Free is my favorite price! Some of these are great ideas for pre-celebration family activities, but there are a bunch that will make great stocking stuffers or gifts for kids. Assuming you already maintain a color printer, nothing could be easier than printing off some craft projects and having the little ones help you. A lot of these ideas will make perfect “finishing touches.” I personally am planning some photo gift tags that can be ornaments for next year!
Free Printables that make great gifts or holiday activities for kids:
- Try these two sided animal frames from Jinxy Kids. They are easy enough for an advanced cutter to do alone, or have your kiddo wield the glue stick to help assemble them. There is nothing specific to any one holiday about them, so you could also add a small magnet on the back for year round enjoyment.
- Create 3-D paper snowflakes from Instructables. You don’t need anything but printer paper and scissors plus tape or staples.
- First Palette offers these printable Christmas Tree ornaments. Have the kids color one side and use the other as a gift tag, and everyone will get an original work of art from your kiddo along with their gift.
- 3D Penguin toys from Easy Peasy & Fun. My little man is in love with “peng-ins” this year so I plan to make him a set. I’m going to use Picasa to re-size them and make two parent penguins and a pair of “brudder” penguins. Big brother can help me make them!
- Dressy Cats winter holiday sets from Made By Joel come in Christmas and Hanukkah versions and are not only adorable, but ready made for lots of pretend play. (These would make a great stocking stuffer! Print the colored version for littler children or the color-your-own for crafty big kids.)
- The Elves and the Shoemaker Paper Dolls are another cute imagination printable that are not specific to a particular holiday. These would be cute for a holiday gift or as an alternative elf activity for those who have chosen to opt out of the Elf on the Shelf. (Wouldn’t it be cute to have a new one arrive each night?)
- Create add-ons for your little one’s wooden railway with these printable villages. For extra durability, mount them on cardboard or laminate them. There are so many wonderful ones, you won’t be able to pick just one!
- Stuff their stocking with these printable gift coupons. Or make your own “tickets” to area outings, create a printable passport full of fun family activities, or create a “fun jar” with a note saying they’ll be allowed to pull activities out of it at specified intervals. (Saturday mornings, after homework is finished, etc.)
- How about this printable Fishing Game from Mockeri? I don’t know why, but it seems almost all kids are fascinated by the idea of fishing. Mine would adore this.
- Old-school Battleship game printable from Just Something I Made. (All the strategy, none of the plastic pieces in the vacuum cleaner. I LIKE IT.)
- Print some Vintage Paper Dolls from the Graphics Fairy.
Don’t miss all the other fun things I’ve pinned to my Traditions board on Pinterest! Here’s to a fun (and thrifty) holiday! Follow Meghan Gray’s board DIYs on Pinterest.
