On their feet all day and often doing workouts alongside the kids, every PE teacher deserves heartfelt gifts of appreciation. These teachers are an absolute treasure. I feel like they were the “fun” kids in school—always rounding up other kids for games or races across the playground. And as anyone with a wonderful PE teacher in their life knows, they totally transferred that recreationalist attitude right into their job as a teacher.
We’ve gathered up a list of quality, thoughtful PE teacher gifts that will fit any budget and show your gratitude, whether it’s for creating core memories with a huge parachute for elementary students or coaching a varsity volleyball team at the state finals. Go, team!
Quick tip: Check your school’s gift policy before giving; some prohibit homemade treats and/or gifts over a certain monetary value.
1. Thank-you note
Ask any teacher: We love a kind note. Grab this free printable one to give on its own or with one of the PE teacher gifts below.
Get it: Free Printable Teacher Thank-You Cards
2. Amazon eGift card or other gift card
Gift cards are the best way to ensure that teachers really get what they want. (Plus, Amazon eGift cards are super easy and give the option to send a thank-you note via email right away!)
Buy it: Amazon e-Gift Card at Amazon; Target Gift Card at Target
3. Personalized whistle
We love that this whistle doesn’t just have space for the teacher’s name—it has space for a sport and school name too. Perfect for after a single season or even as a retirement gift.
Buy it: Personalized whistle at Etsy
4. PE shirt
Isn’t this what PE is all about?
Buy it: It’s a Good Day shirt at Etsy
5. Comfy sneakers (group gift)
Looking for group gifts for PE teachers? Enter Allbirds. In addition to being stylish, Allbirds are unbelievably comfortable. I wore my Allbirds throughout my pregnancy—including around the house, because toward the end they actually felt better than being barefoot.
Buy it: Wool Runner Mizzles at Allbirds
6. Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds (group gift)
With their sleek ear pieces, these earbuds won’t fall off even when a PE teacher is demonstrating a burpee or getting hit by an errant dodgeball. (And if you’re saying to yourself, “Why would a PE teacher have earbuds in while teaching?”—have you heard how loud a PE class can be?!)
Buy it: Powerbeats at Amazon
7. Peloton membership (via Apple gift card)
The Peloton app has a huge range of classes way beyond cycling. They offer downloadable classes in meditation, yoga, running, stretching, cardio, and other fun fitness methods that don’t require any additional equipment. With an Apple gift card, teachers can download the app and sign up for the length of membership they want.
Buy it: Apple Gift Card at Apple
8. W&P ceramic insulated bottle
It’s giving celebratory confetti at the end of a marathon. And weird old gym floor. And ’90s workout leotard. This bottle is everyone’s dream, but particularly a PE teacher’s.
Buy it: W&P Insulated Bottle at Amazon
9. Super-comfy bubble slides
These cloud-like massage slides will be a treat when PE teachers get to relax at the end of a long day. Don’t they look like little tennis or golf balls?
Buy it: Ultra Cushioned Bubble Slides at Amazon
10. FabFitFun box
Who doesn’t love an extended present? FabFitFun collects beauty and lifestyle products (like makeup samples, candles, workout leggings, etc.) from great brands and sends them to subscribers in seasonal boxes. They’re a fun way to treat a beloved PE teacher or coach to a year’s subscription as a group gift, or you can give them as a single box.
Buy it: FabFitFun box at FabFitFun
11. Gift certificate to a local spa
Support a local business and treat your PE teacher? Win-win!
Buy it: Spafinder Gift Card at Spafinder
12. This pretty sweatproof necklace
Classic, simple, and understated, this necklace will be a wardrobe staple. And it won’t get tarnished!
Buy it: Heart Necklace at Hey Harper
13. A cooling hat
A hat that cools when it’s wet? Thanks, I’ll take four.
Buy it: Mission hat at Amazon
14. Epsom bath salts
Dr. Teal’s has tons of bath solutions, but the Pre & Post-Workout and Soothe & Sleep combo sounds like it was made for a PE teacher’s weeknight.
Buy it: Dr. Teal’s Epsom salts at Amazon
15. Personalized school spirit sweatshirt
With its sporty varsity lettering and customizable colors and lettering, this sweatshirt will be an instant favorite.
Buy it: School Spirit Sweatshirt at Etsy
16. A treasure chest of healthy snacks
OK, but have you had Bada Bean, Bada Boom? Or Boom Chicka Pop popcorn? Or Bobo’s? So. Good. Bring any PE teacher (actually, any teacher) a cornucopia of snacks like this and it’ll feel like they won the lottery. (Are they still healthy if you eat seven snacks in one sitting? Asking for a friend.)
Buy it: Healthy snack gift box at Amazon
17. Decorative storage basket
I’m about to tell you one of my gift-giving secrets: Instead of using gift wrap or a gift bag, stick your gift in a cute basket. Where else would you possibly put the aforementioned snacks other than this delightful little storage nugget?
Buy it: Basket at Target
18. Personalized water bottle
You can never have too many tumblers. Especially not a personalized one that’s so cute they will squeal.
Buy it: Personalized Teacher Tumbler at Etsy
19. Gift card for athleisure wear
I’m not jealous of the workload of PE teachers with classes of 50-plus kids. I am, however, jealous that they get to don athleisure wear for school. Both of these brands carry stylish, comfy, size-inclusive athletic wear—Outdoor Voices also carries men’s clothing!
Buy it: Athleta gift card | Outdoor Voices gift card
20. Convertible mini backpack/cross-body bag
This little AirMesh bag is the perfect alternative to lugging around a huge duffel because it can be worn as a mini backpack, or if you’re one of the cool kids now, a small cross-body. Gift it on its own or fill it with the next item on this list. …
Buy it: Adidas convertible bag at Amazon
21. RXBAR protein bar variety pack
Protein bars! These RXBARs are tasty and portable, and they also have all their (very simple) ingredients listed on the front of each package. Goodbye, 10 a.m. hunger gurgles.
Buy it: RX bar variety pack at Amazon
22. Foot spa bath massager
Are you ready for a four-part gift curation? Here we go. First up, a bath and massager for tired feet. Which for PE teachers are their forever feet.
Buy it: Foot spa massager at Amazon
23. Tea Tree Oil Foot Soak
This is a foot soak specifically for softening calluses and soothing tired feet. However, we also love this lavender one and this fruity sampler. Your PE teacher deserves both as gifts, right?
Buy it: Tea Tree Oil Foot Soak at Amazon
24. Peppermint foot lotion
You should probably buy this fabulous-smelling lotion three-pack so you can give one to your favorite PE teacher and keep two for yourself. (Wink-wink.)
Buy it: Peppermint Foot Lotion at Amazon
25. Cozy socks
In the fourth and final installment of PE teacher foot pampering, we have these absurdly cozy socks. As a cozy sock connoisseur, I can tell you: These are the real deal. (So real I have thrown out old cozy socks so I have more room for these.)
Buy it: Barefoot Dreams socks at Amazon
26. Personalized clipboard
Keep them organized when they’re tracking how fast students run a mile or how many crunches they can do in a minute.
Buy it: Personalized Clipboard at Etsy
27. Diffuser
Help your PE teacher relax with aromatherapy after a long day in the gym.
Buy it: Diffuser at Amazon
28. Bluetooth speaker
They’ll have the entire PE class moving and grooving with this Bluetooth speaker with built-in subwoofer.
Buy it: Bluetooth Speaker at Amazon
29. Fitness tracker
Besides counting steps, Fitbit Luxe helps PE teachers track their breathing rate, heart rate, and more.
Buy it: Fitbit Luxe at Amazon
30. Zipper pouch
Chaos coordinator seems like a fitting nickname. How do PE teachers keep all those kids from bouncing off the walls? Fill this zipper pouch survival kit with chocolate, bandages, pens, or other items a PE teacher may need to make it through a chaotic day.
Buy it: Chaos Coordinator Zipper Pouch at Amazon