The Ultimate Handmade Toy Gift Guide: Gift Ideas 2021 | Free Tutorials | Easy DIY Toys
In this post: The Ultimate Handmade Toy Gift Guide for 2021 is here. Scroll to find easy DIY gift ideas for kids with free tutorials. Post contains affiliate links.
The holidays are here, and so many of us are looking for the perfect gift. As a family we have made it our mission to make as much as we can for every holiday. I love that my children see me working away on the beginning of their gifts, though of course I always keep the end result a surprise. They see the amount of effort and dedication that goes into every single thing they ask for, and that my friends is truly a gift.
What is the handmade gift guide?
This handmade toy gift guide is a round up of all the DIY toy tutorials and free sewing patterns I have made over the last year. Everything can be made by a beginner, well because I am still a beginner myself! Remember that I am learning right alongside you, figuring it out as I go so I can teach you what I learned. The end result isn’t always perfect, but it is always loved and appreciated by my children (and hopefully yours too)!
Free DIY Wooden Toy Tutorials
This is the holy grail of DIY toys for me. Usually a Grimm’s large stepped wooden pyramid costs around $300 and it is almost never in stock. This project costs around $50 to make and you can customize it with your kid’s favorite colors. Don’t get me wrong, there are hours of sanding and painting in this project. Even still, it is easy enough for any beginner and will be a wooden toy your kids play with for years.
These are fun and easy to make! They cost only a few dollars to buy the wooden wheels, and make a fun adventure outside looking for the perfect branch to use as the car base. This would be a fun project for older kids to make for younger siblings, they could even paint the cars or make a whole character car set for friends or loved ones.
We love these wooden playscapes in our home. They can become anything with a few simple additions. This DIY is super versatile, and can be made for around $30 if you can find some good branches around your home. Your dreams are your only limitations with this one!
DIY Bauspiel Inspired Gemstone Blocks
Another expensive wooden toy that can be made at home for a fraction of the cost. I cannot wait to give my kids these gemstone blocks that I made for them! This is open ended play at its finest: they could be roads, building blocks, money, or pirate treasure. This is a fairly simple DIY if you are like me and can accept good enough over perfection.
Make your own Grimm’s Square Puzzle Blocks
This is a great DIY for older kids who love to tinker. These square puzzle blocks come together really quickly and can become anything for your child’s imagination. I love that they can also be used as a learning tool for exploring 3D shapes at home!
For your little one who loves fine motor work, this handmade activity board for toddlers is a perfect gift for the holidays. You can customize it to meet your child’s passions, and even add some real tools they can use as they work. Any child who has been wanting to build like their grownups would love this.
If your child loves nature and counting, this acorn cap abacus is a sweet treat for the holidays. You can have this match their favorite colors, and even paint little characters on the acorn caps if you want to!
DIY Grimm’s Inspired Stacking Blocks
These DIY stacking blocks are such a fun gift to make for kids. If you have never made your own wooden blocks at home before, this is a fun DIY for beginners. You can paint them any color your child loves, and they will have so much fun building cities with these homemade blocks.
Free Sewing Patterns for Awesome Holiday Gifts
While I am a total amateaur seamstress, I love making my kids homemade dolls and stuffed animals. Try these free patterns out to make your own holiday gifts!
I made these for my kids for Easter last year, but any little one would love to wake up to a sweet homemade bunny on any holiday! You can customize it with any fabric you have on hand, and even make a whole family of bunnies for your kiddos if you want.
Free Maileg Inspired Mouse in a Tin – I love the Maileg Mice in a Box and this was inspired by those sweet little animals! This tiny mouse will fit inside an altoid tin for it’s house, and is such a sweet addition to any holiday surprise. Make your own maileg inspired mice with this free pattern!
Cozy Casita Herbal Sachet – For sweet dreams, or a lovely scented herbal pillow, this little house herbal sachet is a great gift for kids and grownups alike. It comes together quickly and can be customized to match the favorite scents of any loved one.
Handmade Gifts made from Felt
DIY Papoose Inspired Felt Trees
Who doesn’t love the look of those sweet Papoose felted trees?! They add such a magical feel to any play scene. I decided to try to make my own, and love how they came out. These are the easiest felt trees you will ever make, and are a perfect handmade gift for any child!
If you have a little nature lover who can’t get enough of adventures and foraging, make a set of these sweet felted mushrooms. This is a great felting project for beginners!
Felted Food DIY – I haven’t made this myself but I cannot get enough of these DIY felted food tutorials! This would be an awesome addition to any play kitchen that your kiddos have.
Alright familias, this is just a short list of some of the amazing homemade gifts you can make your kids this year. I hope you loved my Ultimate Handmade Toy Gift Guide! Do you have any other favorite DIY toys tutorials or free sewing patterns that I should check out? If you want to check out more gift ideas for bilingual children, check out my bilingual child ultimate gift guide
