Do your children love to make and give homemade presents? If so, you’re going to love this! I’ve rounded up a collection of 40+ fabulous gifts kids can make that grown ups will really use, love and appreciate.
I LOVE giving and receiving handmade gifts. You might have guessed as much if you saw the post that I wrote the other day. In it, I shared over 70 homemade toys to make for kids.
I’m turning the tables today, and sharing suggestions for gifts that the kids can make for grown-ups. I’m not talking about pasta necklaces and paper neckties here. As lovely as those are, they tend to get tucked away in a drawer or a jewellery box not long after they’ve been given.
No, I’m talking about really useful, awesome, kid-made gifts that look GREAT. Gifts that are perfect for kids of all ages to make for a parent, grandparent, family-friend or neighbour. Gifts that serve a useful purpose, or can be worn or proudly displayed in a home or office. Your child could even make one of these for a favourite teacher!
Whether you’re looking for a gift for your child to make for Christmas, a birthday, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, you’re sure to find some great ideas here. Enjoy!
40+ Gifts Kids can Make for Grown-Ups:
Moms, Aunties and Grandmas will adore this hand and footprint apron from Little Page Turners.
I love this modern, graphic Black and White Handprint Apron by Simply Kierste.
Make a gorgeous bookmark with this cool Sharpie and rubbing alcohol technique. – Happy Hooligans
Use a hula hoop (yes! a hula hoop) to make a colourful rug, trivet or wall-hanging. – Flax and Twine
Transform a bunch of plastic perler beads into a vibrant decorative bowl – Meaningful Mama
Speaking of trivets… check out these awesome trivets and coasters we made with pipe cleaners and yarn! They’re beautiful, and they really work!
These homemade wine charms are super-easy, and make a gorgeous gift for kids to make for parents, grandparents and teachers – Happy Hooligans
Kids can spell out a message with these nifty wooden block Key Chains by Hello Bee.
This Beaded Key Chain is a gift that even the youngest toddlers can make. – Make it Handmade
Fingerprint Key Chains are a wonderful way to preserve an imprint of your child’s tiny fingers. – My Life of Travels and Adventures
A framed word cloud is really fun and easy to make, and it’s a great gift for kids to give to teachers, parents, grandparents or friends. Get my step-by-step for making a word cloud here.
Have the kids make a family portrait for parents, grandparents, cousins or uncles. The scratching technique is a lot of fun, and it’s a lovely keepsake that you’ll have for years.
This is my latest favourite gift for a child to make for a parent. It’s a decorated wine bottle that they can use to water indoor plants. No drips or spills because the neck of the bottle gets right down into the plant. Bonus: it can be displayed proudly in between waterings!
Here’s another great wine bottle craft that’s great for all ages. You can turn an empty wine bottle into a beautiful candle holder with this fun and easy tissue paper decoupage process.
For kids who have mastered a needle and thread, these Button Napkin Rings are the perfect gift to make. – DanielleTodd.com
Younger tots will be able to manage the threading skills required for these Beaded Napkin Rings by Buggy and Buddy.
This Hand-shaped ring dish is just so precious and very easy to make! – Mama Papa Bubba
Personalized coffee mugs make a great gift for a relative, teacher, family friend or neighbour. – Two Shades of Pink
Toddlers can put their finger-painting skills to good use making a set of tile coasters. Merriment Designs
One of my all-time favourite hooligan-made crafts: our Paper Mache Bowls are perfect for stashing your keys or pocket change in.
Let your child express his artistic side, designing and decorating a hand-decorated, modern art plate. – Craftjr.com
Toddlers and preschoolers will love making these simple Popsicle stick coasters – No Time for Flashcards
Kids can give homemade flowers for all occasions – Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Teacher Appreciation, etc. The nice thing is, these paper towel roses and tissue paper roses will keep forever and never need watering.
These fridge magnets are gorgeous. We made them using a crayon-resist process that’s simple, fascinating and fun. – Happy Hooligans.
Meri Cherry shows you how to make these beautiful fabric resist pillows. It’s a super-easy technique requiring only gel glue and fabric paint!
There are few things cuter than a child’s first hand-written words. Preserve them forever on an “I love you pillow”. – Mama Papa Bubba
These Flower Drop Ornaments are wonderful gifts for kids to make and give.You can hang them from the Christmas tree, or in a sunny window, or display them on a patio or deck.
These romantic winter luminaries would be easy for kids to make and give as gifts. They’re gorgeous, and they’d look lovely living a mantle or windsill, or displayed on a family dinner table. – Crafts By Amanda
Kids can turn ordinary beach rocks into dazzling crystalized stones with a simple borax and watercolour experiment! They make excellent paperweights, but they’d also look lovely grouped together on a table or dresser.
You won’t believe how easy it is for to make these tinted mason jars. They’d look gorgeous lining a window sill. – Hands On: As We Grow.
“Play Eat Grow” will show you how to make these beautiful luminaries using Epsom salts that you colour yourself.
Check out these easy, beaded mason jar luminaries! I love the design that the light casts onto the tabletop. – Mom Spark
And speaking of light, “Come Together Kids” shares a nifty technique for transferring a piece of art onto a dollar store candle.
Easier still, are these adorable hand-decorated candles by Red Ted Art.
Is there a nature lover on your gift-list? Our Summer Stars add a beautiful touch to a window, patio or deck.
This simple twig pen or pencil holder by RHS would be perfect for a nature-buff’s work-station.
Miss Mustard Seed shows you how to make a rustic twig picture frame. Check out her tutorial on HGTV.com
A homemade sugar scrub is a lovely, natural way to exfoliate and invigorate your skin in the shower. – Kids Activities Blog
Bath Bombs always make a lovely gift, and they’re so easy to make using a few simple kitchen ingredients. – Red Ted Art
A Pumpkin and a Princess has a ton of soap and scrub recipes on her site. I love the look of this homemade lavender soap.
Kids of all ages will love mixing up a batch of scented bath salts. They look gorgeous, and they smell divine. Bitz and Giggles
I love the soft, delicate look of these tissue paper mache bowls over at “Lessons Learned Journals”.
Who knew you could make your own decorative glass bead magnets using your kids’ artwork? (Link for photo no longer available, but here’s another how-to.)
Kids big and small will love the technique used to make a set of tape-resist coaster or trivets. – Woods of Bell Trees
Round up a bunch of old, unused keys! The kids can turn them into a colourful recycled wind chime. – Inner Child Giving
We collected sticks while out on a nature walk, and transformed them into a natural wind chime for our backyard.
Gather up a handful of washers from the work bench and make a vibrant, upcycled wind chime like this one from One Time Through.
We need to make some of these rainbow seed bombs! What an awesome gift for the kids to make for an avid gardener! Twig and Toadstool
Photo gifts are always popular to make and give! You will never believe what these gorgeous, mosaic picture frames are made from! SO simple! – Pink Stripey Socks
Have the kids get messy with their toys to create custom art for a loved one! “Play Trains” used (you guessed it) toy trains to create this masterpiece.
A custom piece of art framed in an embroidery hoop would be ideal for someone who loves needlepoint or cross-stitch. – Mama Papa Bubba
I love the pastel and watercolour handprint canvases that the kids made over at “Mom in Madison”.
A simple but beautiful glass bead sun catcher will certainly brighten someone’s day. – Kids Activiites Blog
“Sunnyside Art House” has shared a variety of sun catchers on her site. I’m especially crazy about this framed mosaic glass version.
Make a melted bead sun catcher. Kids will love coming up with their designs. As The Artful Parent advises, it’s best to melt make them on the BBQ or to take the toaster-oven outside to avoid fumes indoors.
Who wouldn’t love a painted stone paper-weight sitting on their desk-top? Even the youngest hooligans enjoyed making these to give to their Dads for Father’s Day!
Got a golfer on your gift-list? Have the kids make and give a custom set of hand-decorated golf balls. – Laughing Kids Learn
Personalized tote bags or cloth shopping bags are just adorable when they’re stamped with the handprints of a child. Great gift for a child to give to a parent or grandparent- Nifty Mom
Fill a jar with the dry ingredients for a favourite recipe like this one, for Chocolate Cherry Drop Cookies from Mama Miss. Top with a bow and the instructions for baking, and you’re good to go.
Salt dough magnets are easy and inexpensive to make. Everyone loves a fridge magnet, right? Aren’t they sweet?
These mason jar lanterns are easy to make, and look lovely on a patio in summer or on a windowsill indoors all year long.
And lastly, a homemade picture frame that toddlers and preschoolers can make and give. We made ours for Christmas but you can switch up the colours and make them for any occasion.
And there you have it, 40 plus gorgeous gifts for your kids to make for the special grown-ups in their lives. Hope you’re inspired and ready to get crafting with your kids!
And now, to make those homemade gifts even more special, have the kids our some homemade wrapping paper to wrap them in! You can find two great methods here and here.
If you’re looking specifically for a gift your child can make for a teacher, check out this collection by Skip To My Lou!
And don’t miss our collection of 70+ homemade gifts that you can make for the kids in your life!
25+ Preschool activities by 25 bloggers, 10 printables, PLUS 50 links to activities not featured in the book.
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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