26 Simple and Frugal Homemade Gifts for Kids
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Now is the time to start on homemade gifts if you plan on making them this year. This list of homemade gifts for kids should give you plenty of inspiration to get started.
Homemade Gifts for Kids
Are you looking for some sweet and simple handmade gifts that you can put together for your little ones (and not so little ones) this year? Me too!
So far, I’ve put together a few things, but as I was looking for great gift ideas, I came across several DIY gifts that were too good not to share, and so today, that’s what I thought I would do: share them with you!
If you are a parent, grandma, or grandpa looking for DIY Christmas gifts for kids or even just for birthday gifts or inspiration, hopefully, this big list will help you!
Homemade Gifts for Boys
Car Magnets
My little boys would love these little DIY Car Magnets for the fridge because they love pretty much anything magnetic. I think instead of coating it with Mod Podge, I would probably use my laminator (I have this one) or some clear contact paper so that it would last longer. 🙂
Card Table Fort
Oh, this one is for sure going on my list, my boys love a good fort and this looks like so much fun! And this would stay up so much better than the blankets they usually toss over the table. Here’s the Card Table Fort Tutorial.
Race Track Ramp
I think I will have to commission my hubby to make this Race Track Ramp for the boys. Maybe for their birthdays? What little boy wouldn’t love to play with this over and over again!
We love “making Christmas” here! This year, we’re focusing a lot on items for the girls’ home-made dollhouse (in constant use since my husband and I built it from scrap lumber 11 years ago!). In the past, we’ve used felted wool sweaters to make stuffed chickens; we’ve made little frog bean-bags with a lily-pad target for a frog-toss game; we’ve made kitchen and tea-party play mats; loads of doll clothes; TARDIS potholders (for my Dr Who fan son); dress-ups; fridge magnet sets…. it’s so much more fun to make things than just buy them!
Liz, Little House Living reader
Homemade Gifts for Girls
Ballerina Bunny
Oh my, isn’t this cute? If you can crochet and have a little girl you should definitely make this sweet little Ballerina Bunny.
Yarn Dolls
I just LOVED playing with my Yarn Dolls when I was little! Instead of actually making the complete yarn doll as shown in this tutorial, why not put together a “yarn doll kit” that you can make with your little girl or boy?
Headbands
If you have a little bit older girl that you need to make a gift for you might appreciate this simple sewing tutorial for this cute Turban Headband. I think I need to make a few of those for myself!
Homemade Gifts for Babies
Homemade Baby Toys
This is a gift for the very little ones in your life. Homemade Baby Toys are very simple to make and they can be customized to the perfect colors and patterns for your little one! For a complete gift you might want to consider making a Homemade Baby Blanket as well.
Crocheted Slippers
Another cute crochet pattern. 🙂 These Caterpillar Slippers would be such a fun gift for a baby!
Baby Blanket
This 10 Minute Simple Baby Receiving Blanket Pattern would make the perfect gift for baby. You could also use the pattern and adjust the size to make a small lovey for a young child or a baby blanket for your child’s favorite baby doll.
Homemade Gifts for Children
DIY Chalkboard
If your family travels a lot of if your little ones are always looking for some small activity to do, this little DIY Kid’s Chalkboard would be a fun gift to make and you may already have all of the supplies needed to make it on hand.
Laundry Basket Kit
This is a cute playset to make that will help teach your little ones life skills. The Laundry Basket Kit is such a unique gift and I bet your little ones will have fun with it!
Felt Play Food
My boys love playing with their Felt Food in their little play kitchen, and it’s SO easy to make. You don’t even need a pattern because it’s pretty easy to cut the felt in the shapes that you need it to be and then your little ones can just use their imagination. The picture above is some of the felt food that I’ve made.
Letter Writing Kit
Do you have a child who loves to write letters, or do you want to encourage them to do so? I’m so in love with this Letter Writing Kit! I would have loved that as a gift when I was growing up to send off my letters to my pen pals. 🙂
Aprons
My little boys can always use more aprons for crafting or making things in the kitchen, and I think these patterns are so cute! She has a Boys Apron Pattern and a Girls Apron Pattern that is similar to the boy’s but with a little more ruffle. 🙂
Felt Dress Up Book
I love this little Felt Dress Up Book! My boys would have fun with this quiet toy during our quiet time in the afternoons or maybe at church.
Homemade Writing Set
Have a budding writer or an artist in your family? This customized Writing Set would be a great gift for them! You could use any scrapbook paper that you have on hand.
Tetris Magnets
This set of Tetris Magnets is a cute gift idea and would make a great fidget for a child who needs little things to keep busy while Mama is making supper.
Sewing Kit
Who doesn’t have one of those old tea set baskets up in the attic somewhere? If you do (or have another cute basket), you could put together this Beginner’s Sewing Kit for your children. Want to add something to the sewing kit? Here’s a great Beginner’s Sewing Book.
Homemade Gifts for Families
Wooden Growth Chart
This would be a fun gift to give to all of your children. I requested that my brother make this awesome Wooden Growth Chart for us for Christmas this year because I just love it! I love the fact it’s durable and wooden but not attached to the wall, so you can take it with you if you move.
Snowman in a Bag
Oh wouldn’t this Snowman in a Bag Kit be a fun gift to give on Christmas Eve and then do together on Christmas Day? This would also be a nice family gift to give someone else since it’s something that can be done together.
Homemade Swingset
Maybe you are looking to make a nice “bigger” gift for the kids this year? In that case, this Children’s Swingset would be a really thoughtful gift to make that would last them a very long time!
More Simple Handmade Gift Ideas for Kids
- Make a basket with some little cooking utensils, tea towels, or other small kitchen things and call it a “baking basket” or “cooking basket”.
- Use mason jars and make homemade cookie mixes that you can make with them. They especially love anything with chocolate chips or chocolate candies! My kids love this Oatmeal Cookie Mix. You could do a Sugar Cookie mix with cookie cutters too.
- Make craft kits. Go to the dollar store and find beads, washi tape, glue, scissors, pipe cleaners, or whatever other crafty things you can.
- Make a jewelry-making kit. Add beads, string, or other things for making bracelets, necklaces, or other jewelry.
- Put together a kit for making an ornament keepsake. Have the ingredients to make a salt dough so that the child can put their handprint in it for the parents to remember forever. (These ornaments also make a fun gift themselves for grandparents or moms on Mother’s Day or dads on Father’s Day.)
More Homemade Gift Ideas
- Simple Homemade Gift Ideas for the Holidays
- 100 Frugal or Free Christmas Gifts for Toddlers
- Inexpensive Gifts for Gardeners
- Christmas Gift Baskets – Sweet, Simple Unique Homemade Gifts
- Non-Food Gifts in a Jar
- Simple Homemade Gifts
–Check out all of the Crafts and Homemade Gift Ideas on Little House Living.
What are you making for your little ones this year?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.
This post on Homemade Gifts for Kids was originally published on Little House Living in November 2015. It has been updated as of December 2023.
We love “making Christmas” here! This year, we’re focusing a lot on items for the girls’ home-made dollhouse (in constant use since my husband and I built it from scrap lumber 11 years ago!). In the past, we’ve used felted wool sweaters to make stuffed chickens; we’ve made little frog bean-bags with a lily-pad target for a frog-toss game; we’ve made kitchen and tea-party play mats; loads of doll clothes; TARDIS potholders (for my Dr Who fan son); dress-ups; fridge magnet sets…. it’s so much more fun to make things than just buy them!
Thank you for sharing these ideas. Your felt food is really cute.
Lovely ideas, iam not very creative at all but it is something I want to get more into. I like the snowman in a bag and the felt food, Mia loves playing with pretend food as she has just started imaginative play 🙂
#brillblogposts
These are all so cute!! I love the felt food!! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Sharing on our MM Pinterest Board! Have a great week!
Kim
Cute ideas! I just posted a homemade felt nativity I made for my grandson. Store bought things just can’t compete with the special-ness of handmade!
All of these ideas are nice, but the laundry basket is so cute, my fave. It’s something I have never seen before, and I would have loved to play with as a little kid. Thanks!