Easter is a time of joy and celebration, but it can also be a season of excessive consumerism. This year, why not take a step back from the commercial frenzy and showcase the true spirit of the holiday by making your own unique Easter gifts with your kids? Get ready to roll up your sleeves, raid the recycling bin, and enjoy craft-filled days with the little ones. Here are 10 wonderful Easter gifts you can create at home for minimal cost, ensuring a family-centric, eco-conscious holiday season.
1. Colourful Chalk Easter Eggs – A Creative Outlet
Gather some together some eggs and allow the kids to decorate them with colourful chalk. The designs can be as wild or as simple as the little artists desire! It’s a fun craft that allows for creativity without the mess of paint. You can even set a small ‘art gallery’ by displaying their creations in egg cups or on a bed of fresh grass.
Materials You Will Need:
Eggs
Colourful chalks
Egg cups or grass bed
Instructions:
Hard boil the eggs for about 10 minutes and allow them to cool completely.
Give the children the eggs and chalks and watch their imaginations run wild!
Once finished, the chalk drawings can be easily rinsed off before eating the eggs or stored as a keepsake.
2. Homemade Playdough Easter Baskets – Endless Fun
Making playdough at home is super easy and allows the kids to have their very own basket of malleable delights. They can shape Easter-themed figures, which the family can later use for games and decorations. It’s the gift that keeps on giving as it provides endless entertainment.
Materials You Will Need:
Flour
Salt
Cream of Tartar
Water
Food colouring
Instructions:
Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar, and 2 cups of water in a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until dough forms and there are no more lumps.
Divide the dough into portions, at least one for each different colour you want.
Add several drops of food colouring to each portion and knead until the colour is consistent.
3. Handcrafted Bird’s Nests – Encouraging Nature’s Friends
Building bird’s nests from natural materials is a wonderful way to teach children about symbiosis and to encourage a love for nature. Go on a family walk and collect moss, twigs, and feathers. Create checks that local bird species will love to use.
Materials You Will Need:
Moss
Twigs
Feathers
String or yarn
Scissors
Instructions:
Shape the collected twigs into a small nest.
Line the inside with moss and secure it with string or yarn.
Add feathers, if available, to make the nest more inviting.
4. Personalised Easter Cards – The Thought Counts
Handmade cards are always cherished, and Easter is the perfect occasion to teach the kids the value of a thoughtful message. Card-making can be as simple as folding paper in two, but what makes it special are the loving words inside.
Materials You Will Need:
Coloured paper or card stock
Markers
Stickers
Glue
Scissors
Instructions:
Fold the paper or card stock in half.
Decorate the front with an Easter motif using markers, stickers, or cut-outs.
Write a personal Easter message inside using different colours and designs.
5. Salt Dough Easter Decorations – A Timeless Craft
Salt dough is a classic craft material that’s perfect for creating Easter decorations. Using just flour, salt, and water, you can make a dough that bakes into solid, durable shapes. Kids can paint their creations once they’re cooled for a personal touch.
Materials You Will Need:
Flour
Salt
Water
Easter-themed cookie cutters
Acrylic paints
Paintbrushes
Varnish (optional)
Instructions:
Mix 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and 1 cup of water until it forms a dough.
Roll out the dough and cut it into shapes using Easter-themed cookie cutters.
Make a small hole at the top of each for threading.
Bake the shapes at 120°C for 3 hours.
Once cooled, paint the shapes and seal with varnish, if desired.
6. Upcycled Tin Can Planters – A Green Gift
Transform plain tin cans into vibrant planters by upcycling them with acrylic paint. These can be delightful gifts for friends and family members who appreciate nature. Plant some seeds or transfer small plants into them for a personal touch.
Materials You Will Need:
Tin cans
Acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Soil
Seeds or small plants
Instructions:
Clean the tin cans thoroughly and dry them.
Paint them with bright, Easter-themed patterns using acrylic paint.
Once the paint has fully dried, fill the cans with soil and either plant seeds or transfer small plants into them.
7. Bunny Ears Headbands and Tails – Dress Up Fun
Get into the Easter spirit by creating bunny ears headbands and fluffy tails. These simple crafts are perfect for dress up and make for great photo ops. They’re also a hit for any Easter-themed events the kids might attend.
Materials You Will Need:
Headbands
White and pink felt
Glue
Scissors
A white pom-pom or cotton ball
Instructions:
Cut out ear shapes from the white and pink felt, ensuring that the pink shapes are slightly smaller and fit inside the white ears.
Glue the pink inner ear pieces onto the white ear pieces.
Glue the ears to the headband, leaving a gap between them.
Create a tail by gluing or tying a white pom-pom or cotton ball to the back of the child’s trousers.
8. Handmade Beaded Easter Jewellery – Fashionable Fun
Stringing beads is not only great for developing fine motor skills, but it also results in beautiful, unique jewellery pieces. Make bracelets or necklaces for the kids to wear throughout the Easter season.
Materials You Will Need:
Beads in Easter colours
Elastic cord for bracelets, threading cord for necklaces
Scissors
Clasps (optional)
Instructions:
Lay out the beads in a pattern the child likes.
Thread the beads onto the elastic or threading cord.
Tie the cords together (or add clasps) to secure the beads, ensuring they don’t slip off.
9. Colourful Tissue Paper Flowers – Brighten Up Any Room
Tissue paper flowers are simple to make and look beautiful. They’re a lovely addition to any Easter gift, or simply to use as decorations. You can also attach a small card with a loving message to give them an added personal touch.
Materials You Will Need:
Tissue paper in various colours
Pipe cleaners
Scissors
Instructions:
Lay several sheets of tissue paper on top of each other.
Cut them into a rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in an accordion pattern.
Wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle section of the accordion and twist to secure.
Carefully separate the layers of tissue paper to form the flower petals.
10. Family Recipe Jar – A Gift of Traditions
Put together a jar of your family’s favourite Easter-themed recipe. Whether it’s for hot cross buns, bunny-shaped cookies, or a delicious carrot cake, this gift will be treasured, especially if you write the method and ingredients into beautifully crafted notes.
Materials You Will Need:
A jar
Recipe cards or paper
Pen
Ribbon
Instructions:
Write down the recipe on each card, along with any personal family stories or memories associated with it.
Roll up the cards and tie them with a ribbon.
Place the notes in the jar and seal it.
By creating your own Easter gifts, you’re not only saving money but also fostering creativity, spending quality time with the kids, and reducing the environmental impact of the season. This Easter, remember that the most cherished gifts are those made with love and the personal touch. Enjoy crafting, and Happy Easter to you and your family!