Want some ideas for homemade, personalized gifts? Something from this list should inspire or help you! Have any ideas that were not listed? Lets see if we can come up with more! Leave a comment with one of the gifts you have made in the past (or one you hope to make) or feel free to post your gift idea to our facebook wall.
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- 52 Reasons I love you – Personalize a deck of cards for your child.
- Yummy! Make them a Cake-in-a-Jar
- Create an “Outdoor Kitchen” kit so your child can create mud pies to their hearts content!
- Sew a rag doll for the tot in your life.
- Box of assorted cookies (Biscotti always looks fancy!)
- Homemade tree blocks hewn out of the branches from a tree we chopped down.
- The perfect gift for every boy – a build a fort kit including sheets, bungee cords, clamps, flashlights and more!
- Looking for something different? Why not make an indoor swing for your kids?
- Use some scrap wood and create a sword for the pirate in your life.
- Make a tent from PVC pipe and old sheets.
- Homemade soap – add a toy to the soap for a fun kid twist, great stocking stuffer
- Give your child a homemade necklace or the supplies that they can make a necklace for a friend.
- Construct your own Jenga game from cutting up sponges. The perk – it’s a great game for quiet-time.
- Got a active kiddo? Put a balance board together for them to bounce on.
- Use Velcro, Popsicle sticks and bottle caps to make this building toy.
- Transform two coffee cans into stills with this simple tutorial.
- Make a light box for a child to explore with. I don’t know how we lived without ours! Love them.
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Create a coupon book of activities you can do together. - I loved sock monkey‘s when I was a kid! They are on my to-do list this Christmas.
- Assemble a xylophone from a collection of tin cans. Spray paint them to make them colorful!
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Assemble a play-doh kit of items to add creative fun in play dough play. - For the musical child in your life, design an instrument from PVC pipes for them to create melody.
- Use plastic bottles and colorful duct take to make a marble run to explore gravity.
- Give a yummy gift, a collection of marshmallow pops. These are great party favors!
- Every kiddo needs a Mop-Stick Horse! I loved the one I had as a child!
- Create a set of building discs from recycled cardboard – a simple homemade toy.
- Create a DIY Goop Kit for the kiddo in your life.
- Taggies Blanket – these are loved by toddlers and are super simple to make!
- Make a collection of bean bags with different colored and textured fabrics – don’t have fabric? Try stuffing balloons with various textures.
- Geoboard – simple to make with nails. Add a pack of rubber bands or some yarn. Want to make one appropriate for a toddler? Use buttons on a felt covered board.
- bracelet kit – so a girl in your life can have fun creating friendship bracelets for those she cares about.
- Decorated Pillowcases – either decorate them for your child or give them supplies to have fun on their own.
- Design puzzles for them out of Popsicle Sticks.
- Felt Shape Collection (tan travel board)
- Homemade Crayons. Recycle old crayons to make fun new ones!
- Dress-up clothes – you can never have enough pretend things!
- A family of Clothespin or peg dolls
- Capes – kids love them!
- Aprons (matching mother daughter ones are always nice). Here is a super simple apron pattern, easy enough for a new-to-sewing child.
- Sew head bands for a gal in your life with this simple headband tutorial I used in the past..
- Give them a can of fizzing sidewalk paint.
- Flower Hair Bow Collection
- Paper dolls are a blast to create and play with! Add magnets to your paper dolls and a storage tin for extra “fun”
- Decorate a tote bag using handprints to decorate them – perfect for Grandma (or Mothers Day).
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Decorate some cloth napkins for their dinner table. - Set of homemade cards
- Fabric Key Chains
- Have a gal?? Why not make her a set of hair clips? You can make them out of buttons, felt animals shapes, flowers and more!
- Have a tyke obsessed with Dinosaurs? Maybe they would like this felt dinosaur bean bag game (with a volcano – too cool)!
- For the doll-lover in your life design a bag for their doll - it’s a simple-to-create accessory.
- Wearable art is always fun! Here is a tutorial on how to paint spin art T-shirts.
- Create a set of discovery I-Spy Bottles for the tot in your life.
- Decorate Tote Bags for a special someone in your life – here is an easy pattern if you want to make a tote bag out of felt.
- Learn to Knit and give a Scarf/Hat set
- Want a place for all the matchbox cars? Make a felt car mat for them to drive around on!
- Make a scarf from Fabric with a simple straight-stitch (easy to sew)
- This Toddler Clipping Toy was/is one of my tots favorite mom-made gifts.
- Sew a Quilt or Blanket for your child.
- Dehydrated fruit or jerky. Fruit leather is a prized treat over here.
- Decorate a picture frame for grandma or another relative.
- Cookie Kit in a jar (or in bags wrapped up in a mixing bowl)
- Make a monster doll (or an outline on a pillowcase) and provide fabric markers for your child to decorate their monster.
- Create a kit so a child in your life can create their own Bathtub Paint (or give them jars of colorful fun).
- Movie Kit (DVD or gift certificate for movie rental with popcorn, soda, candy, etc.)
- Breakfast in a basket – include muffin mix, mugs, coffee, etc.
- Smores Kit – or you can give them the fixings to bake their own campfire cones.
- Give Yummy kid-baked Candy (peppermint bark, Peanut brittle, Almond Roca, flavored marshmallows, etc.)
- A DIY Lego Instruction Book, great for the budding architect in your life.
- Screen print a T-shirt, tote bag, hat, etc. Don’t want to use paint? Consider embroidery – like this simple heart shirt!
- Create a set of felt alphabet letters or numbers for the tot in your life – these are really simple to create.
- Make a handprint keepsake for family members in your life. Great as Christmas Ornaments!
- Assemble a recipe book for your budding chef. Fill it with lots of simple, kid-friendly recipes (like our edible playdough/noodles recipe)
- Scrapbook of your family for a distant relative (snapfish lets you make them digitally)
- Pretend felt food.… and coupons for “cooking classes” led by your child for you to take.
- Rice bags are great as bean bags, as heat packs (just stick them in the microwave for half a min or so) and are fun for sensory play. Here are some triangle “Chick” rice bags – super simple!!
- Give the gift of botany. Create a kit for planting herbs (seeds, dirt, pot & spade) or making a terrarium (moss, container, rocks & dirt).
- Design a mini-book of memories that you share with that person – Here is an example of a journal you can create with or for your child.
- Create a drawing journal for a child to use to write their own book. Add a flower pen for extra pizazz. This crafty person creates covers from cereal boxes and even the carton of a Dora toy!
- Melt a nightlight out of “melty” beads.
- Coloring wallet for the sketcher or child in your life!
- Create a bracelet for them from tiny toy pieces, or give a set of friendship bracelets. My girls love to accessorize!
- Take some pictures and create familiar puzzles from them!
- Make a doll house out of cardboard boxes destined for the bin! Maybe include interesting pages of paper so they can “redecorate”
- Snickerdoodle Chex Mix – a great recipe for your child to do, and gift to a neighbor!!
- This is the perfect party gift! Model a homemade Paper Mache Pinata (here is a simple paper mache recipe), include a Styrofoam bat to complete the gift.
- Edible Lip Balm – cause with kids you can never have enough chapstick!
- Help your child keep their pretend dishes picked up with this DIY Pretend Stove/Storage Bin.
- Give a set of upcycled pencils to your budding student.
- Collection of homemade buttons.
- Make a candle votive holder out of a glass jar and tissue paper – brilliant glow.
- Feeling industrious? Create a Lego Table that your children will enjoy for years (and years!)
- Bake your own Dog biscuits for the dog-loving kiddo in your life!
- Create a work of art with your children’s silhouettes. Love the way this example mixes melted crayon art with paper cut outs.
- Create a rug out of old clothes and blankets. Here is another variation.
- Homemade icecream ball with ingredients – what child doesn’t enjoy ice-cream?!?
- Do-your-own facial kit - perfect for the prima dona gal.
- Photo Book Mark (maybe add a favorite book to go along with it).
- Personalize a clipboard with mod-podge and scrapbook paper. Here are some great instructions.
- Decorate a picture frame and include a photo. Crafty Chic, has great instructions on how to make a scrapbook styled frame.
- Let your kids go Jackson Pollock and make a canvas painting, use Fabric Markers to decorate a totebag.
- Personalize a Children’s book, use old family photos and replace the heads of the characters. Laminate and enjoy!
Have some other homemade gifts that you’d like to share with the world? Have gift lists or suggestions for the hardest to buy for? Tell us about them!
About Rachel
With so many people trying to save money this year, I think this is an excellent idea. I’ll probably work with my kids to see if they want to make some of these for our relatives.
Thanks for the list. Keep up the good work!
Chris
.-= Chris´s last blog ..Is the Thanksgiving Turkey Bad for Your Dog? =-.
What an awesome post with so many many fantastic ideas. These are great for any occasion too, not just the upcoming holidays!
organicmotherhoodwithcoolwhip.com
Hi there, I see you already have decorate a frame on your list (#99) but I just wanted to share a decorate a wooden frame tutorial I put on my blog with pictures. I used used good old Mod Podge, scrapbook paper and ink. Thanks
http://craftychicmommy.blogspot.com/2009/11/cheap-and-chic-scrapbook-paper.html
.-= Lindsay ´s last blog ..My New Grab Button…oh la la =-.
Great list. I am trying very hard to make gifts this year. I have always done the cakes in a jar. I will link up my post!
Thanks for the list!
Holly
.-= Holly L´s last blog ..The Easter Bunny Made Me Do It =-.
What a fantastic resource for all of us! Thanks! I better get crafting.
This is a great list! Thank for sharing!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Thankful Thursday =-.
Thanks for sharing . This is a great list. I am a sucker for handmade or homemade gifts. This year we homemade all our gifts. Some of the items that we have made are bath frizz, bath salts, soaps and some cookies.I like the Vanilla Extract and Biscotti. These gifts usually looks pretty after you have packed them with ribbons and nice holiday tags.:)
Cute finger puppets! But your link takes me to homemade pesto. I would love to know when you’ve fixed the link so that I can see instructions for the puppets.
I’m adding my two links for homemade gifts to your list.
I will try and re-find that link for you! Sorry it was broken, thanks for letting me know!
What a wonderful list! Thanks for sharing
.-= Shaina´s last blog ..A Good Family Day with the Lord =-.
Wow! Thanks so much for that awesome shout out!!
That’s a great list you got there!
.-= The Girl Creative´s last blog ..{The Stockings Were Hung} =-.
Thanks for so many ideas! As we have just purchased a house, I will be handcrafing gifts for a while so this will really help.
These are some great ideas! Found you on BlogFrog – look forward to following you.
Jody
Thanks for the incredible list. I will be passing this along to my family and friends. I prefer handcrafted over purchased gifts anytime, even when difficult economic times are not an issue. The time and love invested are priceless.
Wow! 101 awesome homemade gift ideas. My favorite is #63.Smores and Hot Coco Mix!
You came up with so many cool ideas, i ts denifitely try some of them, Most of the time i have nothing to do, after reading this article, i can keep anyone busy herself specailly house wife to themselfs, we can use these ideas for business too.
I like to make gifts with my toddler.
That’s why I love these apple crisps.
Expensive to buy, but easy to make.
http://missgefreubel.wordpress.com/2011/10/28/koken-met-peuters-7-appelchips/
And thanks for the ideas!! Love them.
What a FANTASTIC list!! Thank you SO much for the mentions
)))
Maggy
WOW that is quite a list!!! I can’t wait to dive in for a more in depth read through. Thanks for including me.
I *love* this post!!!!
FANTASTIC list! We love love love homemade gifts. Thank you so much for including a couple of ours. Off to browse the rest.
Maggy
so cute but the pin on pinterest is leading everyone to believe that these are gifts kids make for others to give as gifts for cmas. the pic wording is a little confusing!
Thanks for this post! Great ideas.
FYI: The link for the scrapbook covered clip board is faulty… it took me to an inappropriate site.
Please don’t change the typo on #16: “Transform two coffee cans into stills with this simple tutorial.” I was giggling, imagining kiddos with a tiny moonshine operation!
Nobody has ever solved this problem.I have no choice.He is physically mature.The doctor examined the soldier’s wound carefully.The sun comes up in the east.How long have you been here?How long have you been here?I fear that he drinks too much.What time is it? I learnt that I had passed the test.
Great ideas, but I think the title is misleading. I came here through Pinterest, and “Kid-made” led me to believe these are gifts that kids could make. Alas, the majority would have to be made BY an adult though they are FOR kids.
Some great ideas on this list.
A thought though: let’s try not to limit our kiddos into gendered silos. Girls love forts just as much as boys (#7) and boys can enjoy friendship bracelets and facials just as much as the girls you mentioned (#21 and #96). Let’s let kids be kids who are free to explore the whole world – instead of just the gendered half we adults allow them to.
Thank You Elizabeth!! I am with you on this one! I can’t believe you seem to have been the only one to notice that…how sad that in this new millennium, we are still boxing those free spirits into preconceived notions of what they should or shouldn’t enjoy or be competent with, based entirely on gender. Sadly, this list lis far from alone in practising this habit, which is a shame. Thank you for speaking out, I’m always thinking it and just adjusting the “labels” internally as i read, but how will change ever be effected if we all keep silent? So thank you for being that much needed voice
Thank you for including me in post!!!
If you would like, I have another suggestion for you:
http://www.lizon.org/2012/10/art-iz-makaron.html
Oh what a fun list! Sharing it with the positive parenting connection facebook community page!
“kid-made” gifts made me think these were gifts a child could make for someone else, not those to make for a kid. I feel like there could have been better word choices made for this.
Plus, there is a total lack of gift ideas for this purpose in the blog-o-sphere.
***#98 Personalize a clipboard with mod-podge and scrapbook paper. Here are some great instructions.***
The link for here… is definitely not the right link for this! Just a friendly tip… thankfully the kids weren’t in the room!
I am now not certain the place you are getting your information,
but good topic. I needs to spend some time studying more or figuring out more.
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