Best Christmas Gifts for Daycare Teachers (Gift Ideas)

The holiday season is a time for giving, and one of the most thoughtful gestures you can make is showing appreciation to those who care for your little ones throughout the year—daycare providers. These dedicated professionals play a crucial role in your child’s development, providing a nurturing environment where they learn, grow, and thrive.

Finding the perfect Christmas gift for your daycare teachers (or preschool teachers!) can be a meaningful way to say “thank you” for all they do. Below are some of the best Christmas gift for daycare teachers that are sure to bring a smile to their faces and warm their hearts. Psst…..there are several meaningful gift ideas in this list that will work great for teacher appreciation week as well!

TIP: Don’t forget to ask your school for a “teacher favorites” list – most daycares and schools have teachers fill those out, so that will be helpful in choosing the perfect gift for your teacher!

I’ve categorized the best Christmas gifts for daycare teachers into these categories:

Personalized teacher gifts, teacher basket gifts, homemade gifts, classroom supplies, gift cards, and “other.”

:: PIN THIS FOR LATER! ::

PERSONALIZED TEACHER GEAR GIFT IDEAS

1. Personalized Teacher Box

These boxes are as cute as the photo! This seller includes a stainless steel tumbler, a t-shirt, can cooler, pencils, notepads, and a pin! These items come in a white gift box with yellow crinkled paper, with a personalized message taped inside the box. This is such a sweet gift option!

2. Trendy Teacher Cups

I love this floral teacher cup from Etsy! It’s sure to be appreciated and used on a daily basis! The fact that the straw matches the cup makes it even more fun!

How about this “In My Teacher Era” glass cup with lid and straw? That font is a trendy one. 🤩

3. Adorable Teacher Mugs

This caricature mug is such a fun gift idea! You choose the skin tone, lip color, eyewear, hair style & color, and even the outfit to get a great representation of your teacher!

This “Tiny Human Tamer” mug sounds just about right for a daycare worker! 😄 The great things about mugs is that you can pop things into them, like a gift certificate to your teacher’s favorite coffee shop, or candy or handwritten note! I love stuffing a coffee mug with the most fun little gifts and then putting shrink wrap around it and finishing it off with a curly gold ribbon!

4. Teacher Shirts

This sure does sum up the daycare worker’s job, doesn’t it?! 😁 Love this shirt idea!

How cute is this t-shirt? Definitely a super cute and fun gift idea for a daycare teacher!

This shirt is sure to keep kids interested and intrigued since all their favorites are on it! What a great idea!!

5. Classroom Door Hanger

Many daycare teachers spend their own money on classroom decorations, so gifting them with these cute items that they’d love to buy can be a much-appreciated gesture. This type of gift is a good one because it’s enjoyable for the whole class!

This door hanger is full of color and is laser-cut for a 3D look. It comes in 3 sizes, too!

6. Keychains

If your child’s daycare teacher is anything like the rest of us, we see cute little things that represent our work, but we don’t always splurge on buying them. This holiday season is your chance to spoil that daycare worker with all the fun things!

This silicone keyring that says “TEACH” on it fits on your wrist so it’s easy to carry with you when your hands are full. Such a cute holiday gift!

How about this laser-cut acrylic keychain that’s personalized with your teacher’s name? Tassel colors come in an endless variety of color choices!

7. Tote Bags

Brighten up your daycare teacher’s life with a cute tote bag! This canvas tote bag is a good gift for holidays or an end of the year gift! Plus it’s just adorable!!

This tote bag is equally fun with the colorful crayons on it! I love that it’s water-resistant and easily washable, too! Don’t forget that you can use the tote bag as a gift bag and put some fun things in there, from something inexpensive like homemade popcorn, to something bigger like a flower pot with the teacher’s favorite plant!

8. Stickers

This is another one of those things that teachers could probably purchase an unlimited amount of if they could 😁, because I don’t think anyone has “too many” stickers, right? So stickers make a thoughtful gift, either to go along with something else, or just put in with a personal note of how much you appreciate everything your children’s teachers do for and with them on a daily basis!

These teacher labels are great for books and any other classroom materials that belong to the teacher – such a simple yet great way to do something nice for your preschool worker this school year!

These fun, colorful stickers come in a flexible, vinyl material, which is great for decorating water bottles, notebooks, laptops, etc. This 100-pack looks like it’s got a ton of really cute options! This would be a fun addition to a group gift if you are doing that for your school this year.

9. Planner

Planners are always a fun gift idea! This cute “Coolest Teacher Ever” made by The Happy Planner will have your gift recipient eager to start jotting things down as they enjoy the pretty pages. ❤️ Don’t forget to clip a nice note to the front of the planner!

TEACHER BASKETS GIFT IDEAS

I’m sure your child has a great teacher, and if you know them well, you may know what they did last year on summer break, what they do when they have a day off, etc. Those are clues as to what they enjoy doing when they’re not working, so you may be able to narrow down specifically which type of gift basket they’d enjoy most!

TIP: For teacher gift baskets, check thrift stores for cute baskets, add tissue paper or shredded paper, then fill and finish up by wrapping in shrink wrap or clear gift wrap!

1. Self-Care Baskets

A self-care basket for a teacher should include things like face masks, bath salts, bath bombs, lotions, etc. This Naked Bee Orange Blossom Honey Collection includes body butter, lotion, and lip balm – a great start to a self-care basket! I’d also add snacks to go along with those, or for an extra special touch, a CD of soothing, relaxing music.

2. Cozy Night-In Baskets

There’s nothing more cozy than a luxuriously-soft blanket to be the main gift in a “cozy night-in gift basket”! Check out this gorgeous Sherpa throw! You could also throw some cozy socks and a candle in there. Or – Amazon gift cards are great for movie rentals or Kindle book purchases for those cozy nights. Just write a special message to put with it so they know how that ties into the theme of the basket. 🙂

3. Teacher Survival Kit Basket

Sometimes a teacher’s just trying to make it through the day, and they need to have some of these essentials on hand in order to do that! Try packing a basket with ibuprofen, scrunchies, Emergen-C, energy drinks, and coffee gift cards to help those daycare workers power through when they’re feeling low.

4. Baking Baskets

For the daycare worker that loves to bake in her spare time, a basket full of baking supplies and/or a cookbook would definitely brighten up her day! Plus, she’ll have everything on hand so that she can head home and whip something up. Sometimes, baking is the best therapy for relaxing after a long day!

Consider adding a cookbook (I love this one from Taste of Home), cookie cutters (I need these adorable coffee mug cutters!), baking mixes, a fun sprinkles set like this one, and anything else fun you find in the baking aisle! A cute apron or oven mitts would also be good ideas!

5. Snack Baskets

TIP: Most schools/daycares have the teachers fill out a “teacher’s favorites” list, so be sure to ask your childcare center about that! Your child’s teachers may have health concerns or allergies, so it’s a good idea for gift givers of snacks to check on that ahead of time.

HOMEMADE GIFT IDEAS

Some of the best gifts are homemade!

1. Cookies or any sweet treats (we love these 12 Holiday Popcorn Recipes!)

2. Handwritten thank you cards (grab our free printable pretty floral thank you card!)

3. Handmade card from your child

4. Craft from your child

CLASSROOM SUPPLIES

Your daycare probably had your child’s teacher fill out a “classroom wishlist,” so be sure to ask about that so you can get exactly what is needed.

If you want to get a generic basket of supplies that will definitely be used, these are great options:

1. Art supplies: construction paper, colored card stock, dry erase markers, colored sharpies, crayons, markers, glue, glue sticks

2. Puzzles: this is a great set for daycares

3. New or gently used books: this board book set is perfect for daycares

4. Sensory toys: these are mesmerizing!

Still on the search for the best Christmas gifts for daycare teachers?

HERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS:

1. Show up with your teacher’s favorite drink!

2. Show up with yummy treats from a local bakery!

3. Have DoorDash deliver your teacher’s favorite takeout for lunch!

Gift Cards, sometimes the best Christmas gifts for daycare teachers 😆

When in doubt, gift cards are a versatile and appreciated option. They allow teachers to pick out something they genuinely need or want. Popular choices include gift cards to local coffee shops, bookstores, or craft stores. You could also consider a gift card to a favorite restaurant or for a relaxing spa day. If you’re unsure about the teacher’s preferences, Visa gift cards provides the flexibility to choose from a wide array of items. Favorite gift cards for daycare workers to receive are Walmart, Target, Amazon, coffee shops, and restaurants.

Choosing the right Christmas gift for your daycare teachers doesn’t have to be stressful. Whether it’s a personalized item, a practical gift, or something that encourages them to relax and recharge, the most important thing is that it comes from the heart. The best gifts are ones that convey your appreciation and gratitude for the incredible work they do every day. After all, daycare teachers are some of the unsung heroes of our children’s lives, and they deserve to be celebrated during the holiday season. So browse this list and choose a great gift for your child’s teacher!

Don’t forget to tag us on social media when you get really cute gifts ready for your kids daycare teachers! We want to see and be inspired! We know you’ll inspired others to find the perfect preschool teacher gifts, as well, so be sure to tag us on Instagram! @sixcleversisters