Five-Day Teacher Appreciation Week Theme Plan
A simple plan PTAs and parents can send home: one small, easy theme for each day of the week.
30 min Cost $ 3 items
22 Teacher Appreciation Ideas
Gifts teachers actually want, daily themes for Teacher Appreciation Week, and treats a PTA can organise for the whole staff. Pair any of them with a handwritten note — it is the part teachers keep.
Free tool
When is Teacher Appreciation Week?
Dates for 2026 and 2027 from the NEA and National PTA, plus the years ahead.
Free tool
Printable thank-you note
Add your child’s and teacher’s names, then print.
Free tool
What to write in a teacher card
50 original messages from parents and students.
22 ideas
Teacher Favourites Survey
Ask teachers for their favourite snack, drink, colour, shop and hobby before the week — then every gift hits the mark.
20 min Cost $ 1 item
Class Flower Bouquet
Every child brings a single flower; together they make one big bouquet for the teacher’s desk.
10 min Cost $ 4 items
Classroom Door Decorating
Parents decorate each classroom door overnight with the teacher’s name and notes from the class.
1 hr Cost $ 4 items
Class Thank-You Book
A book with one page from every child — a drawing and a sentence about their favourite memory.
1 hr Cost $ 4 items
Staff Coffee Cart
Parents wheel a coffee cart round the school one morning, serving drinks to every staff member.
2 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Staff Room Snack Station
A self-serve snack bar in the staff room, restocked by parent volunteers all week.
1 hr Cost $$ 5 items
Catered Staff Lunch
The PTA provides lunch for all staff on one day — potluck or from a local caterer.
3 hr Cost $$$ 4 items
Recess Duty Cover
Approved parent volunteers cover playground duty so teachers get a real break.
30 min Cost $ 3 items
Classroom Supply Bouquet
Pens, highlighters and markers arranged like a bouquet in a mug or plant pot.
20 min Cost $ 4 items
Wish-List Supplies
Ask for the teacher’s classroom wish list and buy something from it — the most practical gift of all.
Cost $$ 2 items
“Thanks for Helping Me Grow” Plant
A small potted plant or herb with a hand-decorated pot and tag.
30 min Cost $ 4 items
Class Group Gift Card
Parents chip in for one larger gift card the teacher can spend on what they actually want.
Cost $$ 2 items
“Hands-On Teacher” Hand Care Kit
Hand cream, hand sanitiser and lip balm for hands that never stop.
10 min Cost $ 5 items
Book for the Class Library
A new picture book or novel for the classroom library, inscribed by your child.
Cost $ 2 items
Homemade Cookies With a Tag
A box of homemade cookies with a pun tag like “You’re one smart cookie.”
1 hr Cost $ 3 items
Class Handprint Canvas
Every child adds a painted handprint and their name to one canvas.
1 hr Cost $ 4 items
Personalised Ornament
A tree ornament with the teacher’s name and the school year.
20 min Cost $ 4 items
Hot Chocolate Jar
Layered hot chocolate mix and mini marshmallows in a jar with a festive tag.
15 min Cost $ 5 items
What do teachers actually want?
Practical, consumable gifts and sincere words. A handwritten note that mentions something specific — a moment your child loved, a skill they learned — is the thing teachers keep. Use our teacher card messages or the printable thank-you note if you are stuck.
Teacher Appreciation questions
When is Teacher Appreciation Week?
The first full week of May. In 2026 it is May 4–8 (NEA), and in 2027 it is the week of May 2–8 (National PTA). See our dates page for more years.
When is National Teacher Appreciation Day?
The Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week — May 5 in 2026.
How much should I spend on a teacher gift?
There is no expected amount. Many schools have gift limits for staff, and a heartfelt note or homemade gift is always appropriate.
What is a good group gift from the class?
A gift card to a shop the teacher loves, with a card signed by every child, is the most popular — keep contributions optional and anonymous.