112 DIY Gifts for Kids (Christmas Present Ideas)
Our list of DIY gifts for kids originally had only 101 gift ideas… BUT you’ve sent us more ideas and we updated it to reflect your new gift ideas!
Want some ideas for homemade, personalized, DIY 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!
DIY Christmas Gifts for Friends
All of these gifts are thoughtful, cute, and a lot of fun. I’m sure who ever receives them will absolutely love them all! This Post contains affiliate links
Plus some of these are awesome gifts kids can make for others as well. While receiving gifts is great and makes you feel good, sometimes giving them is equally important if not more important.
DIY Presents to Wear
1. T-Shirt Stencil Kit
Create a T-Shirt Design kit. Your kids can make wearable art!
2. DIY Leg Warmers
A young tot in your life would love some sweet legging warmers, re-purposed from a sweater.
3. Dress Up
Dress-up clothes – you can never have enough pretend things!
4. Capes
Capes – kids love them! And let’s be honest, so do you. I mean who doesn’t! Plus it inspires pretend play too!
5. Homemade Apron
Aprons (matching mother daughter ones are always nice). Here is a super simple apron pattern, easy enough for a new-to-sewing child.
6. Headband
Sew head bands for a gal in your life with this simple headband tutorial I used in the past.
7. Flower Hair Bows
These Flower Hair Bows are perfect as a gift for anyone who loves to wear bows in their hair.
8. Animal Barrettes
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!
9. Spin Art T-Shirt
Wearable art is always fun! Here is a tutorial on how to paint spin art T-shirts.
10. Knitted Hat
Learn to Knit and give a Scarf/Hat set for your child this winter!
11. Screen Print T-shirt
Screen print a T-shirt, tote bag, hat, etc. Don’t want to use paint? Consider embroidery – like this simple heart shirt!
Funny and Creative DIY Gifts
12. Silly Faces
Print up a set of silly faces. Add them to craft sticks to bring giggles to your kids faces.
13. Outdoor Kitchen
Create an “Outdoor Kitchen” so your child can create mud pies to their hearts content!
14. Pretend Kitchen Stove
Inspire your little cook with a storage tub that transforms into a play kitchen stove. Use black and grey acrylic paint to create the stove “rings”.
15. Make A Tent
Make a tent from PVC pipe and old sheets. If you don’t want to cut all the piping, consider getting a Fort Magic kit.
16. Balance Board
Got a active kiddo? Put a balance board together for them to bounce on.
17. Homemade Paint
Gift your young artist some color with a batch or three from our paint recipes (including our scratch-n-sniff paint)
18. Light Sensory Bin
Make a light box for a child to explore with. I don’t know how we lived without ours! Love them.
19. DIY Sock Monkey
I loved sock monkey‘s when I was a kid! They are on my to-do list this Christmas.
20. Monster Dolls
Make a monster doll (or an outline on a pillowcase) and provide fabric markers for your child to decorate their monster.
21. Doll Bag
For the doll-lover in your life design a bag for their doll – it’s a simple-to-create accessory.
22. Rice Bags
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!!
23. Kids Quilt
Sew a Quilt or Blanket for your child. use their favorite colors or them it around their favorite characters.
24. Picture Frame
Decorate a picture frame for grandma or another relative so they can remember your first day of school since they couldn’t be there.
25. Lego Puzzle Book
A DIY Lego Instruction Book, great for the budding architect in your life.
26. Melty Bead Nightlight
Melt a nightlight out of “melty” beads. This is a great melty beads craft that will benefit your little one the most!
27. Paper Mache Pinata
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.
28. Facial Kit
Do-your-own facial kit – perfect for the prima dona gal.
29. Polly Pocket Bracelet
Create a bracelet for them from tiny toy pieces, or give a set of friendship bracelets. My girls love to accessorize!
Sentimental Homemade Gifts
30. Personalized Cozy
This one of our DIT gift ideas for kids to make! Help Dad keep his coffee hot with a personalized drink cozy.
31. Rag Doll
Sew a rag doll for the tot in your life. Make them new clothes, look silly, or make them look like your little one.
32. DIY Dollhouse Furniture
Do your kids have pretend mini-worlds? Make a set of dollhouse furniture for them to enjoy in their alternate reality.
33. Toy Soap
Homemade soap – add a toy to the soap for a fun kid twist, great stocking stuffer
34. Homemade Necklace
Give your child a homemade necklace or the supplies that they can make a necklace for a friend.
35. Magnet Paper Dolls
Paper dolls are a blast to create and play with! Add magnets to your paper dolls and a storage tin for extra “fun”
36. Decorative Tote Bag
Decorate a tote bag using handprints to decorate them – perfect for Grandma (or Mothers Day).
37. Pretend Food
Pretend felt food.… and coupons for “cooking classes” led by your child for you to take.
38. DIY Paperweight
This is another homemade gift idea kids can do for others. Gift Grandpa a one-of-a-kind paperweight, colorful rock art.
39. Decorated Mugs
Decorate a set of mugs with art work – they are washable!!
40. Christmas Ornaments
Make a set of Christmas tree ornaments or fridge magnets with this easy tutorial using clay.
41. Taggies Blanket
Taggies Blanket – these are loved by toddlers and are super simple to make!
42. DIY Scarf
Your kids can sew this super simple scarf out of fleece.
43. Personalized Peg Dolls
A family of Clothespin or peg dolls to inspire pretend play!
44. Christmas Craft For Kids
Coasters are useful and easy for even young tots to make. They also look great.
45. Christmas Nativity Play
Celebrate Christmas with your own nativity set.
46. DIY Cloth Napkins
Decorate some cloth napkins for their dinner table.
47. DIY Christmas Cards
This Set of homemade cards is perfect to hand out during the holidays.
48. Fabric Keychains
These Fabric Key Chains are so much fun to make and make awesome gifts.
49. Felt Tote Bag
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.
50. Keepsake Handprint
Make a handprint keepsake for family members in your life. Great as Christmas Ornaments!
51. Family Scrapbook
Scrapbook of your family for a distant relative (snapfish lets you make them digitally)
52. Kid’s Journal
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.
53. Drawing Journal
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!
54. DIY Picture Frame
Decorate a picture frame and include a photo. Crafty Chic, has great instructions on how to make a scrapbook styled frame.
55. Edible Lip Balm
Edible Lip Balm – cause with kids you can never have enough chapstick!
56. Personalized Pencils
Give a set of upcycled pencils to your budding student.
57. Kid Made Candle Holder
Make a candle votive holder out of a glass jar and tissue paper – brilliant glow.
58. Homemade Christmas Gifts
Create a work of art with your children’s silhouettes. Love the way this example mixes melted crayon art with paper cut outs.
59. Photo Bookmark
Photo Book Mark (maybe add a favorite book to go along with it).
60. Beach Tote Bag
Let your kids go Jackson Pollock and make a canvas painting, use Fabric Markers to decorate a totebag.
61. Braided Rug
Create a rug out of old clothes and blankets. Here is another variation
DIY Gift Ideas to Play With
62. 52 Reasons I love You
52 Reasons I love you – Personalize a deck of cards for your child by writing the reasons you love them on each one of them!
63. Homemade Playdough
Whip up a batch of no-cook play dough for a quick gift – these small containers are perfect – whip up a batch and gift.
64. DIY Juggle Balls
Make a set of juggling balls from balloons. These are great makeshift “hacky-sacks” for an energetic child.
65. Homemade Drums
Add some bang to their lives with a set of homemade drums. Be sure to include a pair of drum sticks.
66. Building With Nature
Homemade tree blocks hewn out of the branches from a tree we chopped down.
67. Fort Kit
The perfect gift for every boy – a build a fort kit including sheets, bungee cords, clamps, flashlights and more!
68. Indoor Swing
Looking for something different? Why not make an indoor swing for your kids?
69. Pirate Sword
Use some scrap wood and create a sword – help your kiddos “become a pirate“.
70. Marble Run
Use plastic bottles and colorful duct take to make a marble run to explore gravity.
71. Sponge Jenga
Construct your own Jenga game from cutting up sponges. The perk – it’s a great game for quiet-time.
72. Toddler Clipping Toy
This Toddler Clipping Toy was/is one of my tots favorite mom-made gifts. You can get the buckles online.
73. Building Discs
Create a set of building discs from recycled cardboard – a simple homemade toy.
74. Velcro Building Sticks
Use Velcro, Popsicle sticks and bottle caps to make this building toy.
75. DIY Instruments
For the musical child in your life, design an instrument from PVC pipes for them to create melody.
76. Coffee Can Stilts
Transform two coffee cans into stilts with this simple tutorial.
77. Tin Can Xylophone
Assemble a xylophone from a collection of tin cans. Spray paint them to make them colorful!
78. Play-Doh Kit
Assemble a play-doh kit of items to add creative fun in play dough play.
79. Mop Stick Horse
Every kiddo needs a Mop-Stick Horse! I loved the one I had as a child!
80. Weaving Kit
Assemble a weaving kit for your kids to experience patterns as they work on fine motor skills.
81. Geoboard
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.
82. Homemade Bean Bags
Make a collection of bean bags with different colored and textured fabrics – don’t have fabric? Try stuffing balloons with various textures.
83. Ball And Cup Game
Play Catch with an upcycled toy made from items in your recycle bin.
84. DIY Wooden Blocks
Your kids will love making a set of colorful blocks for their friends to build with.
85. Dinosaur Bean Bag Game
Have a tyke obsessed with Dinosaurs? Maybe they would like this felt dinosaur bean bag game (with a volcano – too cool)!
86. Felt Car Mat
Want a place for all the matchbox cars? Make a felt car mat for them to drive around on!
87. Felt ABC’s
Create a set of felt alphabet letters or numbers for the tot in your life – these are really simple to create.
88. Botany Kit
Give the gift of botany. Create a kit for planting herbs (seeds, dirt, pot & spade) or making a terrarium (moss, container, rocks & dirt).
89. Rainbow Fluff
Rainbow fluff is a fun craft for the child in your life!
90. Cardboard Doll House
Make a doll house out of cardboard boxes destined for the bin! Maybe include interesting pages of paper so they can “redecorate”
91. DIY Stove
Help your child keep their pretend dishes picked up with this DIY Pretend Stove/Storage Bin.
92. DIY LEGO Table
Feeling industrious? Create a Lego Table that your children will enjoy for years (and years!)
Food Related DIY Presents
93. Cake In A Jar
Yummy! Make them a Cake-in-a-Jar – here are some jars to gift the mix in.
94. Box Of Cookies
Box of assorted cookies (Biscotti always looks fancy!). These boxes are great to feature cookies.
95. Marshmallow Pops
Give a yummy gift, a collection of marshmallow pops. These are great party favors!
96. Homemade Lollipops
Homemade Lollipops are tasty and an easy party favor to make for a crowd.
97. Fruit Leather
Dehydrated fruit or jerky. Fruit leather is a prized treat over here.
98. Cookie Kit
Cookie Kit in a jar (or in bags wrapped up in a mixing bowl)
99. Smores Bars
Make a smore’s kit or you can give them the fixings to bake their own campfire cones. Or if they’re too little you can make these smores bars for them.
100. Kid’s Cookbook
Assemble a recipe book for your budding chef. Fill it with lots of simple, kid-friendly recipes (like our edible playdough/noodles recipe)
101. Peppermint Bark
Give Yummy kid-baked Candy (peppermint bark, Peanut brittle, Almond Roca, flavored marshmallows, etc.)
102. Snickerdoodle Chex Mix Gift
Snickerdoodle Chex Mix – a great recipe for your child to do, and gift to a neighbor!!
103. Homemade Dog Biscuits
Bake your own Dog biscuits for the dog-loving kiddo in your life!
Last Minute DIY Gifts
104. Free Printable Coupon Book
Create a coupon book of activities you can do together for the holidays. It’s perfect!
105. Silly Putty Recipe
Create a DIY Goop Kit for the kiddo in your life.
106. Popsicle Stick Puzzles
Design puzzles for them out of Popsicle Sticks. Make them easy, make them hard, and use any colors or images!
107. DIY Crayons
Homemade Crayons. Recycle old crayons to make fun new ones!
108. DIY Bathtub Paints
Create a kit so a child in your life can create their own Bathtub Paint (or give them jars of colorful fun).
109. Family Movie Kit
Movie Kit (DVD or gift certificate for movie rental with popcorn, soda, candy, etc.)
110. Fizzy Sidewalk Paint
Give them a can of fizzing sidewalk paint.
111. I-Spy Bottles
Create a set of discovery I-Spy Bottles for the tot in your life.
112. Homemade Puzzle
Take some pictures and create familiar puzzles from them!
DIY Gift FAQs
The good news is that any handmade gift made by a child will be viewed as thoughtful from those who love them! It is a valuable lesson for kids to know that time and energy spent on making something for someone they love can create and strengthen bonds. Many kid made gifts may not be perfect or even close, but to the recipient, it really is the thought that counts.
Any homemade gift is going to have a special meaning to the recipient. Younger kids can make gifts more meaningful by telling the recipient how they made it and why they made it for them. This could be a retelling when the gift is given or a simple video made during the gift making process. Older kids can do the same with more detail and customize the handmade gift with details they think would make the gift more special to the recipient.
DIY gifts are a super fun way for kids to show their love and appreciation through gift giving. Whether it is as simple as a handmade card or as complicated as a customized craft project made specifically for the gift recipient, it really does come down to it is the child’s thought that counts! When deciding on a DIY gift project with kids, here are some things to consider:
-age and skill level of the child
-you have the appropriate craft supplies on hand
-there is enough time to finish the project without stress
-the gift recipient will appreciate the effort!
Leave a comment with one of the gifts you have made in the past (or one you hope to make).
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.
Thank you for excellent information I was searching for this information for my mission.
you shude check out my new easy art about how to make a pillow case out of cotton and paint
I like the goow one peace and like me on face book 🙂
best list i have ever seen. thanks a lot for sharing wonderful list with us.
Thank you for this great list!! If you don't feel crafty, check out MISI Handmade Gift Guide for Children http://misi.co.uk/gift/2/1/gifts_for_children.html
Wow this is such a great list! Thanks for sharing!
“16. Transform two coffee cans into stills with this simple tutorial. – See more at: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/969/101-diy-gifts-for-kids#sthash.TYOPs5qH.dpuf”
Do we want our kiddos to know how to make stills? =p
Great list!
Ha! Thanks for catching that typo…it really is STILTS not stills!
This list is AWESOME! 🙂 Not only can you make these things as gifts for your kids, but the kids would also have fun making this stuff too! Always looking for rainy day activities! Thanks! 🙂
cool DIY
Awesome list for Harper’s Christmas & Toddler Gift Ideas. I would like to try your fun and cute ideas. Thanks for sharing…
Usually, I will give dresses or toys for the kids. Thank you for the good write up.
I totally love them all! Those you listed are practical and yet effective gift ideas for kids. It will mold them to become artistic yet very appreciative kind. One thing I can say is all of them are so perfect and kids will definitely enjoy doing with you. Of course, there is perfect activities for every occasion.
What great creative ideas for gifts for the little ones.
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your website in Chrome, it looks fine but
when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, great blog!
This is Fantastic. I am all about DIY gifts ideas for kids and from them.
Love this list!
http://www.aznannies.com
What about rock candy? It’s also a good way to teach about evaporation and crystal formation.
Hello, its pleasant paragraph on the topic of media print, we all be familiar with media is
a impressive source of data.
Thanks for the incredible list. I love all these DIY gifts ideas for kids.Please keep updating us with more surprising ideas.Thanks
Unique! Great creative DIY gift ideas for kids. Thank you for sharing such an amazing list!
(Here are some uniquehappy birthday mom quotes)
I’ve got two little boys and there are a bunch of things on this list I hadn’t seen (or had forgotten about – like the adorable boxer briefs; I came across them at a time when I thought he’d NEVER be out of diapers, but hooray, that day has arrived!).
Great post by Rachel, it is really amazing that she found lots of DIY techniques and ideas for kids gifting. I will definitely use some of them ideas and I am sure that kids will really find them interesting. Even people who have kid’s stores can also follow these ideas to design some unique gifts.
This is very informative and interesting post.
Here are some good ideas! Original and very varied, thank you.
Hi Marie, So glad that you are enjoying them!