Teachers' Day for kids

What is Teachers' Day?

Teachers' Day is a day to thank the people who help us learn. In India it is marked on 5 September.

Teachers do much more than explain lessons. They listen, notice when we are stuck, and cheer when we try again. Teachers' Day is a chance to tell them that we see it.

Why 5 September?

5 September is the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was a philosopher and scholar, and in 1962 he became the second President of India. The story that is usually told is that his students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday. He suggested that, instead of marking his birthday, the day should be observed as Teachers' Day to honour teachers. India has marked the day this way since then.

We have told the version our sources give. Whatever the exact words, the idea is the same: the day is for teachers.

Who was Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

• Born: 5 September 1888, in Tiruttani.
• A teacher himself: he was a philosopher and scholar who taught at several universities, including a professorship at the University of Oxford.
• In public life: he was elected Vice President of India in 1952.
• President: he served as India's second President from 1962 to 1967.

He spent much of his life as a teacher and thinker before he held high office.

Kind ways to say thank you

You do not need to spend any money. The best thank-yous are small, honest and from the heart. Here are four ideas.

• A handmade card. A card you made yourself shows that you spent time thinking about your teacher.
• A thank-you note. Even three sentences can make a teacher's whole day.
• A class circle. Sit together and let each child say one thing they learned this year or one thing they are grateful for. Our classroom story circle guide shows a calm way to run a circle.
• Helping out. Tidy the shelves, stack the chairs, clean the board or hand out the books. Helping without being asked is a lovely way to say thank you.

Gifts are never expected. If you cannot bring anything, your smile and your words are enough. For more small acts that cost nothing, see kindness activities for kids.

A thank-you note to copy and change

Use these sentences as a starting point, then change them so they sound like you.

1. Dear [teacher's name], thank you for teaching us this year.
2. I enjoyed it most when you [write something you really remember].
3. You helped me understand [a subject or skill], and I feel braver about trying it now.
4. Happy Teachers' Day. From [your name].

The most special notes mention a real moment. Think of one thing only your teacher did, and write it down.

Try it: make a thank-you card

This 20-minute activity works at home or in class. Use paper you already have. Wash your hands first if you are using paint, and keep scissors for older children or ask a grown-up to help.

1. Fold a sheet of paper in half to make a card.
2. On the front, draw something that reminds you of your teacher's class: a book, a pencil, a globe or a plant on the window sill.
3. Decorate the edges with a simple border of dots, leaves or small rangoli-style patterns.
4. Inside, copy or write your own thank-you note in your neatest handwriting.
5. Other ideas: press a clean leaf under a book and glue it on the front, draw a bookmark to tuck inside, or make a card that opens like a little book with one thank-you sentence on each page.
6. Give it with both hands and say thank you in person if you can.

Looking for more things to make and do? Browse stories and activities.

Teachers' days around the world

India is not the only place that thanks its teachers, but the date is not the same everywhere. UNESCO marks World Teachers' Day on 5 October, a month after India's 5 September. Other countries mark their own teachers' days on their own dates, so the day you celebrate depends on where your school is.

Wherever the date falls, the idea is the same: to say thank you.

Test yourself

1. On which date is Teachers' Day marked in India? Answer: 5 September.
2. Whose birthday is it? Answer: Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
3. Name one kind way to thank a teacher without buying anything. Answer: a handmade card, a note, a class circle or helping tidy up.

Want more? Try the festival quiz, see our for teachers page or browse the festival calendar.

Questions

When is Teachers' Day in India?

Teachers' Day is marked in India on 5 September every year. In 2026 it fell on a Saturday.

Why is Teachers' Day on 5 September?

5 September is the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and scholar who became India's second President in 1962. In the account usually told, students and friends wanted to celebrate his birthday, and he suggested that the day be observed as Teachers' Day instead.

Who was Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

He was born on 5 September 1888 in Tiruttani. He was a philosopher and scholar who taught at universities, was elected Vice President of India in 1952, and served as India's second President from 1962 to 1967.

Do I have to buy my teacher a gift?

No. A kind word, a handmade card or a thank-you note is plenty. Nobody needs to buy anything to say thank you.