December 16, 2021
December 16, 2021
Unless they’re old enough to have a part-time job, kids generally don’t have the money to buy presents over the holidays for the people who mean the most to them. But just because they’re broke doesn’t mean they can’t create something meaningful to give to those they love this holiday season!
If you’re looking for a few last-minute gifts and your kids are itching to fill up their time now that they’re on vacation from school, creating some holiday memories by making fun homemade gifts is the way to go. To help you get started, here are a few great ideas for DIY Christmas gifts for kids to make.
1. Bookmarks
Kid-made gifts for grandparents can run the gamut from simple to intricate, but if your kid has book-loving grandparents in their lives, some bookmark craft can help to occupy them and make a useful gift the recipients are sure to love.
Tie-dyed bookmarks can easily be made with rubbing alcohol and a few markers. You’ll need a plastic jug, a varnish that can be sprayed on, a ribbon, a medicine dropper, a decorative bead or button, ribbon or twine, scissors, and a hole punch.
Your jug may be an old milk, vinegar, or juice receptacle, or anything else non-toxic – as long as it’s plastic and has been thoroughly cleaned, that’s all that matters! Remove the label and then cut as many bookmark-shaped rectangles as you can from it. Then use the markers to color the plastic in any way your child likes. There’s no wrong way to color here, so it’s a project any child can get into!
Once you’re done coloring, fill the medicine dropper with rubbing alcohol and drip small drops onto the bookmark. Let the bookmark sit on a level surface so the colors don’t run together, then keep an eye on it and watch as the colors bloom and weave together.
Finally, when it’s dry, set the color with the spray varnish, spritzing the bookmark lightly and quickly so you don’t alter the design. Then punch a hole and tie the ribbon or twine through with the button or bead at the end. Voila! Bookmark complete!
2. Scented bath salts
When you’re talking easy kid crafts for Christmas gifts, it doesn’t get much easier than scented bath salts! This gift is like relaxation in a bottle for your friends and family – and everyone could use a bit more relaxation in their lives these days.
Homemade scented bath salts are easy to make. All you need are some Epsom salts, high-quality essential oils, and a jar (glass is best).
First, measure the jar – you’ll want enough Epsom salts to fill it up, so it’s important to know how much it can hold. Then, place the correct amount of Epsom salts into a bowl and add about four to six drops of your chosen essential oil per half-cup of salt used (so one cup of Epsom salts will mean four to twelve drops of essential oil).
Once you’ve added the oils, mix the salt and oil together with a chopstick or wooden spoon and then pour the bath salts into the jar. Don’t be afraid to get creative and mix essential oils – lemon and peppermint or eucalyptus and peppermint are great combinations, or you can simply go with simple scents you know people love such as orange, lemongrass, or lavender.
About four ounces of scented bath salts can be used in a full tub. You may want to have your children design a handmade label with instructions to place on each jar for an added special touch!
3. Acorn marble suncatchers
If you live in an area where acorns seem to be everywhere, why not put them to use this holiday season? All you need for this craft project is a few acorn caps, some lovely marbles, waxed cotton or hemp cord, a drill, and a glue gun. (You can use craft adhesive too if you don’t have a glue gun handy.)
First, you need to fit acorn caps to the marbles you want to use – this can take a little time, since caps come in all sizes, but it’s a great spatial reasoning activity for kids. Once you’ve matched a marble with a cap, place them together in a tin or ice cube tray so you don’t lose track of which cap and marble go together – this can save a lot of time down the line to ensure things don’t get mixed up!
Next, cut the cord for each acorn and marble. You’ll want to make them different lengths so that they can catch the light at different levels. Then, drill the caps to create a place to thread the cord through – you’ll want to drill a small hole on each side of the stem. (This step should be completed by the supervising adult, since power tools are involved.)
Once you’ve got the holes drilled, thread the cord through and tie the cord together. After that, glue the marble into the acorn cap. Once you’ve got all the marbles and acorns together, use a piece of wire to tie them all together and create an awesome suncatcher.
Homemade grandparent gift ideas from grandkids always make the most meaningful presents. The best part is that children know their grandparents and what they like, and they can feel free to express themselves through these homemade gifts. Go ahead and try one of these ideas for a homemade holiday gift today!