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

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.

After another memorable school year filled with ups and downs, they'll need a place to reflect on every moment. This 130-page journal has room for their students' favorite stories, space for a class photo and much more.

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.

Teachers told us they're always in need of a supply refresh. Instead of getting them a box of the yellow No. 2s, make their desks look like a springtime festival with this flowery pencil set.

If they love home decor, they'll get a kick out of these hand-poured candles, which reviewers say are "beautiful" and smell "really amazing." Take your pick of cactus, which features a blend of pine and vanilla, or go for the poppy with white tea and jasmine.

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!

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.

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.

A lot of our teachers said they really appreciated in when someone sent in a batch of handmade baked goods. If you're not a wiz in the kitchen, this is the next best thing. The box comes with two dozen cookies, and you warm them before you eat them so they feel like they came right out of the oven.

After a busy school day, they'll appreciate unwinding with these aromatherapy shower steamers. They'll enjoy six different scents ranging from eucalyptus and mint to refreshing citrus.

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.

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.

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.

After Amazon, Visa cards were the second most-often requested. Teachers liked how versatile they were, and noted that they'll almost certainly be re-used (and not re-gifted).

Our teachers said they'd much rather have something with their name on it than something that said, "World's Greatest Teacher." This tote bag has outside mesh pockets for easy access and an optional interior organizer. If you really want to be a teacher's pet, you can fill it with items like tissues, sanitizing wipes and pencils — supplies that are always in demand.

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.

If you know your teacher is into LEGO, the only thing better than getting them a real bouquet of flowers is getting them one they can build out of LEGO. If this set is too extensive, there are also LEGO roses, daffodils or lotus flowers for less than $20.

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.

While some teachers on our list were very anti-candle, others were all for them. If yours falls into the latter category, they might love this soy wax–blend candle, which is named after famed poet and author Langston Hughes.