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5 inventive ways to pamper your kid’s teacher at the end of this school year

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Preschooler giving her teacher a present
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Teachers provide our kids with a nurturing, safe environment to learn. You want to show your kid’s teacher how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication with the perfect gift.

As this crazy school year comes to an end, and you’re wracking your brain for teacher appreciation ideas, consider one of these five ways to pamper your kid’s teacher this spring.

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1. Car wash

After a long winter, your teacher’s car could use a good wash. For many of us, taking our car to a car wash or washing it on the weekend is just another task on our to-do list that gets pushed out of the way. Setting up a car wash at your teacher’s school can be a practical teacher appreciation gift that can go a long way.

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You could have the teacher park in a particular spot in the staff parking lot and wash their car during the school day, allowing them to leave school with a freshly washed car. If this setup doesn’t work, have the teacher drive through a car wash station in the parking lot during their lunch, before or after school, or during planning periods.

For a smaller scale option, you could work with a local car wash and purchase or receive free car wash vouchers for the teacher. If you wanted to add to this gift, create a small care package with car accessories like car wipes, air refreshers, and a school pride sticker.

2. Work out the stress

Teachers are stressed out toward the end of the school year. Between state testing, grades, and extra activities, teachers are stretched thin. All these added responsibilities can push self-care to the side. You can help your kid’s teacher fit in some self-care fitness by providing physical movement.

With the help of other parents and administration, you can coordinate one or more fitness sessions for your kid’s teacher. Community members may be willing to volunteer their time to lead teachers through a yoga, Pilates, or cardio class. Work with administration to set up these during teacher in-service days or before or after school.

If you’re unable to schedule in-person classes, but you still want to provide your kid’s teacher some movement, you could always gift a subscription to a workout app or program. Classes like chair yoga could be an accessible way for a teacher to find movement throughout the school day.

3. Relaxation station

If you want to pamper your kid’s teacher, create a half-day or full day of relaxing events. You can speak with your school’s administration to set up a lounge for the teacher to access at their convenience. Create a relaxing atmosphere by playing soft music, using calming scents, and providing hot tea and light snacks.

Check with other parents or administration to see if they have any connections with massage therapists to set up a chair massage session for the teacher to use during their planning or lunch periods. People may be willing to donate their time or you can pool together money through several parents.

Organizing a room could be challenging, so if you don’t have time left in the school year, you can gift the teacher a pamper package instead. Place lotions, specialty soaps, or bath bombs with a small card that has a set of stretches or calming breathing techniques.

Students surprise teacher with gifts
Image used with permission by copyright holder

4. Summer fun package

At the end of the school year, teachers aren’t thinking about school supplies and classroom materials. They’ve got their minds set on one thing: summer break. Pamper your kid’s teacher with a summer fun package so they can feel relaxed and appreciated all summer long.

Customize your teacher’s summer fun package with their favorite things for soaking in the sun. Think about including your kid’s teacher’s favorite books (or bookstore gift card), treats, and drinks. Word searches, coloring books, and other activity books can add some variety to the basket.

By using a large tote or beach bag, you’re ensuring the whole gift is intentional and handy. You can make the basket more practical by adding sunscreen, bug spray, a fun beach towel, and some new sunglasses.

5. Baskets of “favorites”

As the school year comes to a close, your child’s teacher may be frazzled and swamped. If you’re unsure of what to gift them, keep it simple and gift the teacher a basket of favorite items. Although it may seem small, a collection of favorite gifts is a thoughtful and foolproof idea.

If you don’t know what your kid’s teacher loves, you could ask your child to do some investigating. Check with your school’s parent-teacher organization, too. Many school PTOs ask teachers at the beginning of the year to provide a list of preferred items to provide gifts throughout the year.

You can assemble several of their favorite items or gift cards. Consider including the teacher’s favorite candy, snacks, and drinks. If you’re not able to get a list of your teacher’s favorite things, you could always get gift cards for restaurants and gas stations near the school for quick lunch outings.

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Whitney Sandoval
Whitney Sandoval
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Whitney Sandoval is a freelance writer and educator living in the Midwest. She writes about parenting, accessibility, and…
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