May 20, 2025

Best Gifts for Dads, Grads and Teachers!

The month of May is not just for seasonal showers and blossoming flowers. It’s also the month we celebrate moms, and think about gifts for dads and graduating students (and teachers!) before the long, hot, sporty, splashy, college-preppy, R&R, vacation days of summer! Since gifts often accompany these holidays, transitions and passages, we rounded up a few ideas that go beyond the “World’s Greatest Teacher” coffee mug and a “Best DAD Ever” t-shirt!

MEMORY JOURNAL

Busy people rarely have time to write long letters, emails or essays, so here’s an easy way to help someone hold onto precious memories by recording one highlight a day in an elegant One Line a Day journal. Not just for dads or students, it enables anyone to focus on a single moment that could trigger a nostalgic flash of emotion a decade from now. Available at Amazon for $16.

WORTH 1,000 WORDS

Does your dad have a smartphone’s worth of candid snaps of the kids and no idea what to do with them? Help him put them on display with minimal effort with this smart picture frame. A corresponding app from the brand lets him add his favorite photos with just a few taps, while the color-calibrated HD frame automatically handles particulars like adjusting brightness and photo cropping. Choose priority next-day shipping to make sure it arrives on time $145 at Amazon, $139 at Aura Frames.

GET MORE ZZZZZs

The NodPod sleep mask is a great gift for anyone who could use some quality shuteye, a college student who needs some REM in the middle of the day, or a teacher who wants to chill more and stress less. Made with one side of cooling jersey cotton, and the other of plush microfiber fleece, the NodPod is designed to act as a weighted blanket for your eyelids and is available in black, gray and purple at NodPod, Nordstrom and Kohl’s.

SOME LIKE IT HOT

If you know a coffee lover who likes their morning java hot (or their chai, Earl Grey or green tea), this Ember temperature-controlled mug keeps a beverage at a precise desired temperature. The user can control that temp via an app — for up to 80 minutes, making anyone’s mornings (or afternoons) that much better. For any dad who has to reheat a cup of their favorite brew in the microwave because it cools way too soon, get the man an Ember. (Priced from $130 to $180, Ember also sells to-go coffee travel tumblers.)

AUDIO ENTERTAINMENT

Busy people have less time to read for fun, but they can listen to audio entertainment while driving, exercising, riding (a bike, a bus or a segue!). An Audible membership can bring anyone’s favorite books (and podcasts) right into a set of air pods or headphones. Doing yard work, commuting, running, walking, biking or hiking, an audiobook or podcast makes even exercise more enjoyable. You can purchase a title that’s been on the recipient’s reading list or pop for a membership with a set number of credits to pick their own.

BEST FOLD-UP BAG

Paravel makes some great travel gear and accessories, including the nylon Fold-Up Bag which can hold up to five days’ worth of clothes and fits the TSA carry-on requirements. The waterproof fabric is impressively durable, while the lightweight design makes it easy to — as its name suggests — fold up the bag and store it in a zippered pocket when not in use. You can get one bag for $70, or stock up on two for $126 or three for $179, at Paravel.

SUITABLE SNEAKERS

Hello, comfy white sneakers. Dr. Scholl’s Time Off Sneaker combines stylish design with comfort. They’re slip-on, fashionable and sustainable – made from recycled bottles! With a memory foam insole, the shoe provides cushioning, support, and comfort in every step. The lightweight construction, breathable fabric and versatile style make it an ideal choice for — seriously — any foot. Men’s are $35-$75 at Amazon and women’s are $70.

Or…there’s also the oh-so-cool Nike Dunk Low Retro sneaker, $87 at Nike and available for both men and women, as well. And by the way, these shoes made the list of best fashion sneakers on the Wall Street Journal’s Buy Side recommendations.

INSTANT PRINT CAMERAS

This idea is just all kinds of fun, combining instant photos snapped and printed immediately, with the latest technology and stylish camera bodies. These instant print cameras from Polaroid and Kodak to Fujifilm, are priced from $60 to more than $150 and offer instant gratification, not to mention plenty of fodder for actual, tangible scrapbooks, journals, and little fridge picture frame magnets!

For 50 more Father’s Day ideas, check out this curated list at Good Housekeeping; for grads, Esquire has 35 ideas and Oprah’s got a list of 50 more grad gifts and for teachers, we rely on this list of 50+ from We Are Teachers!

DIGITAL GIFT CARDS

And if you just can’t decide but know the dad, graduate, or teacher in your life who you want to remember with a gift would appreciate a meal, a ride, or a new summer swimsuit, grab one of the Digital Gift Cards at Amazon from among these great choices: Uber, Uber Eats, Google Play, Airbnb, Nordstrom, Gap, Banana Republic, J Crew, Ray Ban, Netflix, Total Wine, Spa & Wellness, and Panera Bread.

LIVING IN LOOKING GLASS 

Looking for the perfect new home in Parker? The master-planned community of Looking Glass features more than 25 floor plans from three different builders (soon to be four!). There’s literally something for every family in this new construction neighborhood with prices starting in the $600s. Living here gives you access to miles of paths, multiple parks, community connections and nearby recreation, entertainment and shopping. Stop by the beautiful model homes from D.R. Horton, Taylor Morrison, Dream Finders and later this year, Richmond American Homes.