Hey guys! Teachers appreciation week is almost here! Whether it’s the end of the school year or the beginning of a new one, showing appreciation for our kids’ teachers is something I truly love doing. Over the years, I’ve made a lot of fun, creative gifts that were heartfelt — and budget-friendly! I want you to know: you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a big impact.
Gifts on a budget.
Typically, I spend around $20–$25 on teacher gifts, and sometimes even less. When I give gift cards, they’re usually $10 or $15 — and trust me, the teachers are always so grateful. It’s truly the thought and effort that count most!
Here are some ideas I’ve made over the years that you can easily recreate:
1.
Alphabet Vase with Flowers
A simple glass vase filled with magnetic alphabet letters and fresh flowers inside. It’s colorful, fun, and the flowers make it feel extra special.
Materials Used:
- Glass vase (Target or Michael’s)
- Alphabet magnetic letters (Amazon or Target)
- Fresh flowers
2.
Plastic Pencil Gift
I filled a plastic pencil with shredded tissue paper, an Amazon gift card, some Hershey’s Kisses, and a handmade heart with the teacher’s name on it. Super easy and personal!
Materials Used:
- Plastic Pencil (Michael’s or Target)
- Shredded tissue paper
- Amazon gift card
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Cardstock paper for the heart
3.
Milk Carton Gift Box
This cute idea used small milk carton-shaped boxes filled with fun erasers, pencils tied with ribbon, a handmade note, and a Starbucks gift card tucked inside.
Materials Used:
- Milk carton boxes (Target dollar spot)
- Fun erasers
- Pencils and ribbon
- Handmade note
- Starbucks gift card
4.
Mini Bucket of Fun
I used a tiny bucket filled with mini sand toys, a Starbucks gift card, and a printed Etsy thank-you note.
Materials Used:
- Mini plastic bucket
- Miniature sand toys (Five Below)
- Starbucks gift card
- Printable thank-you note from Etsy
5.
Orange Juice Jug
Found a cute orange-themed jug, filled it with orange juice, and attached a fun “Orange you glad you’re my teacher?” Or something along the lines printable from Etsy.
Materials Used:
- Orange jug
- Orange juice
- Printable note
6.
Cat-Themed Gift Box
For a cat-loving teacher, I put together a box full of cat-themed goodies from various stores (mostly Temu) . I personalized the front of the box with her name using my Cricut.
Materials Used:
- Small box (Michael’s or At Home Store)
- Cat-themed gifts (Target, Walmart, Amazon, Temu)
- Personalized vinyl name (Cricut)
7.
Painted Pencil Holder
I painted a wooden three-slot pencil holder and added Hershey’s Kisses, a pencil, and an Amazon gift card in each slot.
Materials Used:
- Wooden pencil holder
- Paint
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Amazon gift card
- Pencil
8.
Candy Book
One of my favorites! I handmade a cardboard book decorated with a photo of my girls, ribbons, and stickers. Inside, each page featured a different candy with a cute saying — for example, “I love you to Reese’s and back” with Reese’s candy!
Materials Used:
- Cardboard or thick cardstock
- Photos, ribbons, stickers
- Various candies
- Glue
9.
Plastic Apple with Custom Keychain
A plastic apple filled with tissue paper and a custom keychain ordered from Etsy.
Materials Used:
- Plastic apple (Target or Michael’s)
- Tissue paper
- Custom keychain (Etsy)
10.
Movie Night Popcorn Bucket
I filled a popcorn bucket with movie theater candies, a gift card to a local theater, and a bag of popcorn. Perfect for summer relaxation!
Materials Used:
- Popcorn bucket (Dollar Tree or Target)
- Movie theater gift card
- Movie candies
- Popcorn
11.
Christmas Snowman Tin
For a holiday gift, I found a snowman tin, filled it with shredded paper, pens, candy, a gift card, and a custom keychain from Etsy.
Materials Used:
- Snowman tin (At Home)
- Shredded paper
- Pens
- Candy
- Gift card
- Keychain (6M Creations)
12.
Compliment Jar
This heartfelt idea is a small jar filled with handwritten compliments about the teacher — written by both me and my kids!
Materials Used:
- Small jar
- Cardstock or slips of paper
- Pens
13.
ABC Apple Gift
This one was so fun and colorful! I used a plastic teacher apple, filled it with shredded gift grass, ABC magnetic letters, a gift card, and a cute printed note from Etsy. It was super simple and looked adorable on its own or as part of a gift basket.
Materials Used:
- Plastic apple (Target, Michael’s, or Amazon)
- Shredded paper gift grass
- ABC magnetic letters
- Gift card
- Printable note (Etsy)
Gifts and final thoughts.
You don’t need to break the bank to show teachers how much they mean to your family! Many of the supplies I used were found at Target, Michael’s, the At Home Store, Walmart, or even Dollar Tree. Shredded tissue paper, small tins, candies, gift cards — they’re all easy to find and affordable.
Anything custom I either made myself with my Cricut or purchased from Etsy.
And remember — these gifts aren’t just for teachers. You can make them for office staff, coaches, cafeteria workers, school nurses, or anyone else who makes a difference in your child’s life.
A little thought and love go a long way!
