Easy, Personalized Teacher Gifts That Let Kids Show Their Appreciation in an Adorable Way

End-of-year gifts are more than a way to say thank you. They’re a chance to show appreciation for all the effort and guidance teachers bring to the classroom every day, all school year long. But, as the old saying goes, bigger—and more expensive—isn’t always better.

Think about the feeling you get when your kid jumps on the bed (likely way too early) on your birthday to deliver a lopsided, glitter-strewn handmade card. There’s nothing better. The good news is, gifts with this kind of personal touch are easy to pull off for teachers too, with just a bit of extra effort.

Here are three ways to ensure that your end-of-year gift gets an A+.

Who doesn’t love receiving a handwritten note? Toronto teacher Vanessa Lewis, says handwritten notes are some of the most cherished gifts she receives from her elementary school students. Among her favourites? “A card from the student with a favourite memory, or a note from the parent about the growth they’ve seen in their child this year.” These kinds of keepsakes let her know that her hard work is appreciated — and that’s a gift that keeps on giving. “I keep these cards in a file and pull them out when I’m having a hard day.”

Even well-intentioned gifts can fall flat (most teachers will tell you that they already have nine iced coffee tumblers, courtesy of well-intentioned parents.) But consumables, like sweet treats, are almost always a hit.

And an extra nod to the impact they’ve made can go a long way. Purdys Chocolatier’s Thank You Teacher Gift Tin is packed with premium chocolates crafted from sustainable cocoa and includes flavours like Passionfruit and Toffee Almond Crunch, as well as the iconic Mini Hedgehog. And, this year, the tin has an extra clever and adorable way of including a surprise personalized message from your kids that will get top marks for creativity.

In addition to the usual legend that comes with a standard box of assorted Purdys chocolates, they’ve added a special “Legend for Legendary Teachers” card that lets kids fill in 12 reasons why their teacher is legendary in their eyes. The answers to prompts like “You encourage me to _____” and “Your _____ is legendary” are sure to land a few laughs and touch their teacher’s heart.

“The reason personalized gifts mean so much is that they make you feel seen and appreciated,” explains Maxine Stewart, who teaches Grade 8 in the Greater Toronto Area. “We (as teachers) invest so much of our personal time in our students that when the time is taken to personalize a gift, it feels like that time and effort is noticed.”

The last month of school is always hectic (end-of-year activities, sorting through mountains of artwork and digging through that even bigger mountain of hoodies known as the “lost and found”) so it can be tempting to have a “grab-n-go” philosophy when it comes to end-of-year gifts. But getting your kids’ input is important. They’re the ones, after all, who probably know their teacher best. Plus, it’s a lesson in how important it is to show appreciation.