You know the kid. Glue on their sleeve, a drawer full of “projects”, and a habit of turning the recycling into a castle. Buying for them should be easy, and somehow it isn’t, because they already own nine sets of felt tips.
So this list skips the obvious. These are gifts for kids who love crafts, sorted by what they actually like doing: drawing, painting, making things, or paper crafts. After that come the tools and storage grown-ups never think to buy, and a few experiences. Looking for boxed kits? Those have their own guide, best craft kits for kids by age.
We’ve left prices off because they change all the time and vary a lot between countries.
Gifts for Kids Who Love to Draw
1. Paint Pens
Posca pens are the ones older kids get excited about. They’re water-based paint in a marker, so they work on paper, rocks, wood and cardboard, and the colors are properly bright. Best for about 7 and up. Younger kids tend to press too hard and push the tips in.
2. A Proper Sketchbook
A cheap pad of copy paper says “scrap”. A spiral sketchbook with thick paper says “this is for your real work”. Write their name on the cover and you’ll be surprised how carefully they fill it.
3. An All-in-One Art Case
The Crayola Inspiration Art Case is the classic: crayons, colored pencils, markers and paper in one fold-out case. It’s great for kids who like having everything in one place, and for car journeys.
4. A Light Box or Tracing Pad
A thin LED tracing pad lets kids trace pictures, practice lettering and copy characters they love. It’s a real confidence boost for kids who say “I can’t draw”. Most are USB powered.
5. A How-to-Draw Book
The step-by-step kind, where a cat starts as two circles. Pick one that matches what they’re into, whether that’s animals, cartoons or vehicles. Bookshops and libraries have loads.
Gifts for Kids Who Love to Paint
6. A Standing Easel
A double-sided easel, like Melissa & Doug’s standing art easel, with a chalkboard on one side and a dry-erase board on the other, plus a paper roll on top. It takes up a corner of the room, but it gets used for years.
7. Watercolors and Water Brush Pens
A travel watercolor set plus a couple of water brush pens (the kind with water in the handle, like Pentel Aquash). No jar of water to knock over. They’re lovely for kids around 8 and up who are getting serious about painting.
8. Canvas Boards
A pack of small canvas boards makes painting feel like an event. Kids who’ve only painted on paper tend to take a lot more care on canvas, and the finished ones make good presents for grandparents.
9. A Smock and a Splat Mat
Not exciting, we know. But a long-sleeved art smock and a wipe-clean mat for the floor or table mean more painting gets allowed. Which, to a painter, is the whole point.
Gifts for Kids Who Love Making Things
10. A Friendship Bracelet Maker
Loopdedoo is the well-known one. Bracelets get swapped at school, so there’s always a reason to make another.
11. A Big Bead Box
A sorted box of pony beads, letter beads and cord, in a storage case with compartments. Bead kits run out. A big box doesn’t, at least not for a while. Keep beads away from under-3s.
12. An Embroidery Starter Set
A hoop, some plain cotton, colored thread and a blunt needle. Pre-printed designs help for the first few. A good one for 8 and up.
13. A Felt Sewing Kit
Sew-your-own felt animals with pre-punched holes are a gentle first step into sewing for kids around 6 to 8.
14. A Kids’ Sewing Machine
For a 10-year-old who’s outgrown hand sewing, a small beginner machine (Janome’s Sew Mini is a popular one) can be a big hit. It’s still a machine with a needle, so set it up together and stay close for the first few projects.
Gifts for Kids Who Love Crafts Paper
15. Origami Paper and a Book
A thick pack of patterned origami paper plus a beginner book. Paper cranes, boxes, jumping frogs. Very cheap, and it keeps kids busy for ages.
16. Good Scissors
Kids’ scissors that actually cut, like Fiskars, plus a pair of pattern-edged scissors (zigzag and scallop). It’s a small gift, but crafty kids notice the difference straight away.
17. Craft Punches
Punches that cut out stars, hearts or snowflakes in one press. They’re great for cards and scrapbooks, and they’re the sort of thing kids won’t buy themselves.
18. Washi Tape
A set of patterned paper tapes. Kids use it on cards, journals, gift wrap and their bedroom door. It tears by hand, so no scissors needed.
Craft Tools and Storage
19. A Rolling Craft Cart
A three-tier cart on wheels (IKEA’s RÅSKOG is a favorite) gives all the supplies a home that can be wheeled away at bedtime. For more ideas, see our kids’ craft room storage ideas.
20. A Low-Temperature Glue Gun
For kids 9 and up, a mini low-temp glue gun opens up loads of projects. It still gets warm, so set some ground rules and stay close the first few times.
21. A Cutting Mat and Ruler
A self-healing cutting mat and a metal ruler are a grown-up-feeling gift for older kids doing more precise paper crafts.
22. An Art Display Frame
The kind of frame that opens at the front so you can swap in new artwork. It gets the best pictures off the fridge and onto the wall, and kids love seeing their work framed.
Craft Experiences
23. A Pottery Painting Voucher
Most towns have a paint-your-own-pottery studio. Kids pick a mug or a plate, paint it, and collect it a week later after it’s been fired.
24. A Craft Class or Workshop
Craft stores, libraries and community centers often run kids’ sessions in the school holidays. Check what’s near you. It’s a present that gets them out of the house, too.
25. A Craft Date Coupon
Print our free craft coupon (it’s in the gift pack below), fill it in, and promise an afternoon of making something together. It costs nothing, and for a lot of kids it’s the gift they remember.
A Free Homemade Gift for Kids Who Love Crafts
Want to make the present yourself? Our free DIY Craft Kit Gift Pack turns a box of basic supplies into a homemade craft kit. It has supply lists for each age, box labels, project cards, gift tags and the craft coupon. It’s a thoughtful gift for kids who love crafts, and it’s cheaper than most shop kits.
We can’t promise which of these will be the hit on Christmas morning. Quite often, though, it’s the simplest one.
Download the Free Printable
⬇ Download PDF (Free)More Gift Ideas
- Best craft kits for kids by age
- Christmas crafts for kids (25 ideas with templates)
- Christmas ornaments for kids to make
- Best printer for printables
FAQs
What do you get a kid who loves crafts?
Think about what they love doing most. Paint pens or a light box for drawers, an easel or watercolors for painters, a bead box or sewing kit for makers, and origami paper or craft punches for paper lovers.
What are good gifts for kids who love to draw?
Paint pens, a proper sketchbook, an all-in-one art case, a tracing light box or a how-to-draw book.
What’s a good craft gift for a 10-year-old?
An embroidery set, a beginner sewing machine, a low-temp glue gun or a pottery painting voucher.
Are experiences good gifts for crafty kids?
Yes. A pottery painting session or a holiday workshop gives them something new to try, and nothing extra to store.
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