Between the effort they invest in creating an engaging syllabus to the unpaid after-school hours helping children grasp new concepts, teachers notoriously don’t get nearly enough love.
This Valentine’s Day, spoil the educators in your life with a special gift that’s sure to put a smile on their face and make their tireless job feel worth it. Not sure where to start? We found the best Valentine’s Day gifts for teachers across all levels of the school system, and you can shop them all here ahead of the big day.
For more Valentine’s Day inspiration, check out our favorite Valentine’s Day flowers, Valentine’s Day decorations, jewelry gifts and practical gifts.
Instead of an overly romantic bouquet, demonstrate your gratitude with this flower-growing kit that produces a beautiful bunch of Shasta daisies. It comes in a terra-cotta planter with a self-watering and draining system, so it’s perfect for displaying on their classroom windowsill.
Teachers single-handedly contribute to the bulk of the caffeine economy, and now you can ensure they stay fueled with this incredibly thoughtful mug featuring “nutritional facts” about how awesome they are.
Whether they’ve got supplies to lug around or tend to pack a lunch from home, this super-sweet tote bag with a lovely message is sure to come in handy every day of the week. It’s structured enough to stay upright on or under their desk and has a full-length zipper and pockets for convenience.
If your favorite teacher has been hinting at aches at pains (or constantly fidgeting with their old lumbar support pillow), they’ll be thrilled to receive this deck of cards featuring yoga poses and breathwork designed to be performed right at your desk for instant full-body relief.
Instead of showing up to school with a massive bouquet for your teacher, gift them this practical yet thoughtful pencil vase they can prop on their desk to store everything from gifted blooms to desk essentials.
With this personalized candy jar, they’ll always think of you (their now-favorite student) any time they reach for a mid-day treat. Customize it with their name and school for a special touch.
Want to ensure several of your kid’s favorite teachers feel equally appreciated on this special day? Gift them all an appreciation set complete with a multipurpose canvas pouch and a pendant key chain with charms. The set includes six pouches and six key chains.
Many teachers resort to a generous pour of wine at the end of a long day, so make their post-work drink a lot more special and on-theme with this wine glass in the shape of a beaker — bonus points (on your next assignment, if you’re lucky) for science, chemistry or bio teachers.
Pass on the classic chocolates and red roses for your teacher, but definitely consider chocolate-and-rosebud-flavored black tea they can sip on the daily for ultimate relaxation and instant pampering.
If you’re looking to spoil your child’s daycare teacher or caretaker this Valentine’s Day, include your little one in the gift prep by having them color in their own bookmarks featuring cute animals and V-Day puns galore.
Their fingers are likely calloused from grading papers by hand. Soften the deal with this stunning handmade crochet pen cover with an included pencil in your choice of cheerful sunflower or sentimental rose. Bonus: They’ll never misplace their favorite pen again!
A strand of pearls or a diamond bracelet might not be appropriate (or within budget) for your teacher this Valentine’s Day, but these academia-themed earrings featuring the likes of pencils, rulers and apples sure are.
It’s oftentimes the thought — and words — that count more than anything you can buy. Jot down a thoughtful note (complete with impeccable syntax and grammar, of course) on this card they’ll be sure to hang on to for years to come.
Schools tend to be germ cesspools, so your favorite teacher will be beyond appreciative of this trendy Underscored-approved hand sanitizer in a lovely rosewater scent that lasts for 500 sprays.
Brighten their V-Day with this stunning limited-edition cherry-scented candle boasting a delightful fruity and floral scent. It’s made from a hand-poured coconut wax blend that sits beautifully in a display-worthy glass jar.
If your teacher rocks a mean pair of specs to grade papers or write on the board, they’ll find plenty of functionality in this glasses chain with adjustable loops. It’s sleek and doubles as jewelry since it can be worn as a necklace.
Give your hard-working teacher the valuable gift of sleep with Cozy Earth’s ultra-smooth sleep mask made of luxurious mulberry silk in a festive merlot-red hue.
From one frazzled parent to another: Your toddler’s daycare teacher is sure to appreciate this hilarious candle in your choice of scent from banana bread to lux linen. It’s made of vegan soy wax and fragrant oils for a safe and sustainable burn this V-Day.
Your teacher has long been peppering your assignments and projects with stickers — and they’ll find it so cute that you’ve returned the favor by gifting them this handy pack. They’re designed to serve as little reminders or help them organize their to-do list.
Many of us have visions of our teachers obsessively applying hand cream in a too-cold classroom while shivering under a poncho. Make their moisturizing routine a little more special with this lightweight, nongreasy hand cream in that obligatory rose scent.
Whether they’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth or you want to be sure to pick something that truly suits their taste, you can’t go wrong with a Valentine’s Day-themed Sugarwish box that allows them to select from a variety of gourmet cookies, candy, snacks, popcorn, coffee or tea. It comes with a custom card to make it extra unforgettable. The best part? You can send this digital gift via email (or text).
Whereas a heart-shaped box of chocolates might veer into “Be my valentine?” territory, a classic box of assorted Ferrero Rocher chocolates is the ideal way to appropriately include your teacher in the festivities.
Something as simple and small as a personalized apple-shaped key chain does a stellar job of showing them the impact they’ve had on your academic journey without being over-the-top.
Allow them to mark their territory with this super-cool wooden classroom sign ideal for teachers of younger grades. It features an adorable pencil rainbow with an empowering, heartwarming slogan perfect for spreading Valentine’s Day cheer year-round.
If your science teacher wears their heart on their sleeve (or rather, their subject on their ear), they’ll completely fawn over these gold vermeil petri dish earrings featuring cubic zirconia “bacteria.”
If we’re talking about a teacher at the helm of higher grades or university lectures, this sophisticated desk sign is just what the Valentine’s Day cupids ordered. It’s sleek, it’s modern and it lets the students know who’s boss.
Strawberries are nature’s little hearts, so allow them to enjoy the fruits of their labor in an on-theme way with this windowsill planter. The set is complete with organic potting mix, organic wild strawberry seeds and more.
This tiny heart-shaped cast-iron cocotte from Le Creuset is ideal for single servings of desserts, dips and snacks (like M&Ms!).
This set of four Valentine’s Day candy cards will make their midafternoon snack much more festive, thanks to the selection of ice cream cone gummies, blueberry-flavored whales, strawberry shortcake cookies and pear Italian ice gumdrops.
If flowers are feeling overly romantic, go the safe (and thoughtful!) route with a low-maintenance plant. The Aglaonema Siam has glossy leaves and a touch of pink at the border and stem to keep it fitting for the occasion.
Whether you opt for the pink-and-gray colorway or go for wine red and beige, this plaid scarf is sure to elevate your teacher’s wardrobe while keeping them warm all season long.
Stocking stuffer season may have come and gone, but these travel-sized goodies make for the perfect portable gifts, ideal for popping in their briefcase before a long day of teaching. Between the beeswax lip balm and milk-and-honey body lotion, this budget-friendly gift set is a great choice.
Between their inability to fall asleep after a particularly rough day to their struggle to stay grounded in the face of rowdy first-graders, they’ll find plenty of solace in this aromatherapy gift set designed to help them wind down, concentrate or whatever it is they need in the moment.
Who doesn’t love cupcakes? These bite-sized beauties in delectable flavors like red velvet and strawberry are sure to crush their cravings (and if you present them with a smile, they may just be compelled to share them with the class).
Fresh apples rot on their desk, but hand-painted apples made of repurposed book pages last practically forever.
Whether they rock them as mittens to keep each finger warm or flip them over as fingerless gloves to shoot a text, this thoughtful gift is as pretty as it is practical.
Your history teacher will find this tie with the constitution emblazoned on it so charming, he might just shed a tear (or brag about it to his other students and colleagues).
Available in a Valentine’s Day-appropriate red hue, this gift set will transport any teacher to their well-earned PTO on a beach.
If they’re known to eat sad desk salads and sandwiches, this set of white truffle hot sauce promises to salvage said soggy lunches.
There’s never been a better time in the year to gift your go-to teacher a pair of fuzzy socks. Free of overly romantic patterns, they’re ideal for both the occasion and the frigid weather.
