Teachers work hard throughout the school year. So Teacher Appreciation Week is a wonderful way for you and your child to give a little something back.

But choosing the perfect gift isn’t always easy. Most teachers get enough chocolate, bath bombs, and scented candles to last a lifetime. You want to get them something thoughtful and memorable, as well as something they’ll actually use.

A gift card or box of food is a fail-safe choice, but if you want to be a little more creative, we’ve got a list of fabulous Teacher Appreciation Week gift ideas to inspire you…

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Candy puns

English teachers, in particular, will appreciate this one — but who doesn’t love candy and a pun put together? You can print these tags or help your child make some themselves. Get as creative as you can!

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Colorful hamper

If you know your teacher’s favorite color, you can go to town making them a cute gift basket with items in that hue. There are so many different things you could include: candy, pens, stickers, mini shower gel, a notebook  — anything that fits in the basket!

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Temperature-controlled cup

You know that feeling when you became a parent and realized it would probably be years before you’d finish a whole cup of coffee again? Imagine being a teacher!

Most of the time when teachers bring coffee to class, it gets cold before they can drink it all. The gift of an insulated coffee cup, like a Yeti, is something that they’ll cherish and actually use for years to come. You can buy one in their favorite color, or get it personalized with their name or a symbol for something you know they like — a sports team, perhaps?

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Gift card holder

Sometimes life gets away from you, and you just don’t have time to craft your heart out making the perfect present. Gift cards to a restaurant, store, or day spa make a great (and easy!) gift for Teacher Appreciation Week. Take it up a notch by making a little card holder that you can personalize with their name or picture of something they like.

Some blogs even have store-specific card holder templates that you can print off. Check out this one for Target, this adorable latte-themed Starbucks one, or one for Amazon.

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Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Movie night on you

A gift voucher to a local cinema is a present that anyone would appreciate, but you can make it even more special with some thoughtful touches. As well as the voucher, make a little package with some iconic movie snacks like candy and a bottle of soda. If you’ve got time, you can even use this template to make a cute little popcorn box for it all to go into.

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: A potted plant

This idea is so simple, it’s amazing that teachers’ homes aren’t just overflowing with plants. Get a mini flowering plant from a local outdoors or garden store, then DIY a plain pot with some paint or colorful permanent markers. This is a great way to brighten up a teacher’s desk or home, and they’ll think of your child whenever they see it!

You could also try potted herbs like basil or rosemary that your teacher can grow on their kitchen windowsill. Simple, useful, but oh-so thoughtful.

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: DIY bath salts

A handmade gift is an excellent way to show how much you care for someone, especially when it’s something you know they’ll use. Making bath salts is an easy project that you can do with your kids, and you can even personalize the batch with their teacher’s favorite flower or scent. Once you’re done, put the salts in a mason jar or decorative bottle, then adorn it with a matching ribbon.

Pro tip: make a double batch and save the leftovers for yourself!

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Personalized pencils

A gift of stationery will never go unappreciated with a teacher, but you can make yours extra special by putting their name on it! That way, they can always be sure that when they lend a pen or pencil to a student or colleague, they’ll get it back. Inscribe their last or first name, or go a little tongue-in-cheek with a message like “Please return to Ms./Mr. ___”.

If you know the teacher really well, you could even design the pencils with a quote from their favorite book or song. It’s easy to order batches of personalized pencils online, or you can DIY some with this tutorial.

Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week: Teacher-themed coloring book

Coloring is one of the best ways to ease anxiety after a stressful day, and we can all agree that teachers have plenty of those! A cute coloring book is a great thoughtful gift, especially if you include a quality set of colored pencils. You can find plenty of patterned mindfulness coloring books in stores or you could go for a hilarious teacher-themed one from an online retailer.

We haven’t forgotten about homeschool parents!

Homeschool moms and dads are just as much a part of Teacher Appreciation Week as every other educator, and we’ve got some fun ideas for them as well!

Gifts for (Home) Teacher Appreciation Week: Self-care basket

After a long day of teaching kids, it can often be hard for homeschool parents to “switch off”. The gift of a homemade self-care basket, along with a promise that they won’t be disturbed for the rest of the evening, can go a long way.

Fill it with stuff you know they’ll love, like a sheet mask, a fluffy blanket, scented candle, their favorite snacks, or a bath bomb. They’ll surely appreciate something so curated.

Gifts for (Home) Teacher Appreciation Week: Cups and mugs

Homeschool parents may spend as much time in the car as they do at home. From group sports, to picking up books at the library, homeschooling happens way beyond the four walls of home!

A special tumbler with a straw or an insulated coffee mug will be a welcomed gift — and something that’s just theirs to enjoy!