Today, I’m really excited to share our favorite gift kids can make EVER.
Why is it our favorite handmade gift? Because it updates the “classic, go-to, every parent has to have one” gift. Since I decided that we can never do another craft unless it’s super simple (life has just been too crazy lately – can I get an amen?), I avoided making any handmade gifts this year because I just couldn’t muster up the energy to get ‘er done. But, my awesome friend Lauren told me that I needed to write a post about handmade gifts for kids and I’m so glad she did.
Thanks to Lauren for motivating us – here’s our easiest ever last minute gift that kids of all ages can make!
Paper weights.
Did you make one as a kid?
I don’t know what it is about painting a rock, but it’s just so much fun to do as a kid. For our gift, we used rocks that we had collected on a recent family vacation. Each one was handpicked and hand painted by my daughter – who has designated which rock goes to which person in the family, too (my girl knows how to make up her mind…I don’t know where she gets it from!).
I love that we updated this classic gift with just a little twist that makes these paper weights gorgeous to display and super unique.
Materials for the Easiest Ever Gifts Kids Can Make
- Rocks
- Pearl tempera paints (we got a little six pack of these pearl tempera paints at Michael’s Craft Store) <— more of an Amazon shopper? These will work great, too (affiliate link)
- Hot glue gun
How to Make the Easiest Handmade Gift Ever
If you’re like me and have a busy house full of young kids, I recommend hot gluing your words and shapes on the rocks the night before you paint. That way, they are ready to paint in the morning.
If you mess up any of the words or shapes, just peel the paint off and try again <— no pressure – woo hoo!
Let kids paint with the pearl paint. You can use any kind of paint you’d like, but in my experience, tempera paints work best for projects like these.
Because of the ridges from the glue, the paint can pool easily on the rocks. I smoothed the paint globs with a paint brush to help the rocks dry more quickly and evenly.
WAIT.
I feel like I just made that more complicated than it needs to be…
Let me try again:
- Glue words/shapes
- Paint
- Dry
Yep. That sounds more accurate!
Don’t you just love they way they look? They really are this gorgeous and vibrant in person, too.
Is this a gift that you would make with your kids? Join us on our Facebook page and tell us if it is something you would try!
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