Christmas gifts kids can make are the best gifts to receive. My boys and I spent the last couple of weeks making gifts for our family members. We had so much fun and my boys were so proud of their little masterpieces. Here are some of the gifts we made, along with instructions on how you can make them with your little ones!
Wind Chimes
To make these wind chimes, you will need the following supplies:
- Jumbo Craft Sticks
- String
- Keys
- Glue
To start, glue two craft sticks together making an X. Secure the craft sticks in place by tying some string around the center. Next, have your child thread string through the key holes of five keys. This is a great way to work on those fine motor skills! You will have to tie the strings in a knot for young children. Once all five keys have a string attached, tie them to the craft sticks. I tied one string to each end of the sticks and one in the center. I absolutely LOVE how these wind chimes came out! They really are beautiful and would make an amazing Christmas gift for anyone on your list!
Wooden Spoons
All you need to make these fun and functional wooden spoons is some acrylic paint, painter’s tape, clear coat spray paint, and a wooden spoon. I purchased a set of four spoons for under $2 at The Christmas Tree Shop. Using the painter’s tape, cover the end of your wooden spoon as pictured. Put a few colors of acrylic paint on a paper plate and let your child paint the handle of the spoon. Once they are finished, spray a clear coat of spray paint over the handle and set aside to dry. When the paint has dried completely, you can peel off the tape. These are so cute and were so easy for the kids to make!
Glass Bead Sun Catcher
These glass bead sun catchers are one of my favorite gifts that we made. They really do look so nice hanging i the windows! To make these sun catchers you will need the following supplies:
- Clear lid – I used one from a tub of yogurt
- Glass Beads that you would use to fill a vase. I purchased two bags from The Dollar Tree store.
- Clear Glue
- Ribbon and yarn
To start, I filled the lid with glue. I would actually suggest that you just add glue to each glass bead individually because ours took a really long time to dry and I ended up having to continuously drain the extra glue until there was none left. Have your child press each bead onto the lid. Once your sun catcher has completely dried, make a hole at one end to string through a piece of yarn for a hanger. I then tied some ribbon on the yarn and curled it to dress it up a bit. These came out better than I had hoped they would. I really love them!
Personalized Candles
These candles are another super easy but really neat Christmas gift that kids can make! All you need are colored Sharpies, tissue paper, wax paper, a candle, and a blow dryer. First cut the tissue paper to fit around the candle. Have your child draw a picture on the tissue paper. Make sure they’re gentle, as it can tear easily. Once they’re done, wrap the tissue paper around the candle, then wrap a larger piece of wax paper over it. Blow dry the wax paper until the tissue paper has melted to the candle. You will see the tissue paper disappear but the image will stay.
Personalized Plates
My boys really enjoyed making these plates. I simply handed them some colorful markers and they starting creating their masterpieces. My youngest son asked me to draw a Christmas tree on his so he could color it in. My oldest son also made a mug. Once they were finished, I baked them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I would suggest only hand washing these items. I’m not sure if they would hold up in a dish washer.
Hand Print Snowman Ornaments
I love these ornaments so much! To make them, simply paint your child’s hand white and then have them hold the ornament. Once the hand print has dried, paint on your snowman’s face, arms, and scarf. Your child may be able to add the finishing touches depending on their age. These ornaments are such a wonderful keepsake and are sure to make anyone smile!
Santa Hand Print Ornament
I found a great salt dough recipe last year and have been using it ever since. You can find the recipe on the From ABCs To ACTs blog. This ornament was really easy to make. After making the dough, roll it flat. Remember not to make it too thick so it isn’t too heavy for your tree branches. Simply press your child’s hand into it. Poke a hole at the bottom of their hand print so you can add some yarn for the hanger. Bake at 200 degrees for three hours, or until completely dry. Once your hand prints have cooled, paint the bottom of the hand and the thumb red for Santa’s hat. Paint the rest of the hand white. Remember to make the little pompom on Santa’s hat too! Add a peach colored face in the center of the hand. Lastly, add Santa’s eyes, nose, and mouth. I used acrylic paint for this craft. We made these Santa hand prints last year and I love seeing how much boys’ hands have grown since then. We will definitely be making them again this year!
I hope you’ve found this post helpful! If you decide to make these wonderful Christmas gifts, please share your pictures with me through Facebook or Twitter! Happy Holidays!
