12 Homemade Gifts Kids Can Help Make For Friends and Neighbors.

Christmas can turn into an ” I want!” holiday very quickly as we ask our children for Christmas lists, grandparents ask them what toys they want, etc… One of the best ways I have found to combat this is to involve children not just in picking out gifts but also in creating the gifts they give. The homemade gifts listed below range from well under a dollar each to a little more expensive. If you are a teacher looking for inexpensive last minute class gifts, there are a few great options for you too.

Candy Terrariums – I love these little gifts. They are almost too pretty to eat!

Snowman Crayons. These recycled crayons are great because they can be used for a Christmas or Hanukkah gift just as easily as simply a little trinket for a winter birthday. Oh, and peeling those crayons wrappers off is a fab workout for your kiddo’s fine motor skills.

Christmas Tree Pencil Toppers these are fantastic for class gifts for school-age kids. Easy to make, these Christmas themed pencils are both fun and functional.

Sugar Plum Fairy Slime is a wonderful treat for ballet fans who also like to get a little messy from time to time!

DIY Gift Box for Baked Treats makes a great neighbor gift. Bake up some cookies and while they are cooling make this container with one of a kind artwork on it. You can do a smaller version, as well, with a potato chip canister.

Lego Ornament the ornament itself is a gift, but also, kids can shake the Legos out and add them to their collection!

Green Sparkle Slime is as calming as it is sparkly. Use up old jars to package the slime and don’t forget to add a cookie cutter!

Texture Rolling Pin for Play Dough. Did you know you could use a hot glue gun to make one of these?

Snowman Play Dough smells yummy (peppermint), and the packaging makes it the perfect stocking stuffer or class gift!

Gluten Free Chocolate Play Dough – Regular Play Dough has wheat which of course has gluten and even though we think of gluten allergies as only being an issue if ingested, some children have contact allergies too. Make this decadent play dough for a friend. I highly encourage you to contact the child’s parent first and go over how you will make this. In some cases, it’s best to simply give the family the ingredients and let them make it in order to avoid cross-contamination.