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You thought I forgot about the kiddies, didn’t you? Well today’s inexpensive, handmade Christmas gift ideas are all about the young and the young-at-heart. The list includes everything from handmade play dough to a club-house kit, my personal favorite. Click here for Part 5. On Wednesday: Media/services and cards/wrapping.

Part 6: For children

alphamom.com

100. Make bath time fun: Embed a small toy or your child’s favorite cartoon character in a bar of snow globe soap. Or make a bath bomb out of baking soda and citric acid.
Snow globe soap
Bath bomb surprise

101. Create a blog, website, or online journal for a child or preteen on your list who likes to write.
Free Word Press blog
Live Journal

102. Download and print free coloring book pages. Fill a colorful binder with them and give with a big box of crayons. Free coloring book pages

whileshenaps.typepad.com

103. Make and package play dough in a rainbow of colors using common ingredients from your kitchen.
Handmade play dough

104. Sew a cozy flannel rag quilt, which looks easier to make than a traditional quilt. Or make a T-shirt quilt from your child’s old tees.
Flannel rag quilt tutorial
T-shirt quilts

105. Give your children scrap wood, cardboard, shingles, hammer, nails, non-toxic paint, paint brushes, etc. for building a club house, and a map that shows where it can be built. 9 pc Children’s Tool Kit

howaboutorange.blogspot.com

106. Don’t we all love Shrinky Dinks? Make key fobs, pendants, or rings. Or compile all the needed supplies into a shrink plastic kit for the child to make his/her own projects.
Simple key fobs
Shrink plastic ring
DIY Shrinky Dink supplies

107. Make a pillow out of an old kids t-shirt. Sew the neck and sleeves closed, leaving the bottom of the shirt open. Stuff the inside of the shirt with down or pillow stuffing, then sew the bottom shut. Or cut and sew the pillow in the shape of a square.
Recycled t-shirt pillow

craftster.org

108. Sew felt or fleece pillows either in the shape of your child’s initials or in the shape of an animal or cartoon character.
Fleece alphabet pillows
Felt monster

109. Fill an old trunk or suitcase with fun clothing, hats, ties, old costumes, and gaudy costume jewelry for your children to play dress-up. Include a book of skits or plays, and watch your children’s imaginations soar.
The Skit Book: 101 Skits from Kids

110. Make a rope swing or sandbox for a child.
How to build a rope tree swing
How to build a simple sandbox

homemadebyjill.blogspot.com

111. Make a set of painted wooden baby blocks. Paint letters, numbers, and shapes and decoupage photos other pictures onto their sides. Make sure to sand the corners and edges so they’re not so sharp.
Bare hardwood blocks
Photo wood blocks
Painted wood blocks

112. Find a child a penpal in another state or country through an online service. Be sure to read and follow the safety points offered on the website.
Penpal World
Internet-related safety points

shopnwf.org

113. Adopt a wild animal at a local wildlife organization or zoo for a child. Take the child to visit the zoo or organization. Or adopt your child’s favorite wild animal.
How to adopt a zoo animal
Adopt a wild animal baby

114. Write and illustrate a book for a young person in your life. Or write a story with a child as the main character. Have it bound at a nearby copy center or bind it yourself. DIY bookbinding made easy

115. Send children on a treasure hunt with a series of mysterious written clues for them to follow. Any gift becomes more satisfying when they have to hunt for it. Treasure hunt ideas

makershed.com

116. Make the classic kid craft: a sock monkey. Make one from scratch or buy a sock monkey kit. Use classic sock monkey socks or mix it up a little with striped socks and a little embroidery.
Sock monkey tutorial
Classic sock monkey socks
Sock monkey kit

117. Gather materials to create an imaginative environment: 1) Empty food containers, play money, shopping bags, and a cash box for running an imaginary store. 2) Old checks, business forms, carbon paper message pads, rubber date stamps, old adding machine, file folders to play office. Locking Cash Box

chickpeastudio.typepad.com

118. Make a bird, butterfly, or flower mobile for a little girl on your list. For boys, try a model airplane, insect, or solar system mobile. For both: pinwheels, zoo animals, or fish. Possible supplies include embroidery hoops, branches, tissue paper, fabric, paint, ribbon, string, beads, styrofoam balls, and origami.
Bird mobile
Colorful felt butterfly mobile
Martha Stewart bird mobile
Origami mobile
Pinwheel mobile

119. Make a door nameplate out of a ceramic subway tile. Paint your design or decoupage scrapbook paper and alphabet tickers onto the tile.
Subway tile nameplates tutorial

The list continues on Wednesday with numbers 120 through 137.