Teacher appreciation week May 2025, also named TAW, is around the corner! Teachers play a huge role in shaping student lives at every school, and what better way to celebrate them than with a fun and creative Teacher Appreciation Week? If you're looking for inspo, here are 25 themed ideas + 1 BONUS theme to make your teacher and staff celebration unforgettable!
1. Summer Beach TAW Theme
Bring the beach to school with a relaxing, tropical vibe! Decorate the teacher’s lounge with beach towels, seashells, and palm trees. Serve fruity drinks in coconut cups and tropical snacks like pineapple skewers and coconut macaroons. Create a "Beach Survival Kit" featuring Fundraiser Blanket’s custom beach towels as the perfect personalized gift for teachers, along with sunscreen, flip-flops, and sunglasses. To enhance the vacation-like atmosphere, play soothing ocean sounds in the background. This will make teachers and staff so excited for summer break, time at the pool and relaxation!
2. Taylor Swift TAW Theme
Teachers never go out of style—just like a classic Taylor Swift hit from the 1989 era! Decorate the space with Taylor Swift’s album covers, song lyrics, and a DIY friendship bracelet station. Play a Swiftie playlist throughout the day and hand out awards inspired by her albums, such as “Fearless Educator” or “Reputation for Excellence.” Encourage students to write heartfelt messages in the form of song lyrics.
3. Hawaiian Aloha TAW Theme
Say “Mahalo” to teachers with a luau-style celebration! Set up tiki torches, grass skirts, and Hawaiian flower leis. Serve tropical drinks, Hawaiian BBQ sliders, and pineapple upside-down cake. Have a limbo contest or hula dance-off to add some fun activities. Decorate tables with hibiscus flowers and encourage teachers to wear Hawaiian shirts. This one is easily done on a budget, Dollar Tree always has a ton!
4. Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory TAW Theme
Turn the school into a magical candy land! Use bright colors, golden ticket invitations, and oversized candy decorations. Set up a candy buffet with chocolate fountains, lollipops, and Wonka bars. Give each teacher a “Golden Ticket” that offers a surprise gift. Include whimsical signage with quotes from the book and movie to complete the theme.
5. Mexican Taco Fiesta TAW Theme
Taco ‘bout a great way to celebrate teachers! Set up a taco bar with fresh tortillas, toppings, and guacamole. Decorate with papel picado banners, mini piñatas, and festive sombreros. Play lively mariachi music to set the mood. Provide gift bags with mini hot sauces and churro-flavored treats. Consider a nacho-making competition for some interactive fun!
6. Superhero Teachers TAW Theme
Teachers are everyday superheroes, so celebrate them accordingly! Use comic book-style decorations with bold “POW!” and “BAM!” signs. Give each teacher a superhero cape or mask with their name on it. Set up a “Hero Fuel” snack bar with power-packed snacks like protein bars and energy drinks. Create a photo booth with superhero props and encourage students to share “superpowers” they admire in their teachers.
7. Carnival Fair TAW Theme
Turn appreciation week into a fun-filled carnival! Decorate with bright stripes, balloons, and circus-style signs. Serve classic fair food like popcorn, cotton candy, and caramel apples. Rent a popcorn or snow cone machine for extra fun. Plan simple carnival games like ring toss or duck pond, with small prizes for teachers. If possible, have a dunk tank featuring an administrator or volunteer!
8. Picnic TAW Theme
Host an indoor or outdoor picnic with checkered tablecloths and rustic baskets. Provide classic picnic foods like sandwiches, lemonade, and fruit salads. Set up a “Thank You Basket” filled with small gifts for each teacher. Have a cozy area with picnic blankets where teachers can relax during breaks. Add a fun DIY trail mix station where they can customize their snacks. Oh yea, we sell custom teacher appreciation blankets too!
9. Spa & Relaxation TAW Theme
Teachers deserve some pampering! Create a spa-like atmosphere with calming music, scented candles, and essential oils. Offer mini hand massages or provide self-care kits with bath bombs, lotions, and herbal tea. Set up a relaxation station with cozy chairs, blankets, and soothing refreshments like cucumber water and dark chocolate.
10. Galaxy and Planets TAW Theme
Teachers are out of this world! Celebrate their contributions throughout the week by decorating with stars, planets, and glowing decorations. Serve cosmic cupcakes, moon pies, and galaxy-themed drinks. Create a “Milky Way” snack bar with galaxy-colored treats. Provide glow-in-the-dark star stickers and encourage students to write “stellar” notes of appreciation on a cosmic-themed gratitude wall.
11. Dessert TAW Theme
Celebrate teachers with the sweetest treats! Set up a dessert buffet with cupcakes, brownies, and a make-your-own sundae bar. Offer gourmet cookies with personalized messages of appreciation. Decorate with pastel colors, sprinkles, and cake toppers that say “Sweetest Teacher Ever.” Include a fun “Guess the Candy Jar” game for added excitement.
12. Sleepover Lazy Day TAW Theme
Let teachers relax with a cozy pajama party theme! Encourage them to wear comfy clothes and set up a lounge with pillows. If you want, you can upgrade your Teacher Appreciation Week (TAW) theme with our cozy custom teacher appreciation blankets that will perfectly complement your sleepover theme! Provide breakfast treats like pancakes, muffins, and hot cocoa. Set up a “Netflix & Snacks” corner with classic movies playing throughout the day. Create relaxation goodie bags filled with face masks, fuzzy socks, and herbal tea.
13. Food Tasting TAW Theme
Give teachers a delicious experience with a food-tasting event! Set up different food stations featuring global cuisines, gourmet cheeses, or a variety of desserts. Have a coffee and tea tasting station with specialty blends. Allow teachers to vote for their favorite flavors and provide small prizes for the most popular choices. Hand out recipe cards or food gift baskets as a thank-you gift.
14. Lemonade TAW Theme
When life gives us teachers, we celebrate them with lemonade! Decorate with bright yellow colors, lemon garlands, and refreshing citrus drinks. Provide a lemonade bar with different flavors like strawberry, lavender, and mint. Serve lemon-flavored treats like lemon bars, cupcakes, and cookies. Have a “Squeeze the Day” gratitude board where students write appreciation notes.
15. Sports Olympics TAW Theme
Game on! Celebrate teachers with a sports-themed event. Decorate with banners, pom-poms, and jerseys. Provide stadium-style snacks like hot dogs, nachos, and popcorn. Organize a fun mini-competition with activities like relay races or a basketball shootout. Give teachers “MVP” awards and create a “Hall of Fame” board featuring their achievements.
16. Rock Band/Rockstar TAW Theme
Turn up the volume and celebrate teachers like rockstars! Set up a stage with a faux microphone for a rockstar photo booth. Play classic rock music and decorate with electric guitars and music notes. Provide VIP backstage passes as invitations and give teachers “Best Rockin’ Teacher” awards. Serve snacks like “Rolling Scones” and “Rockstar Popcorn.”
17. Garden/Flower TAW Theme
Brighten up Teacher Appreciation Week with a floral celebration! Decorate with fresh flowers, potted plants, and garden-themed centerpieces. Offer flower seed packets as gifts so teachers can grow their own blooms. Set up a “Build Your Own Bouquet” station where teachers can create their own floral arrangements. Serve garden-fresh snacks like fruit skewers and herbal teas.
18. Wizards and Magic TAW Theme
Make Teacher Appreciation Week magical with a wizard-themed celebration! Decorate with floating candles, spell books, and potion bottles. Sort teachers into “houses” and give them themed gifts like magic wands, scarves, or chocolate frogs. Serve “butterbeer,” spellbound cupcakes, and other enchanted treats. Encourage students to write notes of appreciation in scrolls or spellbook-style cards.
19. Jungle TAW Theme
Go wild for teachers with a jungle-themed appreciation week! Decorate with leafy greens, animal prints, and hanging vines. Serve jungle-inspired snacks like banana chips, fruit skewers, and animal crackers. Create a “Teacher Safari” where students write thank-you notes on cut-out jungle animals.
20. Coffee TAW Theme
Fuel up your teachers with a coffee-inspired event! Set up a gourmet coffee bar with different blends, flavored syrups, and pastries. Give teachers personalized coffee mugs or gift cards to local coffee shops. Decorate with cozy café vibes and encourage students to write notes on coffee cup sleeves.
21. Rainbow TAW Theme
Brighten teachers’ days with a rainbow-themed celebration! Use colorful decorations, serve multi-colored fruit trays, and provide rainbow cupcakes. Have a “Pot of Gold” station where teachers receive small surprise gifts. Encourage students to create a “Rainbow of Gratitude” mural with thank-you notes in different colors.
22. Donut TAW Theme
We “donut” know what we’d do without teachers! Treat them to a donut bar with a variety of flavors and toppings. Decorate with fun donut-themed banners and balloons. Provide coffee and tea pairings and give out donut-shaped stress balls as gifts.
23. Camping and Outdoor TAW Theme
Bring the adventure of the outdoors to school! Decorate with camping gear, faux campfires, and twinkle lights. Serve s’mores, trail mix, and hot cocoa. Provide teachers with cozy blankets or lanterns as gifts.
24. 80s TAW Theme
Celebrate teachers with a totally rad 80s-themed week! Encourage neon outfits, decorate with cassette tapes and arcade game designs, and play 80s hits. Serve retro snacks like Pop Rocks and Capri Suns. This can also be adapted and work for any era, 90’s are fun too!
25. Local Sports Team TAW Theme
Show teachers they’re all-stars! Provide jerseys, decorate with team banners, and serve stadium-style snacks. Amazon has fun cheap (but quality) blank jerseys that you can vinyl stripes and words onto, more unique than t-shirts! Offer “MVP” awards for each teacher to make them feel special! Incorporate raffle baskets from your local NFL, NHL and NBA teams!
26. Mardi Gras Masquerade TAW Theme
Let the good times roll with a festive Mardi Gras celebration! Decorate with purple, green, and gold decorations, masks, and beads. Serve New Orleans-inspired treats like beignets, king cake bites, and mini muffulettas. Play lively jazz music and encourage teachers to wear masks and beads. Create a "throw me something mister/miss" station with small gifts like themed pens, small candies, and mini masks. Consider a photo booth with Mardi Gras props.
No matter which theme you choose, the most important takeaway is the genuine expression of gratitude. These educators dedicate their lives to shaping the future, and a thoughtful, engaging celebration can make a world of difference. From the tropical shores of a beach-themed day to the vibrant streets of a Mardi Gras celebration, the key is to create an atmosphere of appreciation and joy. So, as you plan your Teacher Appreciation Week in May 2025, remember that it's not just about the decorations or the snacks; it's about the 'thank you' that resonates with every teacher and staff member. Let's make it a week they'll truly cherish!
