Top Nursery Teacher Gift Ideas to Say Thank You

Looking for gifts for nursery teachers but struggling to pick something that feels appropriate, personal and useful?  We can help.

We rely on nursery teachers to reinforce the training we give our little ones, and they might even help crack that pesky toilet training! As such, ‘thank you nursery teacher’ gifts are necessary to show that we can’t put a price on such valuable service and peace of mind, and should be a real heartfelt thanks. 

But what can you choose that isn’t a simple ‘you’re great’ mug or a box of chocs? 

Continue reading for some great nursery teacher present ideas!

(In a rush? You might want to skip the web searches and consider making a Collection Pot for your nursery teacher! Ourteacher collections can be customised with photos and gifs, making them a really special treat. But let’s weigh up your options first.) 

The importance of nursery teachers

A nursery teacher is one of the most important role models in our children’s lives. They’re entrusted to look after our little ones during their early formative years and are responsible for teaching foundation learning, such as language, maths, arts, sensory and imaginary play, and early social and core behaviour skills, such as listening, sharing empathy, and tolerance. 

They are educated and skilled with the ability to patiently guide and care for our little ones while we’re at work. 

A treat is a common thing to give, especially at the end of term. As such, we have put together a list of nursery teacher gift ideas and goodies that you will be sure to find helpful to offer as a token of your appreciation.

Personalised Nursery Teacher Gift Ideas

What is more thoughtful than a personalised gift that you took the time to consider the person, using personal knowledge about them to create something special? Not that it’s a competition, but your thoughtfully constructed personalised prezzy will knock their socks off and earn you a metaphorical gold star! 

Getting the right personalised nursery teacher gifts starts with some intelligence seeking. 

With a couple of quick-fire questions about favourite TV shows, gaming interests, fandoms and creature comforts (like their favourite coffee or wine colour) aimed at your teacher during morning drop-off, you can find out the little details you need to create a personalised gift to show you care.

Questions to ask to find more about people: 

• Do you love getting involved in the crafts at nursery? 
• Do you love stationary too? 
• Are you watching X on TV? What are you into? 
• What do you do outside of work for fun? 
• Are you off on holiday this year? 
• What have you asked Santa for this year? 
• What are your weekend plans? 

Personalised items for thank you nursery gifts

• Monogrammed furry slippers for mat time with the children, crucial for wintertime when the wellies and snow boots come off at the door!
• Teacher goody bag or gift box – this might be tea or coffee-themed for a well-deserved break. You can include acustomised coffee cup, single serve cafetière or teapot, beans/bags, coffee syrup, biscuits, and tea towel, or it might include items like chocolate, novel, shirt, book, magazine, keyring and other trinkets. 
• Bespoke water bottle or thermos.
• A trinket jar with their initials on.
• Personalised sweets jar filled with their fave or classic pick ‘n’ mix and a good supply of refills.
• Custom-made keepsakes – such as desk name plate with a personal message or favourite quote, or framed Lego figurine art depiction of teacher.
• A framed picture with an inspirational quote for the teacher or your little one’s artwork with a heartwarming message.

Great places to shop for gifts like these are Etsy, Amazon, Notonthehighstreet, and other online multi-vendor platforms.

Classroom Essential Nursery Teacher Presents

You won’t go wrong when you give teachers stationery and practical presents. For starters, most teachers are stationery fans who love organisation after the chaos of the typical school day,  so a stapler like a red Swingline will get some serious love! 

For suitability and practicality consider the following types of treats. 

Essential and practical gifts

• Customised tin or desk organiser with desk and stationery essentials, such as a set of hand stamps, stickers, markers, rubber band ball, ruler, glue stick, sticky tape, stapler. 
• Faber Castell gelato crayons, watercolour pencils or premium markers just for them and not the little ones!
• A grown up colouring book 
• Custom or interesting stickers for rewards or simply for aesthetics 
• Personalised pen set and holder, consider wood or a style that suits their look 
• Desk toys, such as kinetic energy and perpetual motion fidgets/gadgets, or the classic Newton’s Cradle
• Globe – light up or mini 
• Journals or notebooks, or a RocketBook digital notebook
• Desk tidy 
• Hand sanitiser (mini, for a bag or to attach to trousers) or premium sanitisers
• Lip balms or hand balms for the winter season 

Token Thank-you Nursery Gifts

When you’re not sure what to get, sometimes the tried and true is the safe bet (that rhymes).

• Novel money box for a well-earned holiday fund
• Wine glass
• Home made food such as chocolate bark with dried fruits 
• A few ‘gins in a tin’ and some premium snacks (popcorn, high end chocolate) for a movie night 
• Cinema gift cards
• Coffee gift cards 
• Coffee cup with syrups and a milk frother 
• Chocolates and a novel (pick a best seller!) tied with ribbon 
• Teacher’s carry bag or lunch bag or bento box 
• Potted plant, such as a fuzzy cactus, or a marimo moss ball aquarium

Why not organise a group collection? 

Don’t feel you have to go alone with nursery teacher gifts! Organising a whole class-funded gift card and thank-you, so that your child’s teacher receives a touching thank-you from everyone in their classroom is a great idea. 

With Collection Pot the thank you can include gifs and videos from the children, and the balance can be shared with a group, making it a really good way to reward a team of colleagues all helping at the nursery who may have more of a back office role.  

Set up a Teacher Collection with Collection Pot

Choose a gift they’ll really love. 

Whatever you choose, make it something to brighten their day, show your appreciation and reward them for choosing to be an important person in your child’s life. Your nursery teacher thank-you gift and gesture might even become something they remember and cherish for years to come.

If you choose to organise a class present for your nursery teacher, why not ditch the gift card with its restrictions and let Collection Pot simplify the process and enhance the experience for you? Collection Pot is an online monetary collection designed for group contributions. Check out how it works now and set up your free Pot today!