The holiday rush can sneak up fast, and sometimes, you need a quick gift that still shows you care. DIY Christmas gifts for kids don’t have to be complicated or take days to finish. In fact, some of the best handmade presents come together in just a few minutes with things you might already have at home. The fun is in making something with your hands that kids will enjoy and remember, even if it’s last-minute. Here’s a list of creative, simple, and thoughtful ideas that won’t stress you out but will brighten the holiday for the little ones.
Candy Cane Slime Jar
Slime is always a hit with kids, and wrapping it in a candy cane-themed jar adds a festive touch. You only need glue, baking soda, contact lens solution, red food coloring, and crushed candy canes or peppermint extract. Start by mixing glue with baking soda, then add red food coloring and peppermint for scent. Stir in the contact lens solution slowly until it forms slime that’s stretchy but not sticky. Pack it into a small jar decorated with candy cane stripes using paint or washi tape. This gift looks bright and smells amazing, making it a fun surprise for kids who love sensory play. It’s easy to make and feels personal without taking much time.
Mini Marshmallow Catapult Kit
Kids love launching mini marshmallows around, and this kit lets them do it safely indoors. For this diy christmas gift for kids, gather popsicle sticks, rubber bands, mini marshmallows, and plastic spoons. To build, stack and rubber band three sticks for the base, then attach a spoon to act as the launcher. Pack a small bag of marshmallows with the assembled catapult in a box. Add simple instructions for launching distance or aiming games. This gift encourages play and can be made quickly with household items. It’s perfect for active kids who want a bit of silly fun during the holidays.
Snowman Soap Dispenser
Turn a plain soap dispenser into a winter buddy kids will love. You’ll need a small clear pump bottle, white acrylic paint, black paint or markers, orange for the nose, and some ribbon or felt scraps. Paint the bottle white, then add eyes, buttons, and a carrot nose. Tie a scarf around the neck with ribbon or felt to finish. Fill it with gentle soap, and you’ve got a useful gift that’s also decorative. This works well for kids who like helping out at the sink or taking care of their space. It’s quick to make but feels special because it’s handmade and playful.
Cardboard Tube Reindeer Racers
Turn empty cardboard tubes into reindeer racers kids can decorate and race. Gather tubes, brown paint, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and small craft pom-poms. Paint the tubes brown and let dry. Use pipe cleaners for antlers, attach googly eyes, and glue pom-poms for noses. These can be raced down a slope or table, creating a fun game after unwrapping. This diy christmas gift for kids encourages creativity and play. The materials are simple and quick to put together, making it a last-minute winner that kids can also help assemble.
Christmas Tree Stacking Game
A stacking game shaped like a Christmas tree offers fun and challenge in one gift. You’ll need colored paper or felt cut into small triangle shapes, a cardboard base, and glue or double-sided tape. Cut triangles in varying sizes and colors, then create a base that stands upright. Kids can stack triangles from large to small or mix colors to build their own tree shapes. This game helps with hand-eye coordination and color sorting. It’s simple to make, light to wrap, and perfect for a quick diy christmas gift for kids that feels thoughtful and fun.
Jingle Bell Tambourine
Music gifts bring joy, and a jingle bell tambourine is quick and easy to make. Use a paper plate, bells, ribbon, and a stapler or glue. Cut slits around the plate’s edge and thread the bells through. Decorate the plate with markers or glitter to add a festive look. This lightweight instrument is perfect for little hands to shake and play. It’s a gift that encourages movement and sound exploration. Plus, it’s made with easy materials you probably have, perfect for a last-minute diy christmas gift for kids.
Felt Gingerbread Baking Set
Pretend play toys made from felt are great for younger kids. Cut felt pieces into gingerbread shapes, decorate with fabric paint or markers, and stuff lightly with cotton or fabric scraps. Add felt “icing” and buttons with glue or stitching. Package the set in a small box or bag. Kids can use these to play “baking” at home, encouraging imagination and fine motor skills. This gift doesn’t take long and feels special because it’s handmade. Plus, felt is soft and safe, making it great for toddlers and preschoolers.
Holiday Playdough Bakery Box
Fill a small box or container with homemade playdough and simple tools like cookie cutters, rolling pins, and plastic knives. To make the dough, mix flour, salt, water, oil, and food coloring. Package it all with a note suggesting fun “bakery” games. Kids can shape cookies, cakes, and more, enjoying hands-on creative time. This diy christmas gift for kids is quick, affordable, and sure to keep them busy after the holidays. Plus, it’s easy to personalize with colors and scents.
Paper Strip Roller Coaster Challenge
This gift offers a little engineering fun with paper strips. You’ll need strips of paper or thin cardboard, tape, scissors, and marbles or small balls. Create a set of instructions to build a simple roller coaster track where marbles roll down. Package all parts in a box. Kids can experiment with track shapes and speeds, learning cause and effect while having fun. This diy christmas gift for kids is a clever choice for curious kids who like puzzles and hands-on activities, and it’s fast to put together with basic supplies.
Mini Snowflake Stamping Set
A stamping set with snowflake shapes is perfect for holiday art. Gather sponges or foam sheets, scissors, paint, and paper. Cut snowflake shapes from sponges or foam, then provide paint in small containers. Kids can dip and stamp on paper to create snowy scenes or cards. Package with some blank cards or sheets. This gift is simple, clean, and inspires creativity without mess. It’s great for younger kids and easy to assemble, fitting well into last-minute diy christmas gifts for kids.
Ice Block Excavation Kit
This is a cool, hands-on gift that feels like a little science project. Freeze small toys or trinkets inside ice blocks made in containers or cups. Include safe tools like plastic spoons, salt, or warm water spray bottles for “excavation.” Package everything in a box with instructions. Kids get to chip away and rescue hidden treasures, which is thrilling and keeps them busy. This diy christmas gift for kids works well because it uses everyday stuff and turns playtime into discovery, perfect for winter days.
Pom-Pom Shooting Game
This game brings simple materials together for hours of fun. You’ll need a cardboard box, plastic straws, pom-poms, scissors, and tape. Cut holes in the box for the straws to go through, then tape the straws in place so they angle outward. Kids use the straws to blow pom-poms across a table or floor, aiming for targets you can draw or place around. You can decorate the box with markers or stickers to make it festive. This diy christmas gift for kids encourages hand control and breath control, plus it’s lightweight and portable. It’s quick to make and feels playful without being messy.
Paper Plate Parachute Craft
Turn a paper plate into a colorful parachute for small toys. You’ll need paper plates, string, small plastic figures or toys, hole punch, and markers or paint. Decorate the plate with holiday colors or patterns. Punch holes evenly around the edges and tie strings to each hole. Gather the strings together and tie to the toy. When kids throw the parachute up, the toy floats down slowly. This diy christmas gift for kids combines crafting and play, giving them something to throw and catch inside or outside. It’s a cheerful, light gift that’s easy to make in minutes.
Christmas Critter Corner Bookmark Set
For book lovers, these cute critter bookmarks made from felt or paper are both fun and useful. You’ll need felt sheets, scissors, glue, markers, and small embellishments like googly eyes or buttons. Cut felt strips to fit books and create critter shapes like reindeer, snowmen, or elves that stick out on top. Glue on eyes and noses, then decorate with markers or glitter. Package them in sets of 3-5, so kids have bookmarks for all their holiday reads. This diy christmas gift for kids is small, sweet, and encourages reading while adding a festive touch.
Color Mixing Snow Lab
This idea lets kids experiment with colors using simple ingredients. You’ll need clear plastic cups, baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, pipettes or droppers, and a tray. Put baking soda in the cups, add different food coloring drops to small vinegar containers. Kids use droppers to mix vinegar with baking soda and watch the fizzy reaction in colors. Set it all on a tray for easy cleanup. This diy christmas gift for kids feels like a mini science kit, great for curious minds who love hands-on experiments. It’s quick to assemble with kitchen staples and packs a lot of fun.
Candy Cane Maze Board
Create a small maze on a board where kids guide a candy cane through paths to a goal. You’ll need a cardboard piece or thick paper, markers, tape, and a candy cane or small ball. Draw or tape paths to form a maze with twists and turns. Kids use the candy cane like a little slider to reach the end. You can add obstacles or checkpoints for more challenge. This gift promotes problem-solving and fine motor skills. It’s easy to make, light to wrap, and gives kids a simple but engaging activity after unwrapping.
Holiday Windsock Craft
A holiday windsock is a bright decoration and a fun project. Use empty cans or cardboard tubes, paint, ribbon or fabric strips, glue, and string for hanging. Paint the can with festive colors or characters. Glue or tape ribbons to the bottom for flowing tails. Punch holes on top and tie a string so it can hang outside or by a window. This diy christmas gift for kids is decorative and interactive, showing movement with the wind. It’s easy to put together and feels personal with a bit of painting or decorating.
Spool and String Pull Toy
This toy works on simple physics and keeps kids entertained. You’ll need a wooden spool, string or yarn, and some beads or buttons for decoration. Thread the string through the spool, knotting it so the spool spins when pulled. Add beads on the string for more fun shapes and colors. Kids pull the string to make the spool roll and spin across the floor. It’s a tiny project that packs a lot of play. This diy christmas gift for kids feels classic and handmade, made with basic supplies but delivering lasting amusement.
Clothespin Snowball Launcher
For indoor winter fun, try this snowball launcher made from clothespins. Gather clothespins, rubber bands, and small soft balls or cotton “snowballs.” Attach rubber bands to clothespins to create a simple sling. Kids can use it to safely launch soft snowballs at targets or each other. Decorate the clothespins with markers or stickers for a festive look. It’s a playful gift that encourages movement and friendly competition. Quick to assemble and easy to use, this diy christmas gift for kids makes indoor play more exciting.
Cardboard Tube Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope made from cardboard tubes is colorful and magical. You’ll need a cardboard tube, small mirrors or reflective paper, beads or sequins, plastic wrap, tape, and markers for decoration. Line the inside of the tube with mirrors or shiny paper folded into a triangle shape. Seal one end with plastic wrap, adding beads or sequins between layers to create shifting patterns. Seal the other end and decorate the outside. Kids can look through and see shifting colors and shapes. This diy christmas gift for kids combines simple crafting with wonder and exploration.
Holiday Bowling Set
Bring the fun of bowling indoors with a homemade holiday-themed set. Use empty plastic bottles or cans as pins, and paint them with Christmas colors or add festive stickers. For the bowling ball, a soft ball or even a wrapped-up sock works great. Arrange the pins in a triangle, and kids can roll the ball to knock them down. This diy christmas gift for kids encourages active play and friendly competition. It’s simple to make, light to carry, and offers plenty of chances to play again and again.
Washi Tape Puzzle Blocks
Create a colorful puzzle using wooden blocks and washi tape. Gather small wooden cubes and rolls of washi tape in holiday patterns or bright colors. Cover each side of the blocks with different tape strips so that when stacked, they form a matching pattern or picture. Kids can mix and match to solve the puzzle or build towers. This diy christmas gift for kids mixes art with problem-solving and can be customized easily with different tapes or block sizes. It’s a neat, tactile toy that’s quick to prepare.
Winter Animal Stick Puppets
These stick puppets bring winter animals to life with simple materials. Collect popsicle sticks, colored paper or felt, glue, and markers. Cut out shapes for animals like foxes, owls, deer, and rabbits, then glue them onto the sticks. Add googly eyes or draw details for expression. Kids can use them to tell stories, play pretend, or put on a mini puppet show. This diy christmas gift for kids is creative and interactive, perfect for encouraging imagination and quiet play.
Tissue Paper Stained Glass Ornaments
Make bright, translucent ornaments with tissue paper for windows or trees. Cut shapes from sturdy paper or cardboard, then glue small pieces of colorful tissue paper inside the shapes, overlapping for a stained glass effect. Add string for hanging. These ornaments catch the light beautifully and let kids explore colors and patterns. This diy christmas gift for kids adds a touch of handmade charm to holiday decorations and offers a satisfying craft project with easy-to-find supplies.
Snowflake Launch Pad Game
Turn paper snowflakes into a fun tossing game. Cut several paper snowflakes of different sizes and stick them on a flat board or cardboard with point values written on each. Kids can toss soft balls or bean bags trying to hit high scores. This simple diy christmas gift for kids encourages hand-eye coordination and friendly competition. It’s easy to customize with holiday designs and numbers, making it a playful addition to any Christmas morning.