December 3, 2025

10 Easy, DIY Gifts Children Can Make This Holiday Season

December is upon us, which means it’s the season of giving! And while the hustle and bustle of the holidays can sometimes feel overwhelming, gift-giving doesn’t have to be. In fact, sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the ones made with tiny hands and big hearts.

We’ve outlined 10 of our favorite DIY gifts below, featuring photos of child-made parent gifts created with help from our very own Doodle Bugs! teachers over the years. These ideas are perfect for creating meaningful moments at home with your own children.

However you celebrate, we hope these ideas bring smiles to your loved ones all season long!

1. Salt Dough Gifts

What you’ll need: Flour, salt, water

Directions: Combine equal parts flour and salt with ½ part warm water. Mix until a dough forms, then roll to your desired thickness and shape. Leave to air dry – this can take a few days, so plan ahead! Once fully dry, children can paint or decorate their creations.

More salt dough gift ideas can be found here.

2. Photo Frames

What you’ll need: Popsicle sticks, paint/markers, photo

Directions: Invite children to decorate the sticks, then glue them into a frame shape and add a favorite photo.

3. Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

What you’ll need: Applesauce, ground cinnamon

Directions: Mix 1 cup applesauce with 1 ¼ cups cinnamon until a smooth dough forms. Roll, cut shapes using cookie cutters, and use a straw to punch a ribbon hole. Bake at 200°F for about 2 hours, or until firm. Once cooled, add ribbon to create an ornament.

Here’s the recipe we used.

Bonus: these gifts smell amazing!

4. Handprint and Footprint Art

What you’ll need: Paper, paint

Directions: Paint children’s hands (or invite them to paint their own!) and press on paper to create holiday designs. These prints also look great on canvases, mugs, plates, dish towels, tote bags, and more!

A quick Google or Pinterest search will spark plenty of ideas!

5. Mason Jar Snow Globes

What you’ll need: Mason jar or baby food jar, contact paper, baby oil, glitter, strong craft glue

Directions: Cover your child’s photo with contact paper and glue it to the underside of the jar lid. Fill the jar with baby oil and glitter, then tightly seal the lid (adding extra adhesive for safety). Flip it over and enjoy a magical, personalized snow globe!

6. Recipe in a Jar

What you’ll need: Mason jar, dry ingredients, gift tag

Directions: Layer pre-measured ingredients inside a jar and attach a cute gift tag with baking instructions. Cookie mix, hot cocoa, soup mix, pancake mix, and simmer pot jars all make wonderful gifts.

This M&M Cookie Mix is a festive favorite.

7. Wrapping Paper Ornaments

What you’ll need: Craft foam or cardboard, wrapping paper scraps, ribbon

Directions: Cut foam or cardboard into any shape – trees, circles, stars, etc. Children can tear wrapping paper into small pieces and glue them on for a collage-style ornament. Add ribbon for hanging. Consider adding a small photo for a personal touch!

8. Painted Planters

What you’ll need: Terra-cotta pot, acrylic paint, paintbrushes, varnish/Mod Podge, small plant or seed packet

Directions: Let children paint and decorate a small pot, then seal it with a clear varnish or Mod Podge. Add a small plant, succulent, or plant a few seeds for a sweet “watch it grow” gift.

9. Height Keepsake Ornament

What you’ll need: Clear craft ornament, ribbon or string, gift tag

Directions: Measure your child’s height using ribbon or string, then place it inside a clear ornament. Add a handwritten tag with the year and a sweet note like, “This was my height in 2025!” It’s a simple, sentimental keepsake you can treasure for years to come.

10. Homemade Wrapping Paper

What you’ll need: Craft paper or gift bags, stamps, paint, cookie cutters, markers, stickers

Directions: Provide children with plain paper or bags and materials to create their own prints and patterns. Use the finished designs to wrap gifts for family and friends. Handmade wrapping makes any gift feel extra special!