When it rolls around to Christmas there are always lots of people to buy for. If your child is at nursery or primary school it's a lovely idea to get a special gift for their teacher. Teacher gifts are a thoughtful way to say thanks for their hard work inspiring your little ones, and they don't have to be expensive either.
You could even let your child help pick out the gift, or ask them to give it to their teacher before the Christmas holidays. Not only does this help your child learn about gift-giving, but it also helps them to learn about gratitude and how it's the thought that counts. You could even include a handmade Christmas card for an extra personal touch.
Whether you want to buy your child's teacher something small and thoughtful or get the parents together to buy a present from the whole class, we've found all great gifts for nursery teachers to say thank you.
Best gifts for nursery teachers
Best pen gift for nursery teachers
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Teachers are always using pens to mark, tick and check off everything at school. Why not give them a thoughtful gift of a personalised pen that you can get engraved with their name? You can even choose the colour of the pen or get them a selection for a full set!
One review said: "Amazing pen!!! Fast delivery! Very friendly seller! I asked if I could have hearts on my pen and he did it and I also asked for a different font. It looks great and is so worth the money! It also came with a cute little calendar!! Definitely recommend and will definitely order again! Thank you!!"
Best Christmas gift set for nursery teachers
If you want to give your nursery teacher a funny gift this Christmas, this 'survival kit in a can' is an amazing stash of goodies for just under £12. Including tea bags, paper clips, batteries and even hair nets with hilarious notes, they'll love this silly gift.
One review said: "Love this cute and functional joke gift. Most items are usable and when they are all gone, the tin is a great little compact container too. Bought for my dad he loved everything about it. Great quality for the price and was delivered timely too."
Best Christmas keychain gift for nursery teachers
Keychains are a great present because they can be attached easily and held onto forever. This set of six teacher keychains are really sentimental and also give you enough to give to multiple teachers or teaching assistants if you have a few children or want to spoil more than one person.
One review said: "Exactly as it is shown on the images. Each keyring is in their own plastic packet and ideal for gifting. I bought it for the staff who work with my son in his school. Seems like really good quality, I hope it doesn't tarnish."
Best plant Christmas gift for nursery teachers
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Thoughtful in its personalisation and great for those green fingers out there, this plant maker is something that a nursery teacher can keep in their classroom and continue to look after. The 'thank you for helping me grow' is extra thoughtful.
www.etsy.com
Well it is Christmas after all! It wouldn't make sense to have a gift guide without a teacher-themed Christmas ornament to gift them. Made from ceramics and a luxurious ribbon, you can customise this Christmas ornament for your teacher to take home and celebrate the festive season with.
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Want a dinky box to treat them with? This small customisable box is small enough to carry little bits like keychains or chocolate and is really sweet with a choice of three illustrations: twine, christmas tree or hanging ornaments. This online shop gives you the option to add in chocolate so you'll have everything ready to gift.
One review said: "A lovely present for a teacher, friend or relative as a Christmas thank you. Each tin can be personalised with your own message. A perfect end of term gift."
Best personalised chocolate Christmas gift for nursery teachers
www.notonthehighstreet.com
It wouldn't be Christmas without a bit of chocolate, so why not grab this chocolate to say thank you - literally! With a choice of different patterns and options for different text, you can choose something that will be perfect for any nursery teacher.
One review said: "I ordered the name of the school my daughter attends as a gift for her teachers and staff - a Welsh name which would be impossible to find 'on the high street'! So very pleased with this gift - it looks great in the box, and I'm confident the recipients will love it. Also, there was a little heart-shaped chocolate included with the order (which somehow found it's way into my mouth), and if that is anything to go by - the teacher's are in for a treat! Scrummy!"
Teachers are always jotting notes down in diaries and notebooks, so investing in a chunky note pad for them may be a perfect gift option.
One review said: "Pretty design and well made, great for daily use."
Best chocolate and fizz gift set for nursery teachers
www.hotelchocolat.com
Stuck on what to get a nursery teacher? Chocolate and fizz is always a classic option for the festive season. This luxurious gift box from Hotel Chocolat is filled with four different chocolate gifts as well as a small bottle of prosecco. What more could you want?
One review said: "So happy with this gift box. Nothing I didn’t love. Very grateful for the delicious items. Fully recommend."
www.marksandspencer.com
M&S gift boxes are luxurious and high-quality and this afternoon tea is perfect for any busy teacher. With classic buys including milk chocolate viennese biscuits, cakes and breakfast tea, it's a winner.
One review said: "Given as an 85th birthday gift. The feedback received was excellent. The positives are that the individual portions of 3 different types of cake are individually packed. Quality teabags and shortbreads complement the gift. Well boxed and well presented. A great gift for an individual or a family or even for a family away day. Letterbox sized packaging."
www.etsy.com
Sometimes there's nothing better than seeing a sticker in your child's book, and now you can get customised teacher stickers. Choose from different styles, sizes and add in the teachers name to make it extra personal. Cute and useful.
One review said: "Brought this for a friend who recently passed her NQT. The stickers were amazing and she loved it."
www.etsy.com
You can personalise this stamp with a name and change the face to add in glasses, ties and accessories that make it extra special. This is great for any nursery teacher who you know loves to stamp your kids’ books - thoughtful and original.
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One review said:** "I ordered this a week before school ends for a colleague who was leaving and it arrived just in time! They also added his favorite pet and did a great job! Communication was very clear. Love it!"
Best mug Christmas present for nursery teachers
You can never go wrong with a mug for a teacher. Although they may already have a huge stash of mugs in the staff room, it's always going to be a safe bet. We love the tag line on the mug saying "this is what an awesome teacher looks like".
One review said: "Great quality and beautiful design, Perfect gift for a Teacher. Arrived quickly and good sturdy packaging."
What do teachers really want as gifts?
It can be really hard to know what teachers want, especially in the nursery stages where you probably won't see them unless you're dropping your child off and picking them up. The best way to know is to get chatting with other parents and even speak to the teacher themselves to figure out what they really like.
What should I buy for my child's teacher?
It doesn't need to be anything huge and most teachers say they'd rather receive something sentimental than for parents to spend lots of money on them.
Think about what they might need or enjoy alongside their teaching; things such as stationery and stickers can help them add to their inventory. On the other hand, a small bottle of wine (if they drink) or a box of chocolates is a safe bet for teachers.
Don't forget to grab a card for the teacher. Even better if you can get your toddler to draw something nice inside.
How much should I spend on my child's teacher?
If you want to be bold and spend a bit more, that's always nice but not totally necessary for teachers. Think small but considerate or if you want to buy something bigger, organise a money pot with other parents in your child's class.
Anything around the £10 or less mark is perfect for a nursery teacher. If you know they've done an amazing job and really want to spoil them, then you can go above this at your discretion.
Adejumoke Ilori is a Commercial and Content Writer for Mother&Baby. She is a mommy of one and enjoys writing about baby world, mothership, true life stories (especially single parenthood), and celebrity gossip. And, with a degree in Creative Writing, she has also worked with media platforms like, OK! Magazine, New, She Rose Revolution and Fab Magazine.