Feature Article: Affordable Gifts Children can Make

By Sheila Buck

Gift giving is a major part of birthdays and holidays. On these occasions, children like to give gifts to their friends and families. Purchasing presents can become expensive, and not all families have a lot of money to spend. The following is a list of gifts that children can make that are easy and affordable.

• Cards are simple to make and the materials are usually very inexpensive to purchase. Many children have most of the materials they need on hand. Materials include: construction paper, crayons, markers, glitter, scissors, and glue. Children can draw pictures and write messages. Decorating with glitter always adds a nice touch to any card.
• Poems can be found for any family member or friend in library books and on the internet. Some children even like to write their own poetry. Have your son or daughter pick out or write a poem and copy it down on a colorful piece of paper. Have him or her decorate the boarder of the paper with a nice design. Grandparents love to hang poems that tell others how wonderful their grandchildren think they are.
• Popsicle stick pencil holders are always a nice gift. The sticks are inexpensive and come with many in a package. You can buy them already colored, or your child can color them him or herself. Have your son or daughter glue the sticks to a washed tin can. Glitter or stickers can be added for extra decoration. Have your child glue a photo of him or herself to the front of the pencil holder.
• Gifts in a jar are a wonderful gift idea for the holidays. Have your child pick out a favorite cookie recipe and put all of the dry ingredients in a canning jar. Layer the ingredients for a pleasant look. Have your child write out tags that list the ingredients the recipient of the gift has to add, and how to cook them. Tie the tag around the cover of the jar. Canning jars can often be found at yard sales at a very cheap price. Many of the jars that we purchase food in can also be used for this purpose. The quart size jars work well. Wash the jars and put them away to use for this purpose.
• Framed photography is a beautiful gift that can be hung and treasured for a life time. Have your child take pictures of the local scenery, family, and friends. If you have a digital camera, photos can usually be printed up fairly cheap at the local drug store. If you have to develop film, it is sometimes less expensive to mail it and have it developed. Frames can be purchased at some stores for around dollar.

Making gifts is an inexpensive way for a child to give all of the meaningful people in his or her life something special. Your son or daughter will have a lot of fun making the gifts, and it gives them a chance to be creative. Friends and family enjoy receiving gifts made from the heart.

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Sheila Buck is the single mom of two teenage boys. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Sheila is a freelance writer, and also writes books and short stories in her spare time. Sheila also writes for Frugal Recipes.