Our Favourite Nursery Leaving Gift Ideas

What to give your child’s nursery teacher or childminder as a thoughtful leaving gift.

In the early days, when you first handed your baby or toddler to someone else to look after, this day probably felt like it would never come. 

You might have been concerned you’d no longer know what every minute of their day looked like, and if you were anything like us, you probably spent a lot of time questioning whether they really did stop crying as soon as you had left. 

Back then, it seemed almost impossible that one day they would be one of those GIANT children you see confidently striding into school each morning when you’re on your way to the nursery drop-off.

Quite outrageously however, if you are reading this, that day has probably arrived. It is likely their teachers or key workers are preparing your ‘baby’ for leaving the place that has become so familiar to you both, in exchange for the exciting yet terrifying new world of primary school. 

End of an era for you and your child

This ‘end of an era’ feeling is a big deal for most parents – even if the four year old is barely aware – and you’re perhaps thinking you would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the staff who have so expertly guided your child (not to mention you) through these early years.

But how do you do that? How do you communicate how much the care they have shown to your child, means to you?

You might also be wondering who to buy a gift for as there may have been multiple adults responsible for the care of your child over the time they have been at the nursery.

When deciding who to buy a gift for, it can be a good rule of thumb to think about who has had the greatest responsibility for your child – who have you met at Parents’ Evenings or who has written their report? This will probably end up being the person you buy the main gift for. You can always supplement it by sending in some treats for the rest of the team to share. 

One way worth considering to stop the cost becoming too great is to join together with other parents. That way you can give a gift to all of the people involved in your child’s care without it becoming prohibitively expensive.

A personal leaving gift for the nursery

When there are multiple gifts to buy, you can keep the costs down at the same time as offering a personal touch. A hand-drawn card from your child – perhaps a self-portrait, or even their impression of their teacher – is always a winner. You could even make some biscuits or cake with your child and take that in for the staff to share during the last week. By this point they are sure to be deeply appreciative of a little sugar-boost to their energy levels in the middle of the day.

If making your gift personal and thoughtful appeals to you, our gift boxes can also be personalised. You can build a bespoke gift box by choosing products you think they will like and also by writing some personal words on the message tag. You tell us what you want to say, and we hand-write your words onto the tag to make it feel a little more special than a print out on paper.

Our Create a Gift Box is our most popular gift box for exactly this reason too. It’s a different way to personalise a gift, as rather than putting someone’s name on something, you think about what they might enjoy or need and tailor their gift around that thoughtfulness. You can choose from a range of products to put together something they will love, at the same time as keeping an eye on your budget.

If sticking to a budget is a priority for you, these are some thoughtful options for nursery teacher gifts that will suit a range of budgets.

So what do you give a nursery teacher on the last day?

Whatever gift you decide to get for your child’s teacher, the main thing is that it communicates how appreciative you are of their hard work. Nursery teachers aren’t usually in it for the money (!) – they’re in their job because they really care for your kids. We hope our suggestions below give you some ideas about how you might make them feel valued and appreciated. 

Nursery Gifts Under £20

The Bestsellers Gift Box offers a selection of our most popular products. The beauty of this gift box is that you can feel confident that our customers love the products you are choosing from. Choose from a range of snacks, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and skincare and beauty products to create a special little something to say thank you. 

For a more soothing vibe to help them relax after an intense academic year, you might also put together a gift using the Create a Relaxing Gift Box option. All of the products in this ‘build your own’ gift box are designed to encourage the recipient to take some time for themselves to relax and recuperate.

Nursery Gifts Under £30

All of our ‘build your own’ gift boxes such as the Create a Gift, and Create a Relaxing Gift Box, allow you to add almost unlimited numbers of treats to their gift, but we realise an unlimited budget is not realistic for most people. 

If you have around £30 to spend on a gift, a lovely combination to encourage the recipient to take some time for themselves, might be a Book Gift Box. You can choose from a range of drinks, plus sweet or savoury snacks, alongside a book for them to relax with during their time off. We have a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles that we are always refreshing to keep up to date with the latest releases.

The Teacher Gift Box comes in at under £30 and includes a thoughtful selection of popular products to help them take the break they will need this summer. This gift box includes a Spacemasks self-heating eye mask to soothe any tired eyes, 2 x ready mixed Bloom Gin and Tonics, plus a choice of Montezuma’s Giant Chocolate Buttons and Brown Bag Crisps.  If you are looking for a wider selection of products or perhaps clubbing together with the class, have a look at the Create a Gift Box. 

If you suspect your child’s teacher does not drink alcohol, they might enjoy a Mocktail Gift Box which includes delicious sweet and savoury snacks, plus 2 x Highball alcohol-free drinks. It’s a lovely way to say thank you for all of your hard work, and here are some treats for you to enjoy in your own time.

Nursery Gifts Under £50

If your budget is a little bigger, or if you’re joining together with other parents, we have a range of gift boxes that are sure to make your child’s teacher feel appreciated and valued. 

The Teacher Gift Box for Her is similar to The Teacher Gift Box, with the added luxurious touch of a set of three Lime, Basil and Mandarin tealight candles, plus a pot of BSkincare Lavender Hand Cream.

The Cocktail Gift Box is an excellent gift box for them to enjoy a cocktail at home. You can choose from a range of NIO (Needs Ice Only) Cocktails, along with some delicious snacks, to give an evening-in a special touch to celebrate the end of term.

The For Her Gift Box is the perfect encouragement for your child’s teacher to pause, breathe and feel appreciated. It’s combination of treats that will appeal to all of her senses – a Spacemask for her tired eyes, delicious snacks and drinks to tingle her taste buds, Lavender-scented B Skincare hand cream for her to breathe deeply and soothe any dry or sore skin, and some luxurious Neals Yard Bubble Bath that both smells amazing and, when tipped into a hot bath, will help soothe any tired muscles. It’s the perfect combination for pampering her a little.

Need more inspiration? Browse our full ‘Teacher Gifts’ range.