It can be frustrating to go out and buy a birthday gift only to come back with something that three other party guests already purchased! Or, maybe you want to encourage a less materialistic attitude in your kids? Whatever the reason, it might be time to consider a do-it-yourself (DIY) solution for your child’s next birthday.

If you’re looking for fun gift ideas for kids, a personalised gift can do the trick. You could consider adding some patches to a backpack or embroidering your child’s name on a sweatshirt.

Something your child uses every day and that they’re excited to call their own is a great option. A lunchbox, beanie, scarf or pillow are all good options that are easy to personalise.

If you’re considering crafts to create a birthday present for your child, chances are you’d enjoy sharing your hobby with your with them. If they have expressed an interest in learning how to sew, knit or do other craft projects, you can put together a great birthday present that will also help you spend some quality time together.

Consider using some materials from around the house to make them a ‘first sewing/crafting basket.’ They’ll be excited to have something of their own to use as they learn how to sew, knit, crochet, craft. You can also stock it with things that will be safe for them to use, like large plastic needles, colourful yarn, and felt shapes with pre-cut holes to practice their stitches. Plus, all these activities will help them improve their fine motor skills.

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If your children like playdough, have you ever considered making some for them? Or getting them to try making it? It’s one of the most versatile play materials out there. Making it yourself means you can customise the colours and get much more for your money. The addition of sparkles or essential oils can make it even more special.

It’s not expensive, since the biggest ingredient is flour. Basically, you’re making a dough (it’s in the name!) that contains ingredients that will keep it in a stable condition, enabling play sessions for around six months. Take a look at this recipe, and you can add some custom elements based on your kids’ preferences.

If you’ve got kids at home, you also have crayons—way too many crayons. You might be curious if there’s anything you can do with all the leftover bits and pieces and worn-down ends left from last year’s set. Not to worry: there is!

You can take some shaped ice cube trays and fill each hole with enough bits of crayons until they reach the top. You can then place them in the oven at a very low temperature (100 degrees C) for ten minutes or so (you need to keep an eye out to make sure the trays themselves don’t start to melt!)

After they’ve cooled, you can get them out of the ice cube trays and go from there. They’ll look great in a small glass jar with a ribbon. You could throw in a notebook as well to provide a full DIY drawing experience.

If you’re good at knitting or with a sewing machine, you can consider making a stuffed animal of your own for your child. The basic idea is simple enough:

• Choose a pattern
• Cut out the fabric or knit what you need
• Stitch it together
• Add some cotton or polyester fill

You can check out our simple knitting patterns and you can also consider making your own pattern after you’ve gotten in some practice on a few pre-designed animals. That way, you can customise the result to the exact specifications you need (a favourite dinosaur, a koala, you name it!).

Whether you’re looking for birthday presents, Christmas gift ideas, or anything in between, there’s probably a DIY option that your kids will love. Along with saving money and giving you (or your child) a craft to do, you also may give your child something memorable that they get a lot more out of than a ready made present.