Gifts for preschool staff: 20 ideas
A good gift for preschool staff is small, shared, and personal: something the whole team can enjoy, such as Christmas treats for the staff room, a flower, or a box of chocolates, together with a card featuring a drawing by your child. Give something from the whole class rather than to an individual educator, and keep the value low, since employees must not accept gifts that could be considered improper.
Here are 20 ideas: first Christmas gifts (the occasion is coming up now), then gifts for the whole year and for the end of the school year. After the list: what the rules say, how to collect money without making anyone feel pressured, and what to write in the card.
A gift for preschool staff: three things to decide first
- Group or individual. A gift from the whole class goes to everyone who works there, so no one is left out. An individual gift from your family should be very small; a card and a flower go a long way.
- Who to give it to. Include everyone who sees the children each week, not just the educator you talk to most. More on that below.
- What the preschool thinks. Ask the principal or preschool director whether there’s a gift policy. Some municipalities advise against gifts altogether, in which case a verbal thank-you is the right present.
Christmas gifts for preschool staff (ideas 1 to 8)
Bring the gift in the week before your child starts the holiday break. The preschool is often open between Christmas and New Year, but with fewer staff, so the person you want to thank may already be off when you come in on the last day.
1. A card or drawing from your child
The gift staff treasure. Have your child draw the staff, the preschool, or something you’ve talked about at home, and write a few lines yourself. It works on its own or alongside any of the ideas below.
2. Christmas treats for the staff room
Saffron buns, gingerbread cookies, or a cake big enough for everyone, including those working late. Buy something packaged with an ingredient list so anyone with allergies can check for themselves what they can eat.
3. Christmas tea, coffee, or non-alcoholic mulled wine
Something to drink during breaks in December. A nicer coffee or loose-leaf Christmas tea will soon be gone from the staff room and won’t take up space at home.
4. An amaryllis or hyacinth in a pot
A Christmas flower for the classroom will keep blooming throughout the holiday break. Choose one that can go a few days without watering if the preschool closes over the holidays.
5. A box of chocolates to share
A large box, lots of pieces, and no one has to say no. Add a note listing which nuts it contains.
6. Unscented hand cream for the whole team
Preschool staff wash their hands many times a day, and winter dries out the skin. Choose an unscented one so it suits everyone and no strong fragrance follows them into the children’s space.
7. A thermos for days outdoors
Staff are outside with the children in rain and below-freezing temperatures, wearing clothes suited to the weather rather than the office. A travel mug for hot tea is a practical gift. If the mugs are kept in the same sink in the staff room, you can put the teacher's name on the mug with one of our large name labels, which are dishwasher-safe up to 60°C.
8. A gift certificate in the name of the preschool class
A donation to a children's rights organization or a local fundraiser, with a card explaining what the money will go toward. It's a gift that can't be seen as a personal benefit to any one individual.
Gifts for the team all year round (ideas 9 to 14)
9. A shared gift card for coffee or lunch
A gift card to a café near the preschool that the staff can use together, for example on a planning day. A shared gift, and just the right amount—not one card per person.
10. A letter with the children's own words
Ask the children, "What's the most fun thing about preschool?" and write down their answers verbatim. Put them together on a sheet of paper or in a booklet. It costs nothing and will be read aloud in the staff room.
11. A booklet of the children's drawings
Each family contributes a drawing, and one parent staples them together with a cover. Use drawings rather than photos of the children: that way, you don't have to ask everyone for permission to show pictures.
12. Something for the preschool
A picture book for the reading corner, a couple of sand shovels, or seeds for the preschool garden. Ask first what's needed, so it gets used instead of ending up in storage.
13. A game for the playground or staff room
Kubb, a board game, or a puzzle. The whole group can enjoy it, and it will remain after you have left.
14. A thank-you to the manager
Email the principal or preschool director about what the staff have done well, mentioning them by name. It can be brought up in performance reviews and costs nothing. Many teachers say that everyday appreciation means the most.
Summer and end-of-year gifts (ideas 15 to 20)
15. Potted herbs or summer flowers
Basil, thyme, or a geranium they can take home for the holidays. Tie the child's card to the pot.
16. A paperback for the holidays
Works best as part of a group gift, with each teacher choosing a book from a pile or receiving a gift card to a bookstore.
17. An ice cream or coffee voucher
Small, fun, and easy to share. Perfect for the last week of June, when everyone is tired and it's warm.
18. Seed packets with a greeting
A card with a seed packet and the words "thank you for letting me grow with you." Inexpensive, and the child can choose the flowers.
19. A farewell letter when a child leaves
When a child starts preschool class or moves away: a letter in which the child shares what they remember, with a drawing and a photo of the child as they look today. The staff have followed the child for several years and rarely get to hear how things turned out.
20. A memory book for a retiring teacher
Contact parents from previous years through the preschool and ask each for a message or drawing. Put everything together in a book. This is one of the few times when a somewhat larger group gift feels reasonable.
Can preschool staff accept gifts?
Yes, generally, if the gift is small. There is no national limit. Bribery is regulated by Chapter 10, Sections 5 a and 5 b of the Swedish Penal Code: employees may not accept an improper benefit in connection with their work, and anyone who offers such a benefit may also be convicted. This applies to employees at both municipal and independent preschools.
Each municipality or governing authority sets its own guidelines on where the limit lies. One example is Nässjö Municipality’s guidelines on gifts, bribery, and conflicts of interest: preschool teachers and other staff may accept gifts from individual parents only if they are of negligible value, while shared gifts at the end of term may be accepted if their value is reasonable. Other municipalities advise against gifts altogether, and some preschools have chosen to decline them. It’s better to ask than guess.
- Give jointly as a group, not a large gift from one family.
- Give at Christmas or at the end of term, not in connection with a decision concerning your child.
- Choose things that can be used up or shared, not cash.
The collection: how to make it truly voluntary
A group gift shouldn’t feel like a fee. Here’s what to do when you’re the one collecting:
- Suggest a small amount and say that it’s voluntary and that all contributions are equally welcome, including none at all.
- Let people send money via Swish without listing who has paid. No list in the parents’ group.
- Write "from all the children in the group" on the card, regardless of who contributed.
- Have all the children draw or write on the card, so every child is included in the gift.
- Set a deadline one week before the handover and shop with whatever has come in.
| Calculation example: a group with 18 children | If everyone contributes | If half contribute |
|---|---|---|
| SEK 20 per child | SEK 360 | SEK 180 |
| SEK 40 per child | SEK 720 | SEK 360 |
| SEK 60 per child | SEK 1,080 | SEK 540 |
This example is made up to show the scale. Even a small amount is enough for fika, a flower, and a box of chocolates for the whole team. If you need more than that, the gift has probably become bigger than it needs to be.
Don’t forget the whole team
There are more preschool staff than preschool teachers. A shared thank-you should include:
- preschool teachers and childcare workers in the group,
- support staff who work with one or more children,
- kitchen staff who prepare the food,
- the person who cleans the premises,
- substitutes and those who work part-time or only on certain days.
That’s why fika and things to share work so well: there’s enough for everyone who comes into the staff room, including those you never see at pickup.
What should you write in the card?
Specific beats general. Write about something the staff actually did. Here are a few phrases to get you started:
- "Thank you for comforting Alva every morning last autumn. Now she runs right in."
- "Thank you for all the outdoor play in the snow. He talks about the sledding hill every evening."
- "Merry Christmas, and thank you for a safe and happy term."
- "Thank you for looking after our son for three years. We’ll miss you."
Have your child say a sentence, write it down exactly as they said it, and let them draw alongside it.
Homemade baked goods or not?
The advice here is conflicting. Some lists recommend homemade baked goods, while teachers and educators, when asked by newspapers, say they’d rather not receive homemade baked goods or crafts. We’d lean toward store-bought treats: preschools often have children with allergies, and homemade baked goods don’t come with an ingredients list. Something homemade by the child, like a drawing or a painted flowerpot, is different and appreciated.
Things staff would rather do without
- Expensive gifts from one family, which can be difficult to accept.
- Alcohol, perfume and clothes.
- Ornaments and mugs with slogans, which tend to pile up over the years.
- Cash or a gift card for an individual.
The everyday gift staff appreciate most
One thing that rarely appears on anyone’s gift list: the child’s clothes, labeled with their name. Staff spend a lot of time matching up mittens and finding the owners of hats in the cloakroom, especially in winter. Read how to label your child’s things for preschool and what works for mittens and small items.
Frequently asked questions
What should you give preschool staff for Christmas?
Something the whole team can share: Christmas treats, a box of chocolates, Christmas tea or an amaryllis, along with a card the child has drawn on. It’s better to give something collectively from the class than to an individual educator.
Can preschool staff accept gifts?
Usually, yes, if the gift is small. The Swedish Penal Code prohibits improper benefits for employees, and each municipality or governing body decides where to draw the line. Ask the preschool if they have a policy.
What’s a good farewell gift when a child leaves preschool?
A letter in which the child shares what they remember, along with a drawing and a photo of how they look today. You could also add a flower or something for the staff room to enjoy with their coffee.
What should you give the children as an end-of-term gift?
The preschool often sends something home with the children at the end of term, such as a folder of drawings. If parents want to give something to all the children, a small treat, like an ice cream on the last day, is enough, and it should be the same for everyone.
What are preschool staff called?
Those who work with the children are usually preschool teachers and childcare workers. The word “educator” is used as a collective term for both. The staff also includes support staff, kitchen staff and cleaners.