The Handmade Gift-Making Session

There’s something lovely about watching a child hand over a present they’ve made themselves. They often can’t wait for the wrapping to come off, and you’ll probably get a running explanation of every colour, sticker and carefully chosen detail before you’ve even opened it.

“I painted that bit because you like blue.”

“That’s supposed to be your dog.”

“And I did the writing ALL by myself.”

This Christmas activity gives everyone a chance to experience that lovely feeling. Set aside a little time to make a gift for someone in the family (a parent, sibling, grandparent or cousin) and let the children be involved from choosing the idea right through to handing it over.

The gift can be very simple. A painted frame with a favourite photo inside, a handmade ornament or a bracelet in someone’s favourite colours is plenty. You don’t need to buy half the craft shop or produce something that looks ready to sell.

What makes it special is the thought behind it: “I made this with you in mind.”

And those slightly crooked letters and enthusiastic blobs of paint? Leave them there. That's the part that makes it unmistakenly theirs.

Best Ages: 4–12 years, with help as needed; older children and adults can join in too
Time Needed: 45–60 minutes for making, plus any drying or baking time and a little extra for wrapping
Difficulty: Easy to medium, depending on the project
Repeats Yearly? Yes - choose a new project or recipient each Christmas

What You Need

• One simple gift project. Choose something that suits the child’s age, interests and patience, as well as the person receiving it.

• Craft supplies for your chosen project. These might include paint, brushes, markers, suitable craft glue, ribbon, beads or decorating materials.

• A protective table covering. An old tablecloth or newspaper will do.

• An apron or old shirt. Especially if paint is involved!

• Simple wrapping supplies. Paper, a gift bag or a reused box, along with sticky tape and ribbon if you’d like it.

• A gift tag and pen. For that all-important “I made this for you” message.

• Somewhere to leave finished gifts undisturbed. Check your materials beforehand so you know how long they need to dry.

A Few Handmade Gift Ideas

You don’t need to offer twenty different projects. Two or three manageable choices are usually enough.

A decorated photo frame
Let the child paint or decorate a plain frame, then add a photo of them with the person receiving it. Younger children can use simple colours and stickers; older ones might add a pattern or a little message.

A salt-dough ornament or keepsake
A simple shape, handprint or stamped design can become a lovely Christmas keepsake. Allow extra time for drying or baking, and have an adult handle the oven. These are decorative gifts, so keep them away from pets and little ones who might try to taste them.

A decorated pencil pot
Use a sturdy container and let the child add colours, patterns or a name. It’s a useful gift for someone’s desk, craft space or kitchen bench. For younger children, choose a container that won’t break easily.

A friendship bracelet
Pick colours the recipient likes and choose a design the child can manage. A simple plait can work beautifully; it doesn’t need to be an intricate pattern. Small beads need supervision around younger children.

A hand-decorated tea towel
Use fabric paint or markers suitable for the material, and follow the instructions for setting the design before washing. Children could draw a picture, add handprints or create a pattern.

A little book of pictures or memories
Fold and staple a few pages together, then fill them with drawings, favourite memories or things the child loves about the recipient. This is a lovely option when you want something personal without lots of supplies.

How To Run Your Gift-Making Session

1. Choose who the gift is for

Start with the person rather than the craft.

Ask, “Who would you like to make something for this Christmas?” Then have a little chat about them.

What colours do they like? Do they love gardening, reading or animals? Is there a favourite memory they share with the child?

Those answers can help you choose a gift with a personal connection. A frame might suit someone who loves family photos, while a handmade bookmark could be just right for a keen reader.

If you’re organising this for several children, you can let each choose a recipient or draw names from a bowl. Keep it flexible enough that nobody feels stuck.

2. Pick a project they can mostly make themselves

Choose something achievable within the time you have.

It’s tempting to find a beautiful idea online and think, “We could do that!” But if it requires an adult to complete nearly every step, it may leave the child watching rather than making.

For younger children, decorating a ready-made frame or making a little picture book can be a good starting point. Older children might enjoy a bracelet, a more detailed painted design or a project with several stages.

Offer a little guidance while leaving room for their ideas. If they want Nana’s frame to be purple with orange spots, ask them about it. There may be a very good reason - or they may simply think orange spots are wonderful.

3. Get everything ready before calling everyone over

Cover the table, gather the supplies and check that you have the things you’ll need to finish the project.

Put small amounts of paint into containers, have water and cloths ready, and prepare anything that needs adult cutting or measuring.

If several children are working together, give each a clear space and somewhere to put their gift when it’s finished. Writing their names on a piece of scrap paper beneath each project can save confusion later.

A little preparation helps keep the session moving, especially when younger children are keen to start immediately.

4. Let them do the making

This is the bit where we sometimes need to sit on our hands a little.

Help with tricky or unsafe steps, show them how to use the materials, and step in if they ask. But try to resist straightening every line, repainting every patch or rearranging their decorations.

A child-made gift should look like a child made it.

You can offer practical suggestions “Shall we leave that part to dry before adding more?” without taking over the design. Let them make choices, try things and feel that the finished gift belongs to them.

And if their attention runs out halfway through, take a break. You can finish another day. There’s no prize for getting everything done in one sitting.

5. Add something that makes it personal

Before calling the gift finished, ask whether they’d like to add one small detail especially for the recipient.

It might be:

• Their favourite colour.

• A drawing of something they love.

• A shared joke or nickname.

• A photo of the two of them.

• A short message on the back or underneath.

Add the maker’s name and the year somewhere discreet if there’s room. It’s a small thing now, but it can be lovely to find later.

6. Give it time to dry properly

Check the instructions for your paint, glue or other materials before handling or wrapping the gift.

Something can feel dry on the surface while still needing more time to set. Put finished projects somewhere safe and let everyone know when they’ll be ready for the next step.

If you’re making salt dough or using fabric paint, plan for the extra drying, baking or setting time. The making session might take an hour, but the gift may need until the next day (or longer) before it’s ready to wrap.

7. Write a little note

A message gives the recipient a glimpse of the thought that went into the gift.

It doesn’t have to be long:

“I made this blue because it’s your favourite colour.”

“This is for your desk so you can think of me.”

“Thank you for reading stories with me.”

Younger children can dictate their message while you write it down, then add their own name or drawing. Keep their wording where you can. Their way of explaining things is part of what makes the note special.

8. Wrap it together

Let the child help choose the paper, fold it around the gift and add the tag.

A gift bag or a small box can make this easier for little hands. Plain paper decorated with drawings is another lovely option, especially if you already have it at home.

Help protect anything delicate, but don’t worry too much about tidy corners or a slightly excessive amount of sticky tape. Wrapping is another chance for them to feel involved.

If it’s meant to be a surprise, find a safe hiding place together. Although you may need to accept that an excited four-year-old will announce exactly what’s inside before Christmas!

9. Let them hand it over

When it’s time to give the present, let the maker do the honours.

They may want to explain every detail or quietly watch it being opened. Either is fine, there’s no need to put them on the spot or ask for a little speech.

Give them space to enjoy the moment. Someone noticing their effort “You remembered my favourite colour!” can mean a great deal.

If they’d like a photo with their finished gift, take one before it leaves. It’s a lovely way to remember what they made each year.

Making It a Yearly Christmas Tradition

You could choose one afternoon each December as your family’s gift-making session. Put on some Christmas music, bring out the supplies and keep the plans manageable.

Some years you might all make the same kind of gift. Other years everyone might choose something different. You can change the projects as the children grow and their interests develop.

There’s no need for each child to make something for everyone. One thoughtfully made gift is enough to give them the experience of planning, creating and giving.

And adults can join in too. Making something alongside the children turns it into time together, with a lovely reason for gathering around the table.

♥ Kim’s Tip:

Ask the child what they’d like the recipient to know about their gift, and write their answer on the tag in their own words. “I put lots of purple on it because you love purple” might end up being just as treasured as the gift itself.

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This post is part of my Christmas Activity Hub - packed with ideas for making Christmas memories.

With love, Kim xx

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