May is almost here, which means that Teacher Appreciation Week (Monday May 4th – Friday May 8th) will be here before we know it. If you follow along with me on Instagram, then you know that I love to share fun ways to treat teachers throughout the year.
For me, Teacher Appreciation Week is all about treating the people who pour so much into our children every day. Teacher Appreciation Week is typically Mon-Friday, the official Teacher Appreciation Day is on Tuesday May 5, 2026, and I’ve seen caregivers celebrate in a variety of different ways. Some send in little notes or treats (think a donut or coffee) every single day, and some choose to send in one gift on 5/5 or to start or end the week. When it comes to this kind of thing, it’s best to do what serves your schedule and budget. I want to mention that teacher gifting (and really any gifting) is rooted in sentiment. I also know we don’t always have the space in our budget for these extras, I have a list of Free Teacher Gift Ideas to incorporate throughout the year. You can also check out 5 Teacher Appreciation Gifts that I shared in 2022.
I did a huge teacher poll on Instagram, and out of hundreds of responses the #1 favorite gift teachers loved was gift cards. I believe most of them really appreciate the flexibility of getting something they love. Target, Amazon, Starbucks or local restaurants were the most requested gift cards. Personalized gifts, handwritten notes and artwork were next on the list (although gift cards still dominated BY FAR). Things teachers said time and time again that they didn’t enjoy receiving: MUGS (this was the most popular answer, by far), candles, perfume/cosmetics, and handmade baked goods.
Mom Hack: I love gifting Starbucks gift cards, because they’re actually pretty versatile. If the educator doesn’t like coffee, they can get tea, a fun frappuccino, a quick snack/breakfast, or bakery item.
I’m sharing a fun gift idea below, with the above considerations taken into account. I typically spend the majority of my budget on the gift card, and then I add in a little extra fun. This year I paired flair pens with each favorite gift cards (made more thoughtful with colorful handwritten notes), and a few classroom goodies. Added everything to a reusable on-theme gift box, and wrapped it with a punny tag. Clean, bright, and easy to recreate… but still feels meaningful (because our teachers deserve that and more for all they do for our children.)
