Handmade Gift Ideas Kids Will Love! Small, Fun Presents
There are times when you want to give a small gift to a friend’s child or your child’s friend, right?
In those situations, it can feel awkward to give something with the price showing or something too expensive.
So here are some recommendations for simple handmade gifts that kids will love!
I’ve gathered lots of ideas, like small items made with 100-yen shop supplies and ways to upgrade your gifts just by putting extra care into the wrapping.
They’re all lovely gift ideas, so feel free to use them as a reference!
[Kids Will Love It!] Handmade Small Gift Ideas (1–10)
Flower keychain made with cord
Color cords are often used for drawstring bags, but you can actually make an adorable flower keychain with them too.
To make it, thread the color cords through the hardware, then braid three different colored cords in sequence.
It looks complicated at first, but it’s just a repeated process—once you get the hang of it, it goes smoothly.
The key point is to pull tight as you braid so there aren’t any gaps between the cords.
Since you’re using color cord, it’s sturdy and not easily broken, which is reassuring.
This piece is charming with its fluffy texture and the warmth that only handmade items have—give it a try!
Sparkly squishy toy
Decorate, play, and have fun! Here are some sparkly squishy ideas.
Squishies are those items you press or squeeze with your hand, and they slowly return to their original shape! This time, let’s try making a squishy by hand.
All you need are a display stand, slime, and beads—items you can even find at a 100-yen shop.
The steps are simple, too: just put the slime and beads inside the display stand and you’re done! Take this opportunity to give it a try!
Super Ball keychain
Let’s make a sparkly candy keychain! Super balls are usually made from rubber or similar materials, and when thrown, they bounce very high—making them a popular toy among kids.
This time, let’s use a super ball to create a keychain.
You’ll need a super ball, an awl, a lollipop stick, a hot glue gun, craft adhesive, decorative materials, and keychain hardware.
Simply poke a hole in the super ball, insert the stick, and attach the parts—an easy idea! It’s sure to delight kids who love cute motifs.
Hair elastic bracelet
Let’s try finger-weaving! Here are some ideas for making hair tie bracelets.
Using hair ties that are usually used to put your hair up, you can create colorful bracelets.
What you’ll need: hair ties, craft glue, beads, and scissors.
The steps are simple and easy to follow, and it’s great that you can freely adjust the length as you go! Exchanging the finished bracelets with friends could deepen your friendship.
Of course, you can also use them for hair styling, so give it a try!
tube strap
You can get all the materials at a 100-yen shop! Here are some ideas for tube straps.
A tube strap is a cute strap made by putting your favorite beads inside a tube.
Use beads in the recipient child’s favorite colors or motifs to create an original strap as a gift.
You’ll need an aquarium air tube, beads, a hot glue gun, and keychain parts.
Attach it to a bag or other belongings to make them easy to spot! It’s also fun to make them together.
Handmade Orepas (custom mystery card packs)
Let’s make it with origami! Here are some ideas for handmade “oripa.” Oripa is short for “original pack.” The creator selects cards or items and bundles them into a pack, making it exciting to open! It’s a unique item that’s perfect for gifting to kids who are into trading cards.
This time, let’s make a handmade oripa using origami.
You’ll need origami paper, a pen, scissors, double-sided tape or a tape glue runner, trading cards, and a hole punch.
The thrill of opening it is sure to make kids’ hearts race!
scrunchie
Let’s make some accessories! Here’s a scrunchie idea.
A scrunchie is an accessory where fabric or ribbon is wrapped around the elastic used to tie up hair.
Its charm is not only for tying hair—it also looks pretty and festive when worn on the wrist.
You’ll need cardboard, hair elastics, ribbon, and beads.
Hook two elastics onto the cardboard, braid in the ribbon and beads, and you’re done! The sparkling beads are the highlight, and it makes a stylish gift that’s fun to customize!
Perfect for small gifts! Gift wrappingNEW!
If you’re thinking that a birthday present might feel a bit plain when both the wrapping bag and its contents are store-bought, how about a handmade mini pouch made from origami? It’s the perfect little pouch for small chocolates or candies, so once you learn how to make it, you’ll find it handy in many situations.
All you need is origami paper and glue—even if you’re not confident with crafts, it’s OK! Using 15 cm × 15 cm origami paper yields a palm-sized pouch.
Since it’s made by layering the paper, it’s reasonably sturdy too, which is a nice bonus.
Puffy name tag
Make it using that familiar stationery item kids know! Here are ideas for creating puffy name tags.
A child’s name tag is a tag that clearly displays the child’s name.
It comes in handy at school, daycare, events, and trips, so make an original name tag and give it to your child! What you’ll need: a name-tag strap, needle and thread, patches, and craft glue.
The wide range of customization and creative freedom are big perks! It’s exciting to plan a design that matches the child who’ll receive it.
Beaded accessories
If you’re making a handmade gift, how about beaded accessories? You can buy materials like beads, fishing line, and lobster clasps at 100-yen shops, so it’s surprisingly easy to get started.
Bracelets, earrings, necklaces—first decide what kind of accessory you want to make.
Next, choose a motif and plan the design.
For classic motifs like small flowers, drop frills, or open hearts, there are plenty of tutorial videos available, so be sure to use them as references.
