We made this DIY kids crafts gift box as a gift for a 3 year old girl. Pickle was invited to her birthday party this weekend and her mum told us that she is very keen on crafts, so I looked online for a suitable gift. I wanted her to be able to make all kinds of things from one craft box or ‘kit’, but I couldn’t find anything suitable (at least, not in my price-range), so I decided to make one myself!
To make a DIY kids crafts gift box for a preschooler, you will need:
– a sturdy box (a shoebox is ideal)
– nice wrapping paper to cover the box (if needed)
– glue or Mod Podge
– a computer and printer
– a small jam jar with a lid
AND (A SELECTION, NOT ALL! OF) THE FOLLOWING:
– a smooth round stone
– some drinking straws
– pipe cleaners
– scissors
– stick glue
– coloured pens/pencils
– tissue paper
– stickers
– a cork
– cocktail sticks
– a penny
– card blanks and envelopes
– origami/wrapping paper scraps
– card decorations
– an empty toilet roll
– foam shapes
– googly eyes
– feathers
– pom poms
– ribbon
– poster paints and a brush
– scraps of material
COST: a few quid (but a lot of the bits you may already have in your ‘crafty store-cupboard’ if you’re anything like me)
AGE: older kids/adults (to make for younger kids/toddlers)
TIME: 20-30 minutes (longer if you need to cover your box)
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How-to make a DIY kids crafts gift box for a preschooler:
- Prepare your box. If it needs covering, follow this simple tutorial to get a professional finish.
- Fill the box with lots of crafty supplies, including the stone (we wrapped and labelled it ‘paint me?’). Put the smaller bits and bobs into a clean jam jar.
- Include some free printables (we used this fab robot princess from Spoonful.com, bird finger puppets from MrPrintables and fun robot colouring pages from Dabbles&Babbles) – there are loads more to choose from on Hodge Podge Craft’s Pinterest page too.
- Print out a DIY book for the lucky recipient. We used these gorgeous free templates from MrPrintables to make an ‘R is for…’ Ruby’s craft ideas book and included lots of ideas for her to make using her craft kit box.
Including…
- Use your craft bits and bobs to decorate a birthday card for a friend or a Christmas card for a grandparent
- Draw a friendly monster
- Make cork boats (find the tutorial at Kate’s Creative Space)
- Paint your rock (find lots of ideas here)
- Draw a face to show how you are feeling today
- I stuck some googly eyes onto a blank page and wrote: ‘What kind of creature has eyes like this? Draw it and give your beast a name!’
- Put on your favourite song. Try to draw what you can hear. Ask Mummy or Daddy to try this too (this and many more clever ideas from the Artful Parent here)
- Make an owl from a toilet roll (how-to and lovely photo below from A Beautiful Mess)
- Use a celery stalk stamp to make a rose print (Maureen Cracknell came up with this fabulous idea)
- Make a bracelet by threading straw ‘beads’ onto pipe cleaners (idea from the Mother Huddle)
I hope Ruby likes it…
What would you include in a craft kit box for a toddler?
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What a brilliant idea, the kind of gift I like to give 🙂
Thanks Vicky! 😀
That’s so lovely!! You are very clever, i would be made up if someone put all that time and effort into a present for my child. You get so much tat at parties it’s lovely to get something they would actually use x
Thanks Katie, you are too kind 🙂
I hope she does get lots of fun from it – especially during this ‘indoor weather’ season!
What a great idea! More fun and cheaper than buying one!
Thanks Helen (and GG!) – we got a lovely thank you card from Ruby today, which made me happy. Making presents is almost always more fun than buying them I think! 😉
What a great idea. Can’t wait to try this. Your site is brilliant. It’s brimming with lovely ideas. You might enjoy some of the crafts on our blog http://www.littlebuttondiaries.com
Laura x
Thanks so much Laura! 😀
Just popped over to your blog for a nosey (you have such CUTE kids) and am now following you via Bloglovin. Have a fantastic weekend x
That is such a fantastic idea! I may have to borrow it!
Thanks Michelle! 😀
Coming over from Pintorials. Such a great idea. So much better than standard gifts and probably a lot more fun for the child!
Thanks Lou! Her mum says she is always asking to get the craft box out to try something new and it’s given them lots of rainy day fun 🙂
What a great idea-I’ll be filing this away for our nexct birthday party. Thanks!
(I found you via Tuesdays Pin Party #pintorials)
Thanks Victoria – I had fun making it too!
I think it’s nice to be able to tailor it completely to the recipient too… 🙂
Eep! This excites me I always look out for toddler play ideas, going to start a box for J for rainy days!
Yay – good plan! It’s great to have a stash of activities in reserve while the weather is bad… x
I LOVE this idea – it’s exactly the sort of thing I’d love to have received as a kid! x #Pintoral
Thanks Michelle, me too! x
I LOVE this idea! We make most of our gifts around here, so this is just perfect! Those crate things are such the rage right now, so this is like giving someone their own personal version of it! Pinning and sharing!
Yes – exactly Lisa! It’s also the sort of gift that you will actually use up (and therefore not just more STUFF) 😉
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This is really fun… I have made a craft kit before but I love the things you included eg a stone with ‘paint me’ and the free printables – fab ideas! x
Thank you Jennifer – we really enjoyed putting it together 🙂
I love the idea of a personalised gift box, very cute!
Thanks for linking up to Tuesday Tutorials.
Thank you lovely x
That’s a brilliant idea! My girl’s birthday is next month and I’m sure she’ll be very glad to receive such special box, of course along with the already planned presents. I could make smaller boxes for her friends as guest gifts. Thank you for the inspiration!
Oh wonderful Danielle! I hope she loves her craft box 😀