15 Teacher Appreciation Ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual U.S. observance that recognizes and celebrates teachers for their contributions to students, schools, and communities. It is held during the first full week of May, with National Teacher Day observed on the Tuesday of that week.
In 2027, Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated May 3–7, with National Teacher Day on May 4. National PTA lists its 2027 observance as May 2–8.
Looking for ways to say thank you? Below you’ll find 15 teacher appreciation ideas, from free and low-cost gestures to thoughtful gifts and school-wide celebrations, plus ideas students can lead and a day-by-day plan for the week.
What Is Teacher Appreciation Week?
Teacher Appreciation Week is a time for students, families, schools, and communities to recognize the work teachers do every day. Teachers deserve recognition all year long, but this week gives everyone a dedicated moment to say thank you.
Calls for a national day honoring teachers go back to the 1950s, when Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged Congress to recognize teachers. In a 1953 column, she wrote that teachers are “among the most important people in our nation.”
A bit of history: Teacher recognition in the United States has a longer history, with National Teacher Day becoming a nationally recognized observance in 1980. Teacher Appreciation Week is now observed during the first full week of May, with National Teacher Day falling on Tuesday. (Source: NEA / National PTA)
When Is Teacher Appreciation Week 2027?
National Teacher Appreciation Week 2027 runs Monday, May 3, through Friday, May 7. National Teacher Day falls on Tuesday, May 4. National PTA lists its 2027 observance as Sunday, May 2, through Saturday, May 8, so check with your school or PTA to see which dates they’re using.
15 Teacher Appreciation Ideas
The best teacher appreciation ideas are personal and specific. A short note about a moment that mattered often means more than an expensive gift. Here are 15 ways to appreciate teachers, grouped by budget and effort.
Low-Cost Teacher Appreciation Ideas
1. Write a specific thank-you note: Skip the generic “thanks for everything.” Mention a lesson, a moment, or a way the teacher made a difference. Specific notes are the ones teachers keep for years.
2. Give public shoutouts: Work with school leaders to share teacher shoutouts over morning announcements, in the school newsletter, or on social media. Students can also use sidewalk chalk to write thank-you messages outside classrooms.
3. Decorate a classroom door: Families or students can decorate a teacher’s door with notes, drawings, and photos (within fire code guidelines). It’s a cheerful surprise to walk past all week.
4. Take on daily duties: Ask the school office which tasks volunteers can handle, like lunch, recess, or carpool duty. Giving teachers a few extra minutes to eat, plan, or catch their breath is one of the most appreciated gifts.
5. Share an educator discounts list: Many local and national businesses offer educator discounts and freebies during Teacher Appreciation Week. Gather a list for your school’s staff so no one misses out.
Teacher Appreciation Gifts
6. Restock classroom supplies: Teachers often buy classroom supplies with their own money. Ask for a wish list, or stock up on everyday essentials like whiteboard markers, sticky notes, tissues, glue sticks, and disinfecting wipes. For bigger needs, help the teacher create a classroom funding request.
7. Give a gift card: A gift card for coffee, books, a local restaurant, or a store like Target or Amazon is always useful. Even a small amount, combined with a handwritten note, shows you care.
8. Gift a subscription: Consider a subscription teachers can enjoy all year, like a magazine, audiobook, or streaming service, or a classroom resource the whole class can use.
9. Make a donation in their name: Many teachers love to give back. Donate a book in their name to the school library, give to a cause they care about, or volunteer as a family in their honor.
10. Create a photo book: Gather photos from field trips, class events, and everyday moments into a digital or printed photo book. Families can contribute pictures throughout the year.
School-Wide Teacher Appreciation Ideas
11. Organize a staff breakfast or lunch: Coordinate with families or the PTA to host a breakfast, a coffee cart, or a catered lunch. Keep it easy for teachers to grab food between classes.
12. Set up a treat or coffee cart: Roll a cart of snacks and drinks to each classroom so teachers don’t have to leave their rooms to enjoy it.
13. Build a school-wide appreciation wall: Invite students, families, and staff to post messages on a shared wall, either in the hallway or online. Reveal it at the end of the week.
14. Give teachers the gift of time: Arrange coverage so teachers get an extra planning period, a longer lunch, or a meeting-free afternoon.
15. Plan a themed week: Give each day a theme (like Thank-You Note Tuesday or Treat Day Wednesday) so the whole school can join in. See the day-by-day plan below for ideas.
Teacher Appreciation Ideas From Students
Some of the most meaningful teacher appreciation activities come straight from students. These ideas cost little or nothing and work for any grade level.
Write a Personal Thank-You Note
A handwritten note is simple, but it’s often the gift teachers treasure most.
How to do it: Give students prompts to help them get specific, like “My favorite thing we did this year was…” or “You helped me when…” Younger students can draw a picture and dictate a sentence.
Create a Class Appreciation Video
A short video lets every student share a message in their own words.
How to do it: Have each student record a 10–15 second clip saying one thing they appreciate about their teacher. Combine the clips into one video and share it on National Teacher Day.
Make a Teacher Appreciation Collage
A collage brings together drawings, photos, and messages from the whole class.
How to do it: Students each create one piece, like a drawing, a photo, or a short message, and the class combines them into a poster or digital collage.
Create a “Why We Appreciate You” Board
An appreciation board gives every student a way to contribute, and the teacher can revisit it any time.
How to do it: Set up a board in the classroom or online and invite students to add messages, drawings, and favorite memories throughout the week.
Create an Interactive Teacher Appreciation Activity With Nearpod
Want every student to take part? Nearpod makes it easy to collect messages from the whole class, including students who are shy about speaking up. These interactive classroom activities work well for teacher appreciation:
- Collaborate Board: Create a digital “Why We Appreciate You” board where students post messages, photos, GIFs, and memories. Learn more about using Collaborate Board.
- Draw It: Students draw a portrait of their teacher or illustrate a favorite class memory.
- Open-Ended Questions: Students type or record audio messages answering a prompt like “What’s one thing your teacher taught you that you’ll never forget?”
- Polls: Run fun class polls like “What’s our teacher’s superpower?” and share the results.
Activities like these also build classroom community and student engagement. Administrators can use the same tools to collect messages from staff, families, and students across the school. See more ways to use Nearpod in the classroom.
How Schools Can Celebrate Teachers All Week
Planning a school-wide celebration? Use this day-by-day plan for Teacher Appreciation Week 2027, and adapt it to your school’s schedule and budget.
| Day | Theme | Idea |
| Monday, May 3 | Kickoff and shoutouts | Announce the week and share daily teacher shoutouts over announcements or social media. |
| Tuesday, May 4 | National Teacher Day | Students deliver personal thank-you notes, drawings, or video messages. |
| Wednesday, May 5 | Treat day | Families or the PTA host a breakfast, coffee cart, or snack table in the staff lounge. |
| Thursday, May 6 | Gift of time | Volunteers cover duties so teachers get a longer break or a free planning period. |
| Friday, May 7 | Celebration | Reveal the school-wide appreciation board and close the week with a staff celebration. |
Monday: Kickoff and Shoutouts
Start the week by announcing Teacher Appreciation Week to students and families. Share a few teacher shoutouts during morning announcements, and keep them going all week.
Quick tip: Ask students and families to submit shoutouts ahead of time so you have plenty to share.
Tuesday: National Teacher Day
Make National Teacher Day the week’s highlight for student messages. Students can deliver thank-you notes, drawings, or a class appreciation video.
Quick tip: Set aside 10 minutes of class time so every student can participate.
Wednesday: Treat Day
Families or the PTA can host a staff breakfast, a coffee cart, or a snack table in the staff lounge.
Quick tip: Ask about dietary needs so every teacher can enjoy the treats.
Thursday: Gift of Time
Arrange volunteer coverage for lunch, recess, or carpool duty so teachers get a longer break or extra planning time.
Friday: Celebration and Reflection
Wrap up the week by revealing a school-wide appreciation board or video, and close with a staff celebration or small gift.
Quick tip: Share the appreciation board with families so they can see the messages too.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week is observed during the first full week of May. In 2027, the Monday-to-Friday observance is May 3–7, with National Teacher Day on May 4. National PTA lists its 2027 observance as May 2–8.
Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual U.S. observance that recognizes and celebrates teachers for their contributions to students, schools, and communities.
National Teacher Day is observed on the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week. In 2027, National Teacher Day will be May 4.
Teacher appreciation ideas can include personalized thank-you notes, student-created videos, classroom appreciation boards, teacher shoutouts, school-wide celebrations, classroom supplies, gift cards, and other thoughtful gestures.
Students can write personalized notes, create appreciation videos, make drawings or digital collages, participate in a classroom appreciation board, or share specific memories about what they value about their teacher.
Low-cost ideas include handwritten notes, student artwork, public shoutouts, appreciation boards, digital messages, and helping with classroom or school activities.
Darri Stephens is a dedicated LX (learning experience) designer, passionate about creating quality content and programs for kids, families, and educators. With MAs in Education from both Harvard and Stanford, and work experience at best-in-class ed tech organizations including Wonder Workshop, Nickelodeon, and Common Sense Education, she is steeped in the design thinking process and committed to agile and iterative project management, which has resulted in multi-award-winning programs and products.
