need homemade Christmas gifts that 8 and 6 year old boys can make

[ProudGrandma]

for grandpa's and uncles? My daughter is making stuff too (bath salts, tea towels, and kitchen scrubbies) but I can't seem ot come up with ideas that my boys and their dad can make...

 

any ideas????

[Chris in VA]

Chex Mix! Uncles love the stuff.

Puppy Chow candy is good, too--

 

Or how about a squirrel feeder--I think it's just a couple of boards nailed at a right angle with another big nail sticking up--you put an ear of corn on the nail.

[A.J. at J.A.]

There is another link that gives some great ideas:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222082

 

Here is what I just posted there that my boys did when they were your sons' ages:

 

We did decoupage clipboards a couple years ago for all the grandparents and aunts/uncles and they were a BIG hit! We put on pictures of the boys with the person along with snippets of paper where the boys had written things they loved about the person or things they liked doing with them. It was very well received and fairly easy to do.

 

1. paint clipboard (tape whatever you don't want painted)

2. decoupage a decorative paper on the front side (in case they ever really want to use it as a clipboard it won't provide a bumpy surface

3. decoupage pictures and snippets of thoughts onto the backside along with stickers or lettering for their "name", ie, Grandma.

 

I'll try to attach a picture.

 

Blessings,

Angela

[A.J. at J.A.]

I just remembered - another year we made marshmallow shooter guns for all the uncles/grandpas. We made them and then painted them cool colors with that krylon paint that works on plastic.

 

I'll try to find a link for the directions we used - they were awesome.

 

This looks like a good link for directions: http://www.familycapers.com/projects/marshmallow/MarshmallowShooter.pdf

 

Blessings,

Angela

Edited November 4, 2010 by A.J. at J.A.

[ProudGrandma]

thanks for the ideas.

[scrapbookbuzz]

Pancake basket! What I mean is, put in a "manly" basket (you know, rustic looking), all the ingredients necessary for making pancakes:

 

*pancake mix

*syrup

*spatula (for flipping flapjacks)

*maybe a humorous apron or chef's hat

*paper plates

*paper napkins

*coffee

 

Just a thought! :^)

[scrapbookbuzz]

I know it's not exactly "homemade" homemade but it's easy to do and not very messy, for you! :^)

[eternalknot]

Do you have a working video camera? My son and nephews like to make videos. You could do an impersonation, or a This Is Your Life or similar video. Tapes aren't too pricey if you shop around, but you could even get away with doing it all on the computer (many free programs available) then just burning CDs to give away.

 

In that vein, mix tapes. I know, so bad-1980s-boyfriend vibe LOL, but my nephew makes mix tapes for his cousins. We have an awesome CD collection (so does our library) and he chooses 5-10 songs that he thinks they'll like (or that remind him of them) to burn onto the CD (using the computer). He designs an insert and cover, too. Good way to work with an adult, learn something new, and expose people to different music.

 

This year my 5 and 10 year olds are using some computer program (paint? word? I don't even know, they just bring me their finished product) to design tee-shirts for their cousins. I bought them an inexpensive pack of ink jet tee-shirt transfers at the office supply store, and we'll get some decent plain ringer tees. The kids print their design onto the transfer paper, then we'll put it onto the tees. Could work for uncles, ... either joke sayings or clip art or pictures of interest.

 

What are the uncles "into" ...? My one brother is into himself ::sigh:: so homemade pomade or gel would be a welcome gift. Another brother is into sports, and my kids have helped make him a variety of things (wooden rack for his caps, shelf for his trophies, pvc and netted soccer goal for his soccer team).

 

What about some rockets? Make one for each male, then have fun shooting them off sometime during your holiday celebration?

 

I just remembered - another year we made marshmallow shooter guns for all the uncles/grandpas.

 

:001_smile: Thanks for that. I hadn't planned on doing anything this year, but I know my kids would love making these ... and my brothers would love to receive them.

[ProudGrandma]

thanks these are all great ideas!!

[NanceXToo]

"rustic" photo frames made out of twigs bundled together and tied at the corners, with a photo hot glued to the back of it? Little decorations can be hot glued to the front too if desired.