Say thanks on Teacher Appreciation Day with swag and gifts

We’ve all probably had a teacher who made a huge impact in our lives. Maybe it was an elementary school teacher that gave you the guidance and support that you needed at a young age, or a college professor who helped you figure out what kind of career you wanted to pursue in your life. Regardless, we can probably all agree that a good teacher can make a great difference. 

This is why teachers deserve some acknowledgment and appreciation for all that they do to help us, our children, and our future generations grow. Teacher appreciation is super important for uplifting the people that uplift others on a daily basis. 

That’s why we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day!

So, when is Teacher Appreciation Day? Teacher Appreciation Day takes place on the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week each year. Teacher Appreciation Week is the first full week of May, which means that Teacher Appreciation Day 2023 takes place on Tuesday, May 9th.

Whether you’re a parent, student, administrator, principal, or friend of a teacher, get ready to celebrate the amazing teacher/s in your life on Teacher Appreciation Day. Here are some Teacher Appreciation Day ideas to get you inspired…

1. Host a Special Breakfast or Lunch: Organize a special meal for the teachers in the school. Parents and students can contribute dishes, or a local restaurant can cater the event. Make sure to decorate the teachers' lounge or the cafeteria to make the occasion feel festive and special.
2. Arrange a 'Thank You' Rally: Organize an appreciation rally where students and parents can express their gratitude to the teachers. This could include speeches, skits, songs, or dance performances dedicated to teachers.
3. Create a Gratitude Wall: Designate a wall or bulletin board in the school where students and parents can post notes of thanks, pictures, and other expressions of appreciation. It would serve as a visual reminder of the appreciation the community has for its teachers.
4. Theme Days: Have each day of the week be a different theme for teachers. For instance, "Treat Tuesday" where the teachers receive their favorite snack or dessert, "Wellness Wednesday" with free yoga or meditation classes, or "Thankful Thursday" where students write letters of appreciation.
5. Professional Development Workshop or Event: Consider hosting a special workshop, seminar, or inspirational talk catering to teachers' professional development. It could focus on innovative teaching methods, stress management techniques, or subject-specific knowledge enhancement.

So we know that Teacher Appreciation Day takes place during Teacher Appreciation Week. But when is Teacher Appreciation Week? Teacher Appreciation Week is the first full week of May, which means that it’ll take place May 8th - May 12th in 2023. Teacher Appreciation Week 2024 will be from May 6th - May 10th. 

Teacher Appreciation Day isn’t to get confused with World Teacher Appreciation Day, which takes place on October 5th each year. This Day is also known as International Teacher’s Day. 

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate either Teacher Appreciation Week or World Teacher’s Day, any of these ideas we’ve come up with for Teacher Appreciation Day can be used as Teacher Appreciation Week ideas. Now let’s get into it!

One of the best ways to show your appreciation on Teacher Appreciation Day is with a Teacher Appreciation Day gift. Instead of dealing with the hassle of scouring department stores for hours to find teacher appreciation gifts in store, we’ve put together some of the best teacher appreciation gifts that you can order right from the comfort of your home or office.

Here are some unique teacher gift ideas that can be used by students, parents, administrators, principals, or anyone looking to make a teacher’s day:

Teacher Appreciation Snack Box

Gift boxes make the perfect Teacher Appreciation gift. This Teacher Appreciation Gift Box can be customized as much as you’d like. Choose from special dietary restrictions if needed and even add a personalized message to express how much you appreciate everything that teacher does to make a difference. These can be ordered in bulk (for administrators and principals) or individually (for parents and students) and shipped directly to the teacher whom you’re giving the gift basket!

Custom School Gear

Thank the educators in your life with custom school gear. This makes the perfect teacher appreciation gift to staff because the custom gear can conveniently be ordered in bulk. Bulk orders make it easier to give gifts to large groups of teachers.

Choose from hats, vests, jackets, t-shirts, travel mugs, water bottles, backpacks, and other swag that can be used to represent school spirit. Custom school swag is a great way to gift teachers with something they wear to take pride in the school that they work so hard for. 

Classroom Supplies

Often, teachers spend their own money on classroom supplies. A care package of items like markers, pencils, sticky notes, notebooks, or art supplies can be greatly appreciated. You could even gift a voucher for a teacher supply store.

Handmade Gifts or Cards: Encourage students to create personalized thank-you notes, poems, or artwork. This adds a heartfelt touch and gives the students an opportunity to express their appreciation directly.

Themed Gift Baskets

Create a basket around a theme you know the teacher will love. This could be a "Relax and Recharge" basket with bath bombs, a good book, and gourmet chocolate. Alternatively, a "Favorite Things" basket filled with their favorite snacks, stationery, or a mug from their favorite coffee shop.

You can order bulk teacher appreciation gifts through SwagMagic.

1. "Your passion for teaching and your dedication to your students is truly inspiring. Thank you for all you do!"
2. "Your guidance and patience have made a real difference in my child's life. Thank you for being an exceptional teacher."
3. "Thanks for sparking my child's imagination and fueling their desire to learn. You're a wonderful teacher!"
4. "Thank you for being a guiding light and helping shape the future one student at a time."
5. "The love you have for your students and your work shines through in everything you do. Thank you for making learning a joy."
6. "A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." - Brad Henry
7. "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward
8. "Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." - Unknown
9. "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - W.B. Yeats
10. "The influence of a good teacher can never be erased." - Unknown

If you’re looking for no-cost teacher appreciation ideas, we have some inspiration for you on that too! 

For parents, have your students make their own cards for their teacher on Teacher Appreciation Day. This gives kids the chance to be as creative as they’d like and they can put a thoughtful teachers' day message on the card. This is something that is sure to make any teacher's day.  

For administrators and principals looking for a fun way to get students involved in Teacher Appreciation Day or Teacher Appreciation Week, organize a Teacher Appreciation assembly for the entire school! Share notable teacher moments during the assembly. You could even organize a fun activity for students and teachers during the assembly, such as a student vs. teacher dodgeball tournament. 

Another no-cost way to get students involved in Teacher Appreciation Day is with a Teachers Appreciation Day celebration essay assignment. Have students write and share these essays with their teachers. Not only will this put a smile on every teacher's face, but it’s also a great learning and educational moment for students.

If you’re looking for a gift for teachers from students we have a few great teacher appreciation ideas from students to get you started…

• Bring in cupcakes, cake, or another dessert for Teacher Appreciation
• Give them a gift card to a local restaurant 
• Give them a gift basket

Cards with thoughtful messages for teacher appreciation also make excellent gifts, because they’re thoughtful and low-cost. This would be a great option for college students giving teacher appreciation gifts on a budget. 

Some quotes to include in your teacher appreciation card include…

• “The great teacher is not the man who supplies the most facts, but the one in whose presence we become different people.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart.”- Unknown
• “It takes a big heart to help shape little minds.”- Unknown
• “A good teacher can inspire hope; ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” – Brad Henry
• “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” – Japanese Proverb
• “A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.”- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Looking for teacher appreciation gifts from principal? These Teacher Appreciation Day ideas for staff can easily be ordered in bulk and gifted to the whole staff! These gifts also make useful teacher appreciation gifts!

• Personalized office supplies for their desk, such as pens, notebooks, and other stationery.
• Personalized tech gear to make their day-to-day jobs a little bit easier!
• Personalized bags to bring to and from school.
• Personalized mugs and tumblers for their coffee, tea, etc.

Any of these above gifts can be personalized with your school's logo or name and ordered in bulk to be gifted to the whole staff via SwagMagic.com!

We hope these gifts gave you some great inspiration for Teacher Appreciation Day, happy celebrating!