The 20 Best Back-To-School Gifts To Give Teachers Right Now

Whether we’re talking coffee or tea, the much-loved Australian KeepCup design (which comes in colors like pink, navy, and white) keeps your 12-ounce drink warm, and your hand comfortably gripped around a cork cuff. The look is timeless, the flip-top practical, and the reusable tempered glass earth-friendly.

Those old standard office supplies look a little sad and tired. Cheer up a classroom or home-office desk with colorful, coordinated sets of staplers, tape dispensers, pens, and holding trays. It’s the little things that make a big difference.

Can you find a cuter bottle with more bells and whistles? Sure. But this is arguably a more practical choice. The stainless-steel Brita varieties come with enclosed filters, so teachers can fill up from fountains, sinks, or refrigerators and go about their day as a more hydrated being. The sip-straw top is also a pleasant bonus on this keeps-cold-for-24-hours design. Oh, and you can pop it in the dishwasher, too.

Most of the time when we leave a room, we check for one thing: our phone. Fastening a slim case to your device that includes card slots (for your driver’s license, credit card, Starbucks gift points) will help ensure you don’t forget the important stuff while texting out the door. This designer pick also comes with hooks and a chain, should you want to turn your ear accessory into a crossbody accessory.

If you camp, you’ve likely been aware of Yeti’s passionate following. Perhaps best known for its insulating coolers, Yeti is now a major player in the reusable mug biz, having created a stay-hot (for real! for hours!) holder many coffee-lovers now claim as their fave. The slip-open sipping top and side handle make it super-comfortable in your hands.

Get your favorite educator a colorful, reusable tote that’s made more personal with a name. You know everything from mugs to pens and piles of homework will find a home in this commuter necessity.

To keep on a desk or sprinkled over a home coffee table, cork-bottomed coasters illustrated with nostalgic library-book stamps add old-world charm to an environment. Not to mention, they offer protection from sweaty cup rings.

This trio of ceramic animals holds succulents to decorate any desk or shelf space with minimal, yet whimsical charm. Mere inches high and wide, each figure is easy to care for, with the greens needing a watering about once a week.

Bring an iPad, laptop, or stack of books in this all-purpose carrier, which can be slung over the shoulder cross-body style. Choose the color (from a selection of dark neutrals) and feel happy that your selection is made of 75% recycled polyester.

Fully insulated, fully personalized with your teacher’s initials, and fully chic, this 6-and-a-half-inch-high tote makes a considerate and stylish gift. With a handle and zip-top, the cotton handbag can snuggly hold a can of seltzer, lunch and snacks.

In soft tints infused with hydrating honey, waxes, and protective antioxidants, this set of balms is sure to make anyone smile. The illustrated box makes a sweet presentation.

If your child’s teacher loves to get in the kitchen and create delicious treats, consider this beautiful page-turner devoted to baking up homemade breads.

Releasing a humidifying mist, and an aroma created by adding a few drops of a plant-based essential oil to the enclosed water tank, this award-winning ceramic piece quietly scents your space without being intrusive to any of your senses. After hours of release, it shuts itself off.

You’re not giving just any cup of tea. Fans will immediately recognize the chic triangular mesh bag filled with fragrant leaves upon opening this set, made with The New York Botanical Garden. The charming green lidded porcelain cup and tea-bag cradle inside make the perfect gift, while the 10 enclosed sachets (of Blueberry Merlot, Earl Grey, Hibiscus Blossom, Jasmine Green, and Peach Blossom tea) make the perfect break-time treat.

For the home or office desk, this highly recommended volumizer allows one to pump up their podcast or music with ease. It can literally clip onto a bag, also allowing for entertaining walks to work, to the park, to... well, anywhere.

For the chefs, home-cooks, and food-lovers, this flavorful foursome will make a welcome addition to the kitchen. They can be used as toppings, marinades, or spicy seasonings.

What it lacks in excitement it makes up for in practicality: This plug-in smartphone holder has a fold-over top that encloses your gadget and releases UVs that help kill germs. Phones can charge and get clean at the same time.

How many times have you lost, misplaced or accidentally machine-washed your Airpods? Yeah, let’s not let that happen to your fave teacher.

If your child’s teacher loves art, this work, at almost 450 pages, will provide a glimpse of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s extensive history. Photos of artwork, extending across collections from fashion to painting, and essays from the location’s team, are sure to spark inspiration and wanderlust.

The joy of taking and shaking a Polaroid picture is equally enjoyed by adults and children. Give a gift that’s sure to give back over and over again in the form of minute-ready memories. This artistic edition also makes a striking stand-alone object of art.