Unique Gift Ideas From The Kids

Teaching children to create personal gifts for friends and family is an excellent way to encourage creativity and to teach that the thought is the purpose for the gift. It is so easy today for gifts to be purchased online, without even the slight inconvenience of going to the store. Convenience, in far too many cases, begins to trump consideration in gift giving. To encourage kids to create their own gifts for any occasion will start them down the right avenue and help develop integrity.

There are so many ways that a child can take his or her interests and abilities and create simple, yet thoughtful, gifts for any occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, get well, congratulations, along with others, are all examples. This giving spirit also makes them more aware of particular events that should always be remembered or acknowledged. They will begin to look forward to the next time they can create a gift for someone.

Here are a few ideas:

   • Home Baked Treats – Everyone appreciates a little sweetness in their day. With
cookies, biscotti, cakes and pastries presentation is half of the gift. Have them place
cookies into a redesigned potato chip tube. It can be covered with paper and a
bow added. Or go to the dollar store and find little baskets, buckets or dishes and
wrap them with any see through material. Here is a great idea from the Desperate
Craftwives – using an empty aluminum foil box. Paint it or cover it with wrapping
paper and it makes a perfect cookie box. I can’t wait to have the kids try this when
giving away Christmas cookies!

    • Green gifts – Mason Jars and other clear glass containers can be turned into living
terrariums. Craft stores carry all varieties of little animals, houses and decorative
ornaments that can be placed inside. If a person is fond of a particular wild animal,
like a tiger or wolf, a little environment containing a miniature will be a big hit. This
site offers many other different uses for mason jars, some a little difficult for the kids,
but could also be fun to try.
   
    • Personally Designed Greeting Cards – Treat, an online custom greeting card site,
provides the opportunity for anyone to design a single card and create it around the
personal lifestyle, hobby or personality or the recipient. It is fun and easy and costs
less than picking a card from the rack. Kids will love doing it and anyone like a teacher,
friend or family member, or even a classroom crush, will be thrilled by receiving it. I
can’t wait to have the kids make these Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates next
year.

    • Repurposed Items – Everyone appreciates reuse of an item today. Repurposing really brings out the imagination in children. Let them create useful items from Popsicle
sticks, corks, different pasta shapes, glass jars and bottles or old jewelry. There are
literally thousands of ideas online on Pinterest, Making Friends, Frugal Café and many
more. Here are a number of ideas from Kaboose for crafts using recycled items.

There is no one person on this earth, who has a heart, who does not appreciate a handmade gift, especially from a child. That gift will never be re-gifted, squirreled away into a drawer, or wind up at Goodwill. It will be enjoyed and used as intended. The children also receive a gift in return for creating and giving. They receive the gift of accomplishment which they will own forever.


*Today's guest post was written by Jen Lopez.  She is a freelance writer, aspiring blogger and mother of two. She received a bachelor of science in journalism and public relations from West Virginia University and hopes to publish a book on parenting.