Our free social worker gift guide is a collection of 50 ideas for social workers and other helping professions. From appreciation gifts like wine and chocolate to more practical gifts like legal pads, binders, and fingerprinting kits – we’ve got you covered.
How to Choose a Great Gift for Social Worker
Gift-giving for social workers can be challenging. They often have a tough time saying “no” to requests for help from clients or colleagues. They are often stretched so thin with their caseloads that they just don’t have the energy to think about or purchase gifts for anyone else. And, often, they aren’t sure what kind of gifts will be appreciated most by the people they help.
After all, it’s not like they themselves receive many (if any) gifts for their work. But don’t despair. We’ve got your back! Here are 33 ideas that should get your creative juices flowing and help you make an excellent choice when you’re shopping for that special someone who is, or might become, a client or colleague of yours.
This list includes some ideas from our free social worker appreciation guide as well as some new ideas we’ve come up with since then. No matter what the occasion, we think you’ll find something useful here. And, we know there are so many wonderful social workers out there that it would be impossible for us to list everything. So, if you don’t find what you are looking for, simply let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.
1. A Coloring Book
Adult coloring books are very popular right now. Plus, they are easy to customize. You can buy a kit to make your own coloring book by getting the individual pages. Then, all you have to do is grab a few minutes one evening when you’re feeling down and start poking through the pages until you find one that cheers you up.
By the way, this is a great gift for social workers who help people with depression. Adult coloring books are perfect for helping them decompress and get their “mojo” back.
2. Electric Ice Cream Maker Machine
This is an electric ice cream maker that makes the best, most delicious ice cream you’ve ever had. It’s so easy to use and it comes with a complete recipe book. This ice cream maker comes with everything you need to make delicious ice cream or frozen yogurt at home. There’s no need to buy ice cream making supplies separately.
3. 30 Pop-Open Cards
These cute little cards are perfect for party favors, gift baskets, or simply to give out as prizes. They can be personalized with your company name and logo, or some other message for the social worker.
4. Stress Less Cards
A set of 30 stress less playing cards that helps relieve anxiety, lower blood pressure, and promotes a sense of well being. These cards have an incredible influence on people who receive them, often leaving a lasting positive impression. Give these away as a prize for social worker who has been through a difficult time as a way of letting them know they have nothing to worry about.
5. 50 Affirmation Cards
A set of 50 positive thinking playing cards that can be used both for fun and to help you become a more positive thinker. Use these cards as a way of raising your own self-esteem, or as a tool to help someone else raise their own. Give these out as prizes or as a way of motivating social worker as a gift when things get tough.
6. The Original Art Set
This is a wonderful gift for social workers who need a little pick me up. It’s an ideal gift for women who need a little “feminine” pick me up. It has bamboo bristles on a wooden stand. This makes it easy to use even if the recipient has arthritis. It also has an inkless drawing board so you don’t have to worry about smudging the paper.
7. The Comfy Blanket
This is an ideal gift for social workers who work with clients in offices or other environments where there are a lot of bugs. It’s a great way to help them stay comfortable and less stressed. It’s perfect for curling up with after a long day, or for wrapping yourself in when you need a little “pick me up”. Give this as a prize for the social worker who has been through the most difficult client or situation. It will help keep their morale up and make them feel like a real human being instead of a robot.
8. Daily Flip Calendar
This is a great way to keep your loved ones on the right path, by reminding them of the good things that happen every single day. Simply flip to a new month each year, and a new day will be waiting for you. Perfect for social workers, teachers, parents and anyone else who wants to stay on top of their lives.
9. Weighted Blanket Twin Size
You can give social worker this blanket as a gift, so that he/she can use it to help chill out, focus or just get some zen. It’s also great for people who suffer from insomnia, and want to learn how to fall asleep faster. (It really works.) Suggested Use: Place one end of the weighted blanket over your stomach, and hold the other end in your hands, or use it as a headrest while sitting on the couch.
10. Laptop Tote Bag
This handy tote bag will hold your laptop, and keep your desk clean. It comes with a separate section for phones and other mobile devices. Perfect for busy professionals on the go. (A must-have for students, too.)
11. A Blank Book
This handy tote bag will hold your laptop, and keep your desk clean. It comes with a separate section for phones and other mobile devices. Perfect for busy professionals on the go. (A must-have for students, too.)
Simply pull out a brick, write on it what you are feeling, and put it back in the book. This is a great way to help get your brain in gear, and get things moving in the right direction. Give these as a prize for the social worker who has been through the most difficult client or situation.
12. Joycuff Motivational Bracelet
This bracelet was designed for women. It is an easy-to-wear reminder of how precious joy really is, and how quickly life can turn into a nightmare. Simply attach this bracelet to your wrist, and every time your joy level dips, you’ll be reminded to refocus on all the wonderful blessings in your life.
13. An Alarm Clock
This is a great gift for social workers who need to start their day early. The alarm radio plays 7 Natural Sounds, so you won’t be startled out of bed. It has an AM/FM radio, so you can set it to the station that plays the type of music you like.
14. Panda Planner Pro
This planner has hundreds of daily gratitude exercises, plus hundreds of “must do” tasks. You simply write down what you are grateful for each day, and cross off the things you must get done. It also has a section for notes, and several blank spaces where you can write your own gratitude notes.
15. Cozy Slippers
These slippers will provide the warmth and comfort your feet have been craving all winter long. Made with high quality, super-soft acrylic fiber, they are not only machine washable but also dry cleanable. A great gift for a social worker.
16. Smartphone Sanitizer & Charger
UV light kills 99.99% of bacteria, viruses and other germs on your phone. This little device is small enough to fit into your pocket or purse, yet powerful enough to kill viruses and bacteria that might otherwise cause illness. Great for people who travel often, or simply want to avoid catching a cold or the flu. Works with all phones, even if they’re locked (you’ll need to have them sent to a service center to be unlocked).
17. Bamboo Vacuum Tumbler
Set A great set of tumblers for your coffee or tea. They make an attractive and useful gift for social worker that will be used and appreciated for years to come.
18. Bekind Candles Set
A great gift for anyone who loves to unwind after a long day. Burn one to cleanse the air, or use them in a diffuser to fill the room with soothing scents. These 100% natural soy wax candles come in a set of six, so you can burn one at a time, or multi-light them for a more dramatic effect.
19. Lunch Bag
A great gift for a social worker who has to keep their food or drink hot or cold for long periods of time. This high quality, reusable stainless steel lunch bag has an easy open and close zipper. It is perfect for keeping your sandwiches, soup or other cold foods cold and your hot foods hot.
20. White Noise Sound Machine
This machine is perfect for when you are working from home or need to block out background noise. Great for a social worker who work in an open office space, or simply want to create a quieter work environment. Use it in the bedroom to help her/him sleep, or as a stress reliever. This useful little gadget features 6 different white noise, including White Noise, Thunder, Ocean, Rain, Summer Night, and Brook.
21. Wine Glasses
Great for entertaining or serving at a dinner party, these glasses are made from BPA-free plastic. They come with a black stem, so you can easily find them at the bottom of your glassware collection. This item is also a good gift for a social worker.
22. Mindfulness Therapy Games
These simple games will help people learn to pay attention to their internal and external experiences. The goal is to become aware of one simple experience every few minutes during the day. The idea is to create a “mindful pause” in the day to help people pay more attention to what is important and less attention to things that do not need to be attended to. Each set includes 40 cards with instructions printed on them.
23. Smart Mug
This smart cup keeps your coffee or tea at the perfect drink temperature (according to the preferences you have set) for hours. You can customize the settings to find the ideal temperature for your preferred drinking style. It comes with a small, convenient built-in handle for easy carrying. This is the perfect gift for a social worker.
24. Stainless Steel Tumbler
Tumblers are great for mixing cocktails or serving water or other cold drinks. This one from YETI has a stainless steel body and double wall construction to keep your drink cool for many hours. It is BPA-free and comes with an easy-to-use, magnetic flip top for quick access. This makes it the perfect gift for a social worker.
25. Desk Flipchart
This is a fantastic gift for a social worker. This amazing gadget lets you capture your moods every day on a small card. When you are feeling down, just take the pen out and look at the card to get a snapshot of your emotional state for that day. Then, when things are looking up, do the same and get a little mental pick-me-up.
26. Bamboo Cheese Board Set
If your social worker likes to cook, this set is a wonderful gift idea. The Cheese Board includes 4 beautifully crafted stainless steel knives which is made of bamboo handles. All of which are crafted from natural bamboo and have a non-toxic finish. This makes them safe to use around the home and ideal for serving guests or family members who are on special diets.
27. Waterproof Desk Mat for Desktop
One of the most common causes of water damage in homes is through computer use. With this handy desk mat, you can protect your furniture and carpeting from the water that will inevitably be spilled on the floor when using a laptop on it. It easily installs under your existing floor covering and does not require any cutting or removal of your current flooring.
28. Apple Watch
The Apple Watch has all the same health and fitness tracking features as the iPhone, including an Activity Track, a Sleep Track, a Heart Rate Monitor, an Air Quality Monitor and more. Plus, you can make phone calls, send and receive messages, access your Apple Pay account, and more. This is a wonderful gift idea for any social worker who uses their watch for fitness and activity purposes.
29. Shower Bombs
A shower bomb is a small, colorful package filled with soothing and fragrant herbs, which are designed to be thrown into your shower water to create an aroma that will linger for hours. These bombs are a great way to add a little spice to your day and help you unwind after a long day of work. They are also perfect for creating a relaxing atmosphere for a social worker after a long day.
30. Stone Essential Oil Diffuser
This portable diffuser works by vaporizing essential oils and other plant-based materials directly into the air. This is a nice gift for social worker who likes to relax with a good scented candle or oil diffuser.
31. Cooling Cup
Host is the world’s leading producer of drink coolers, and this set of two is a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys iced tea, lemonade, or any other kind of cold drink. Simply fill the tumbler with ice and add your favorite flavor of drink mix or concentrate. You’ll get great taste and refreshment!
32. Alarm Siren
This personal alarm siren makes a great gift for a social worker who always seems to be running late or misses important meetings because she is so focused on her/his work. It is also handy as a personal safety device for those who live alone. Just slip it into your pocket or purse and walk away to get some peace and quiet.
Once again, as with the other outline topics, these are just a few ideas. You can use this list as a jumping off point for your own ideas. Don’t be afraid to be creative. The goal here is not to limit your thinking but to help stimulate it.
FAQs for social worker gifts
“What should I get my social worker for their birthday or Christmas? Is there something specific they like?”
There is almost always something specific they like! Indeed, it is often very difficult to buy for someone and not end up buying something they love and will use over and over. So, start by asking them what they like and then you can go out and get more of it for them.
“But wait! What if they don’t have any specific likes or dislikes? Shouldn’t I just get them something they can use?”
That is a very good point! Indeed, the best gifts for non-specifically-liked people are generally things they can use!
“So, should I just get them something they can use without being too specific?”
A: Yes! That’s a great way to go. In fact, this is often the best approach to take when you are shopping for anyone as it
