. You can also add in an apple, star or heart embellishment in the beginning. It's a great just-a-little-something that won't take over their whole desk.

How can teachers be expected to keep track of all their stuff and a classroom full of kids? Give them a leg-up with an Apple AirTag, which they can use to electronically track down their most-often-lost items.

With a 16 oz can-shaped class, a bamboo lid and two glass straws, they'll get to use this over and over for their favorite cold drinks. And, when they do, they'll smile about all the "ingredients" that go into making a good teacher.

Another ingenious place to stash a gift card? Inside one of these pouches. They're made to go around a travel water cup like the Stanley Quencher, so that Teach can carry their IDs and keys and stay one-hand-free. But even if they don't have a beverage tumbler, there are a million places to clip this in where it'll be useful.

If you feel sheepish about giving a gift card by itself, you can always put it in something useful, like these color-coded zipper mesh pouches — which has a million uses. They come in a set of 24, so you'll have enough for several teachers and enough left over to organize yourself, too.

Some teachers requested school merch or school-store swag as a gift; if that's not available, this is the next best thing. It comes in about a dozen colors and a couple different styles, and you can get it in sizes from XS to 2XL.

Richard Benson has seen it all when it comes to test answers, but the witty lines in this book will show him he's not the only one with, um, thoughtful students. The off-the-wall answers here will have your teacher in stitches.

From lesson plans to to-do lists to whatever musings enter their heads, teachers can always stand to have a notebook on-hand. And, with a laser-engraved design, they'll always know which notebook is theirs. There are also many different designs and styles to choose from.

One teacher made it plain: "Wine is an acceptable teacher gift — don’t believe the hype." If you don't want to go for the bottle alone, you can gift it in this reusable tote, which can be frozen so the wine so the wine stays cool during transport.

An Amazon gift card was far-and-away the most requested gift on our teachers' lists. And it makes sense: You're giving them what they want most — something they can pick out themselves. This one even comes in its own gift box, and all you have to do is add a thoughtful note.

These are especially good for any STEM teachers out there. The molecule presented there is extremely appropriate for teachers — it's caffeine, something many educators need to get going in the morning.

Elementary school teachers in particular often have to decorate their rooms every year. Help them out with this sweet sign that comes in three designs, and can be personalized with their name.

With teachers, once one thing is done, it's on to the next. This large planner is undated, so they can keep track of their future goals and action items as soon as they receive it. You can also get other supplies like a spiral notebook, a large journal or thank-you cards in the same "Flower Stripe" or blue "Joy Dot" patterns.

When a classroom-app note just won't do, they'll appreciate having their own stack of personalized "From the Desk Of" notecards. This one comes with a choice of yellow, green or red apple, but if you don't want to go with the apple motif, you can opt for the No. 2 pencil design.