10 Holiday Gift Combo Ideas for Your Creative and Crafty Kid!
/
I've compiled a list of gift ideas for the creative kids on your holiday shopping list. The ideas may seem basic, but when paired with one or two other things, become a simple (but fun!) craft or activity kit!
Note that some links may be affiliate links (See below)
Gift #1: SIMPLE BOOKMAKING KIT
Blank books from Bare Books!
A fresh set of markers in fun colors! (marker photo by Jenny's Crayon Collection).
We LOVE the blank books from Bare Books: blank hardcover with paper pages, board books, softcover books, comic books, and even a blank game board! I've given them out in goody bags and used them for party activities. My sons and I have made many gifts for friends and family (below).
GIFT #2: YARN CRAFT KIT
A skein of beautiful yarn
Craft sticks
Washi tape
(plus a toilet tube!)
As a professional crafter, my dirty secret is that I'm not much of a knitter. But I have such fond childhood memories of using my plastic tube knitter, perfect for a knit-phobic kid! You can make a super easy homemade toilet tube knitter using, obviously, a toilet tube, popsicle sticks, and tape or rubber bands and use it to make finger puppets, necklaces, and lots of other fun things!
loom photo by Parents
GIFT #3: "BUSINESS BOX" FOR PRETEND PLAY
Guest Check Pads
"Come In, We're Open" SIgn
Price stickers
Blank business cards
Red cardboard mini suitcase
I assembled a business box for my boys, who loved their toy cash register and turned everything into a business. I included all the items list above as well as tags, play money, and a roll of tickets, "While You Were Out" pads, and more. The restaurant play kit, below, is one I assembled for a story about imaginative play kits that I did for Parents magazine. More ideas for DIY imaginative play kits here!
Kid chef photo by Parents magazine
GIFT #4: THUMBPRINT ART KIT
Ed Emberley's books
Ink Pads
Ed Emberley's books are THE best! I have a special fondness for his thumbprint art books and any kid would love one his books along with a set of ink pads! Below are some of my younger son's thumbprint drawings.
GIFT #6: ORIGAMI STARTER KIT
Easy Origami book
Origami paper assortment
Easy Origami, by John Montroll, is the book that got my boys started doing origami. My older son became obsessed and we had colorful folded creatures and shapes everywhere (see his origami garland, below). Even now that he's older has other interests, we'll still have family folding sessions and our Christmas tree is covered in origami.
GIFT #7: MASKING TAPE PLAY KIT
Colored Masking Tape set
Roll of kraft paper
I bought my boys this set of colored tapes and we used it nonstop! They made tape drawings and tape mazes in our hallway (like a laser maze, but with tape, for a fun indoor obstacle course), and tape roadways for their cars. Sometimes we made our tape roads on the floor but we also rolled out kraft paper and made the roads or train tracks on top so we could roll it up, save it, and play with it again. (I couldn't find a photo of our setups but below is a great one from Le Jardin de Juliette! It looks like she used washi tape which is another good option!)
GIFT #8: FASHION DESIGN KIT
Little Biscuits Dress-me note pads
patterned origami paper
My friend Kate introduced me to these fun notepads which allow kids to design their own outfits by drawing or collaging onto the pre-printed sheets.
GIFT #9: PLAY DOH PRETEND SWEET SHOP
Play doh set
popsicle sticks
lollipop sticks
Playing ice cream shop or candy factory were two of our favorite activities during playdates. I gave the kids Play Doh, popsicle sticks, lollipop sticks, and ice cream cones that I made out of toilet tubes. Check out my post on Handmade Charlotte for other ideas for a Play Clay Sweet Shop!
GIFT #10: CANDY CRAFTING KIT
Candy Aisle Crafts (my book!)
Starlight Mint candies
Give your crafty kid a craft book, such as mine (can't blame a gal for promoting her own book!), and a few of the ingredients needed to do some of the projects!
For some other ideas about how to turn a book into a gift kit, click here.
What do you love to give to the creative kids on your list?
Happy shopping!
Jodi Levine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.