There seems to be a mini baby boom happening; instead of wedding season, there are now baby showers and birthday parties all year long! The good news is that there are cooler handmade and creative gifts for babies and kids around than ever before. Here are a few of the things that have caught my eye.
Wool Whale from Viola Studio $29
I love the simple shapes and bright colors of the plush animals made from upcycled wool sweaters at Viola Studio, from the awesome chevron pattern on this whale, to monochrome elephants and puppies, to the riotous patterns of the Bandit Skunk. I want one of each; what kid wouldn’t??
Personalized Super Hero Towel $40
I love the awesome kid towels from Yikes Twins. From infant-sized duckies to purple one-eyed monsters to masked superheroes, your kid will never throw in the towel again. As the maker says, “because getting clean should be just as much fun as getting dirty!”
Eye Can Art Kit $24
Fellow Craft blogger Rachel Hobson raved about the Eye Can Art kit a few years ago on the blog, and they’ve been a huge hit with everyone I’ve given it to since. They totally give kids the tools to make some incredible creative art pieces (the kits come in wax drawing, printmaking, or brush painting versions), and it’s super fun for kids to do with parents or alone.
Lambswool Slippers $30-50
These adorable slippers made from felted sweaters aren’t cheap, but they are worth every penny! I bought a pair in the Tire Swing style for my son and he literally wears them every day. They keep his feet warm in the house, actually stay on, transition to light wear outside (they have leather soles, heels, and toes) and are machine-washable and dryable. Amazing!! Wooly Baby makes them in custom sizes, too, so I’d be tempted to get them for everyone you know, small and large!
Howtoons $16
Howtoons Volume 1: The Web Material $10
It’s no secret that we love Howtoons here at Craft; we ran their amazing illustrated “how-toons” in the magazine and still publish one in each issue of MAKE. (Disclaimer: I’m also married to one of the authors :) You can still buy some of the last copies of the Howtoons book (now out of print) from the Maker Shed, or get the self-published volume of shorter Toons from the HT team directly. Fellow editor Laura Cochrane says, “I gave it to my friend’s 8-year-old last Christmas, and he pored through the entire book immediately. He read every word, I think! It really is a great gift, to get kids who are amped up on Christmas candy a place to direct their energy — towards planning to make something.” Enough said!
Ermine Hat $39
I adore the felt-and-fleece wild animal hats from Naturally Crafty. Not only are they “bomb-proof,” warm, and cute as a button, they come in a myriad of styles so the kid you know can look like the wild animal they really are.
Chic Design Desk Set Giveaway
Creative Hands kits for kids let them engage in creative play that teaches as they make. Until December 10th, they’re having a giveaway for their Chic Design Desk Set; just add a comment to their blog post about it! This kit allows kids to personalize the decorations for their desk, from notebooks to picture frames, so they can feel invested in their work space.
Mini Monsters Kit $22
The mini monsters on the cover of Craft, Volume 06, were so popular that we created a kit! It uses the tutorial from the magazine, but each kit is unique: they include full-color printed instructions, a page of bonus monster patterns, two pieces of fabric, bamboo stuffing, decorative felt and yarn, and one fill-in-the-blank monster personality profile. These are super fun to make; an older kid can jump right in themselves, and younger kids will love making one with you.
In the Maker Shed:
Want more? Stop by the Make Shed. We’ve got all sorts of great holiday gift ideas: Arduino & Arduino accessories, electronic kits, science kits, smart stuff for kids, back issues of MAKE & CRAFT, box sets, books, robots, kits from Japan and more.
Holiday Shipping Deadlines in December:
15 (Wed) – Postal shipping deadline
14 (Mon) – Ground shipping deadline
18 (Sat) – 3-day shipping deadline
20 (Mon) – 2-day shipping deadline
21 (Tue) – Overnight shipping deadline
*Orders placed after these dates using these shipping methods may arrive on time; however, the dates listed are what we consider likely “safe dates.”
United States Postal Service (USPS):
Due to the high volume of mail that the postal service deals with around the holidays, please order by Dec 15 if you intend to select this method. However, we have had increased reports of packages sent via USPS lost or delayed in transit during this high-volume period. Since we do not replace or refund any order placed using this shipping method, we strongly encourage you not to use this method in December.
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