Budget Friendly Christmas Gifts for Kids to Make

Homemade Christmas gifts from kids truly can make the best gifts. Yes, it may be messy or take some effort but in the end you will have a small little masterpiece that your child will be so proud of. I’m sure the recipient will adore them. Find some great ideas for your kids to make to gift to loved ones!

Dollar Tree Mugs or Plates

Check out the kitchen aisle in dollar tree for their plain white plates or mugs.

Oil based paint pens can be used to color any design you’d like! Bake them at 250 degrees for 2 hours. This will keep the design from washing off. I still would recommend to only hand wash only.

Although many oil-based paint pens are non-toxic, they are not deemed food safe. These would be great to display for decoration or if you do a smaller plate can be a jewelry plate. If decorating a mug, do the outside only. Both of my younger kids immediately colored the inside of the mug, so use your discretion on age appropriateness here!

Handmade cards

Cardstock, stickers, and crayons/markers. This is all you need for your child’s imagination to take off! If your child can’t write yet, you can ask them what they want to say for you to write down for them.

Hobby Lobby crafts

Hobby Lobby carries a variety of easy crafts for kids to make. They have a large variety of ornaments (some you can put a picture in the middle). My kids have colored, painted, and used colored gems/rhinestones around the wooden edge of the ornaments.

Last year we also got small wooden nutcrackers that my kids painted. TIP: Hobby lobby runs 50% off their merchandise. If it isn’t on sale when you go, just wait a week. The sales alternate every other week.

There are options from sticker nativity crafts that toddlers could make or more involved crafts such as “dress up the snowman” which would be better for elementary aged kids.

Salt dough ornaments

Salt dough ornaments are fun to make and paint! You can create a handprint, footprint, or different shapes using cookie cutters. I have a whole post specifically on creating salt dough handprints and ornaments.

Painted Rock Art

All you need is is some rocks (preferably smooth ones) and paint pens. If you google “painted rocks” you will see endless options of what to paint on them. But, to be honest, let your kids creativity come out. Even simply writing the name of the recipient (short name or 1 letter per rock) can be special.

Check out these if you need to purchase river rocks to paint.

I recommend oil based paint pens, such as these, to paint with. These are permanent!! You want them to be waterproof especially if they are going outside in a rock garden. Wear clothes to get messy in and lay down newspapers to prevent paint from getting on your floor or table.

Homemade desserts or baked goods

This can be anything from bread, jam, cookies, or any other sweet treat. Here are some of our favorite items to make:

Cookie Butter Puppy Chow

Festive Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

Homemade ornaments

Wooden picture frame ornaments are easy and quick gifts for kids to make! The one pictured here is from Hobby Lobby. Here is an option on Amazon that comes with markers and colored gems: wooden picture frame ornaments

Another option for homemade ornaments are these pipe cleaner candy canes. It is simply a pipe cleaner with beads threaded on. I tied on a piece of twine to hang them on the Christmas tree.

Picture frame

Find an inexpensive picture frame and some stickers! You can easily spell out a sweet message. This is a great gift to display at home or in an office.