5 cool handmade gifts that tweens love to make

Let’s face it: we’re all busy–even our kids.

As they get older, they’re juggling homework, activities, sports, lessons, chores (ahem. . . ), and friends, so when our kids carve out the time to create a handmade gift, it really means a lot.

Believe it or not, friends, now is an ideal time to start thinking about the holidays.  So we’ve got some cool handmade gifts that tweens will love to make. Really.

Huge thanks to my friends at Klutz who just keep designing these cool books that tweens truly adore. Clear directions, illustrations, and examples will make it so easy for kids to learn these crafts.

And that means our kids will keep their hands busy gift-making while they watch Descendants for the millionth time.

We also have a fun way for you to get your hands on some of these books as well, because I don’t just want you to read about them–I want you to have them!

Here’s the skinny. . .

5 Cool Handmade Gifts That Tweens Will Love to Make:

Create Pop Collage Bookmarks!

These little fun and fab bookmarks take no time at all to create, but they take time to dry because of the Pop Collage glaze you put over top.

You can pretty much Pop Collage anything, but making bookmarks as little gifts is a fun and inexpensive way to make something really useful for a friend or loved one.

My kids have always loved small things, so these Pop Collage Bookmarks bring the fun of Pop Collage to a smaller scale.

And bookmarks encourage more reading, right? It’s a win.

If you want to download the bookmark template, you can do that right here: blank bookmarks teachmama.com

For gift-giving, consider:

• name bookmarks for cousins;
• photo bookmarks for friends;
• bright bookmarks for older friends;
• a set of holiday-themed bookmarks;
• book-inspired bookmarks along with the book that matches!

Try some Finger Knitting!

Finger Knitting is so fun–and a lot easier than it seems!

Maddy. Loves. Finger. Knitting.

And the things she has created in no time flat are amazing.

The Finger Knitting book comes with enough yarn to create over a dozen projects, but the cool thing is that kids will really take this where they want to go, on their own.

Maddy made an amazing fringe necklace in one afternoon, just by knitting two long pieces, about 18″ each.

She wove them together, and then she added a fun fringe.

She also made a beautiful flower that adds a totally fun flare to just about anything. She can use it as an add-on to her backpack, to brighten up a black carry-on, or as a bracelet or pin.

So fun and so pretty.

But best of all? It’s a one-of-a-kind piece!

For gift-giving, consider finger knitting:

• scarves;
• boot toppers;
• hats;
• flower barrettes or pins.

The possibilities are endless!

Make Mini Pom-Pom Pets!

Not even kidding, Mini Pom-Pom Pets are totally addicting to make.

And they’re easy. And these are super for tweens to make for their friends or little cousins. They can create whole Pom-Pom Pet families, put them in a tiny bag, and cousins will love them.

We made tons of these little fuzzy pets this summer during a crafty playdate with friends, and each little animal was cuter than the next.

The girls made mice, ducks, chicks, and a fox.

They made bunnies and kittens.

Frogs and fish, bears and some we weren’t really sure of.

For gift-giving, consider:

• a little animal family–cats or dogs are easy!
• tiny monsters with googly eyes;
• creating pets for dolls;
• making a mini-farm or zoo;
• making animals to accompany a book!

Make some Personalized Friendship Bracelets!

These Personalized Friendship Bracelets take a little more time to create, but they are beautiful.

And once kids get the hang of it, they’ll be able to pound these out in the span of one afternoon ‘hangout’ (because tweens don’t have playdates anymore–they ‘hangout’).

The Personalized Friendship Bracelet book shows you in clear, simple steps how to add letters, shapes, and a whole lot of awesome into those knotted bracelets we all used to make when we were younger.

I know that we topped out at the simple back-and-forth stripes; this book gives you directions on how to make letters, shapes, emojis, you name it. It’s all about bringing something simple up to a whole new level.

I’m 100% sure that once moms see this book, they’ll want to get in on the fun, too. And before you know it, they’ll be Personalized Friendship Bracelet-Makers, too.

For gift-giving, consider:

• name bracelets for cousins;
• initials for friends;
• hashtag bracelets;
• favorite team or school colors!

Coffee Coasters (made with Potholders And Other Loopy Projects book)

Cora had a blast making these–what we called Coffee Coasters–and she’s really just beginning her loopy bonanza.

I remember making potholders when I was young, and these feel the same way I remember them.

But this Klutz book is so packed with cool and creative new ways to use loopy projects, it’s awesome.

For gift-giving, consider these loopy project ideas:

• a set of coasters for grandparents;
• school colors for teachers;
• sewing coasters together to make hotplates;
• tic-tac-toe boards!

Seriously–How cool are these books from Klutz?

Want to check out a few other crafty crafts from our friends at Klutz?

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