Every class gift starts with one parent writing the ask (and since you’re here, we’re guessing it’s you). The trickiest line is the amount, so here it is: $25 to $30 per family for a holiday teacher gift and $35 for the end of the year. Those numbers come from more than 4,000 teacher gift payments on Cheddar Up, so you can hit send with confidence.
Start about three weeks out and plan on a gift card, the gift teachers ask for most. The rest of this guide covers how much to spend on a teacher gift in any situation, from a preschool room to the whole school staff, plus a letter you can borrow for the other parents.
How much should you spend on a teacher gift?
Each amount is one family’s share of a class gift, not the size of the gift. If 15 families each give $25, your teacher gets a $375 card.
How much to give for Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week falls in early May, a few weeks before the last day of school, so it’s a good time for a smaller gift. On Cheddar Up, Teacher Appreciation Week collections that list a suggested amount usually ask for about $10 per family. Add a teacher appreciation note from each child, and the gift feels personal without a big ask.
How much to give preschool and daycare teachers
Preschool and daycare rooms often have two or three teachers sharing one class. Before you send your ask, decide if the amount covers one gift for the whole team or a separate gift for each teacher. If one lead teacher runs the room and assistants rotate in, a main gift plus smaller cards for the assistants works too. For ideas that fit younger classrooms, see our preschool teacher gift guide.
How much to ask when you have a gift in mind
Divide the total by the number of families you expect to join, not the number in the class. Most classes won’t get every family, so plan on fewer. For a $400 gift card in a class of 22, planning on 16 families puts the ask at $25 each. If more families join, the extra goes on the card.
How much to suggest to each family
Put a suggested amount in your message, and add an “Any Amount” option so nobody feels priced out. Some families will give more, and some will give less. Everyone still gets to be part of the gift.
How much to give on your own
There’s no standard amount when you give on your own. A $10 gift card with a note from your child is a kind thank-you.
Hot Tip:
Can you give a teacher cash?
You can give a teacher cash at many schools, but check your school or district’s gift policy first. Policies vary. Some set a dollar limit on staff gifts, and some ask families not to give cash at all. A quick question to the front office or your PTA president will tell you what’s allowed.
If cash is fine, give it as one check from the whole class instead of an envelope of bills. Your teacher gets one gift, and you have a record of who gave.
A prepaid card is the next best thing to cash. In our teacher survey, 21% named prepaid cards like Visa or Mastercard as their top gift card pick. The Cheddar Up Gift Card Store includes a Mastercard Prepaid Card, so your teacher can choose that or a card for a favorite store. Gift cards may count toward the same limits as cash, so check your policy for those too. For more options, see the gift cards teachers ask for most.
Sample letter asking parents to contribute to a teacher gift
The No. 1 thing we’ve learned is to present an opportunity, not an obligation. In fact, collections that use broad, inviting language like “any amount,” “thank you, ” and “appreciative” raise more donations per person.
Be sure to include:
-
- Who the gift is for
- Why you’re giving it (holidays, end of year)
- What you plan to buy
- A suggested amount, with any amount welcome
- The deadline to give
- Your collection link
Here are example teacher gift collection letters you can copy and add your details:
Holiday letter to parents
Hi parents,
I’m putting together a class holiday gift for Mrs. Thomas. She mentioned she’d love a gift card she can use over winter break, so that’s the plan.
The suggested amount is $25 per family, but please give whatever works for you, more or less. If you’d like to join in, use this link by December 5:
[Insert collection link]
You don’t need an account to pay. You can also add a note for Mrs. Thomas, and I’ll print it to go with the gift. If you’d rather not take part, that’s completely fine.
Thank you so much!
[Insert name]
End-of-year letter to parents
Hi parents,
To thank Mr. Garcia for a great year, our class is putting together a gift card for the last day of school. The suggested amount is $35 per family, and any amount is welcome. Please give through this link by:
[date]: [collection link]
Thanks,
[Insert name]
Staff-wide letter from the PTA or PTO
Hi parents,
To thank our teachers and staff before winter break, the PTA is putting together a gift for every staff member at [school]. You can give to the staff members your child knows best, or add to a gift we’ll split evenly among everyone. Any amount is welcome. Please give through this link by:
[date]: [collection link]
Thank you,
[Insert PTA name]
Send one friendly reminder a few days before your deadline. Families who meant to give and forgot usually just need the link again.
Class gift or staff-wide gift: which fits your school?
A room parent usually organizes a class gift for one teacher. The PTA or PTO typically leads a staff-wide gift, which also reaches specials teachers and staff who don’t have a homeroom. Staff-wide gifts tend to work one of two ways: families choose which staff members to give to, or everyone gives to one pot that’s split evenly.
Check your bylaws before your PTA or PTO runs a staff-wide gift. Many don’t allow existing funds, including membership dues, to pay for personal gifts. The gift needs its own disclosed collection where every dollar goes to gifting.
Ready to set it up? Start from one of these templates, or see how to:
Should you include school support staff?
Yes. Support staff and specialty teachers sometimes get overlooked because they don’t have their own class (and no class parents to plan a gift), but they give just as much time and energy to your child’s school day.
Staff to consider include:
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- Office staff and school nurses
- Lunchroom workers
- Library, art, music, drama, P.E., and other specialty teachers
- World language and elective instructors
- Teacher assistants and learning specialists
- One-on-one aides
- Custodians and janitorial staff
- School resource officers
- Bus drivers
Adding support staff changes the math. In a staff-wide gift, families can pick which staff members to give to, so each family can thank the people their child sees most. For a class gift that also thanks an aide or a specials teacher, raise the suggested amount by a few dollars, or add a separate gift option for them.
Thanking a coach or club sponsor too? See how to collect money for any group gift.
How early should I start collecting money for a teacher gift?
If you’re just shopping for one teacher, count backwards three weeks from the class party (or other designated gifting day), and that’s your start date. Give yourself at least one week each to plan, to collect money, and to prepare the gift. If you’re collecting for multiple gifts, we suggest adding a week at the end since purchasing and prepping will take the most time. Also add an extra week if you’re ordering something to be shipped.
Don’t have that much time? Try these last-minute teacher gift ideas.
What gifts do teachers want most?
Teachers want gift cards most. When we surveyed teachers, 85% picked gift cards as the gift they’d most like to receive, and 63% said they never want to see another mug.
The Cheddar Up Gift Card Store turns your collection balance into a gift card link, and your teacher picks from more than 100 brands. They can split the total across more than one card, and you never have to withdraw the money or make a trip to the store. For ideas to pair with a card, browse our end-of-year teacher gift ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should you spend on a teacher gift for Christmas?
Most families spend $25 to $30 each on a class Christmas or holiday gift for a teacher, based on more than 4,000 Cheddar Up payments. If you’re giving on your own, a small gift card and a note from your child will be appreciated.
How much should each family contribute to a class teacher gift?
Each family usually contributes $25 to $30 for a holiday gift and about $35 for an end-of-year gift. Put a suggested amount in your ask and let families give any amount, so everyone can join in.
Can you give a teacher cash as a gift?
Often, yes, but check your school or district’s gift policy first, since rules vary. If cash isn’t allowed, a Mastercard Prepaid Card from the Cheddar Up Gift Card Store works almost like cash, though it may still count toward a gift limit.
How much should a Teacher Appreciation Week gift card be?
A Teacher Appreciation Week gift card is usually smaller than a holiday or end-of-year gift. On Cheddar Up, collections that list a suggested amount for the week usually ask for about $10 per family. If your class gives at both, save the bigger ask for the last day of school.
Is a $10 gift card too cheap for a teacher?
No. A $10 gift card with a note from your child is a kind thank-you. In a class gift, $10 from each of 20 families adds up to a $200 card.
How do you ask parents to contribute to a teacher gift?
Send a short message that names the teacher and the gift, with a suggested amount, a deadline and your link. Say that any amount is welcome and that skipping is fine. The sample letters above are ready to copy.
In Short, Before You Go
You know how much to spend on a teacher gift and have a letter ready to send, so you can put your class gift together this week. Set up your collection and send the link tonight!
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