10 Gifts Under $50 That Tech-Savvy Teachers Will Love
Don’t know how to show your children’s teachers the depth of your gratitude? We’re in the midst of Teacher Appreciation Week, and it’s a great time to thank them for all their work this year—or at least start choosing an end-of-the-school-year gift. If your favorite teacher is tech-savvy, they’ll likely appreciate one of the gadgets on this list, each of which costs less than $50.
Mini thermal printer
Thermal printers have become smaller and smaller and can now fit in your pocket. Why a thermal printer? They can quickly create stickers, notes, and even temporary tattoos. I can think of 100 ways a teacher could use one of these printers. I love Notebuddy for its compact design and easy-to-change sticker paper. You connect via Bluetooth from your phone or laptop.
Scroll ring
If you’re a Kindle or TikTok user, you know all too well the hand cramps that come from having to hold and scroll with your thumb. There is a solution – a scroll ring . By wearing it on your finger, you can press the Forward, Back or Select button on the ring and control your phone or tablet remotely. You can even use it for anything you display on your classroom screen.
Heated neck massager
This neck massager has been trending on TikTok for the past year, but I didn’t think much about it until I was gifted it. Holy moly. What makes it work differently is that it is shaped like a scarf that you pull around you and let your hands through, so you can easily change the pressure depending on how much you stretch the massager.
Super Mario Bros. Brick Lamp
I was obsessed with that glowing Super Mario Bros. question mark brick. It sticks to the wall or wherever you want to stick it, and yes, you can actually hit it, and yes, it will create a very nice sound effect from the classic game. Imagine this in a classroom where the reward might be swiping.
Desk vacuum cleaner
My desk holds everything—mail, projects, books, gloves, my purse—so it needs to be cleaned often. Can you imagine what the teacher’s desk looks like at the end of the day? I love this cordless vacuum cleaner that I can keep on hand and take with me when needed to vacuum up my keyboard and mouse pad without having to remove handles and cords.
Projection microscope
Hue is amazing technology: a small camera on a flexible telescopic arm that can project anything onto your screen via USB. A macro lens can project a document, an image, live handwriting, or an ant walking across a table—all at 720 pixels.
Endless flowers on their table
The appeal of LEGO is timeless. This set of flower bouquets is designed for relaxing at home or working with students. In any case, the resulting bouquet is more interesting than real flowers and will instantly inspire children’s confidence in any teacher.
Alarm clock with sunrise
Waking up to the next school day with little rays of light can be… challenging, but setting an alarm at the crack of dawn is the gentlest way to rise and shine. Fine-tuning the alarm increases the light level in your room, timing you when you need to get up, simulating a sunrise.
Wireless microphone and speaker
Teachers use their voices constantly throughout the day, trying to be heard by students. A little boost wouldn’t hurt. A simple wireless microphone means less screaming and fewer sore throats.
Notepad with manual and digital controls
For some people, a tablet is too much technology and a spiral laptop is too simple. Meet Rocketbook , which is the best of both worlds. Write on the pages by hand and they will be scanned into the Rocketbook app.