10 Awesome Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids
10 Awesome Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids that won’t break the bank!
So many people spend gobs and gobs of money at Christmas (or the Holidays in general) because they feel they have to get the biggest and best gifts for their kids. I strongly believe that isn’t true!
Kids truly just love getting anything – think about the cheap little toys they get from school treasure boxes or from the dentist or even at fast food restaurants. Those are items that will likely break within 24 hours, and yet they are super happy to get them!
It is our goal to help you save money will still having a super fun Christmas with your family! Instead of buying the brand new video game system or tablet, check out these 10 Christmas gift ideas for kids that we have used with huge success! Warning, there gift ideas are geared for kids ages 11 or 12 and younger.
If you also need some meaningful and affordable Christmas gift ideas for the adults in your life, check out these ideas! Also, if you’re looking for STEM gift ideas for kids, we have you covered!
1) Kid-friendly decor for their rooms
Think glow in the dark stars, hanging planets, and colorful themed wall decals. My kids LOVE these and have crazy amounts of fun designing their rooms themselves!! There are so many choices available, so you can definitely find something that your kids will love!
The decals can be moved and reused again and again (we’ve tested it!). I love that this is interactive and fun for them without requiring batteries or an electronic device. For $12 or less, it can’t be beat! 🙂
2) Pajamas
I’ve been told that it sounds corny, and I know a lot of families that do this for Christmas Eve. However, I always do it for Christmas Day – it is so exciting for the kids to open up new pajamas. Pick their favorite characters or get them footie pajamas or even flannels – it’s a hit! Plus, our family tends to be very relaxed on Christmas Day, spending most of the day in our comfy clothes – so our kids wear their new pajamas all day!
3) Journal
Kids love this…especially if it has a lock and key with it! My kids begged and begged for one of these, and once they finally got one, they were glued to it. I loved their enthusiasm AND their total dedication to writing and reading in order to use the journal!
I also use this as a tool for them by encouraging them to write about what happened in their day, what they are grateful for, and what is upsetting them. Incorporating a journal (for usually $10 or less) as a loved tool that helps them deal with and enjoy life…priceless!
4) A card game…or two
Card games can provide hours upon hours of endless fun. We love everything from simple games like Uno and Phase 10 to War to very complex games like Hearts and Texas Hold ’em Poker. And we play these games often 🙂 I am thrilled that my kids will play and even beg for card games. In this current age of technology everywhere, I feel like this is a great pastime to hand down to our kids. It makes them use their brains, and they are having so much fun that they don’t even realize it! And what’s even better? These games are typically under $10 (some are around $5)!
5) A globe
I love incorporating fun with learning – I have found that works best with my kids. Seriously, how many kids are willing to just sit at a table recite endless boring information? Not mine, at least!
A few years ago, we got our kids a globe that has geographical games on it. It even plugs into the wall outlet and does fun geography games. They get fun little quizzes and while competing with each other on who knows the most (and learning at the same time). It’s great (and fun to watch them compete to see who knows the most)!
6) Personalized book
My sister and her husband gave each of my boys a personalized book a couple of years ago. What a great idea! My boys love having a book with their name in it as the main character, and they still pull it out and read it once every couple of weeks or so.
Dinkleboo has some great books to choose from as well as a huge selection of other personalized gift ideas!
7) Personalized name puzzle
I got one of these as a kid, and I still have it. I also gave one to each of my kids when they were little. Now, these puzzles are part of their bedrooms and help add some personality to their rooms. My kids love having it just as much as I did – it’s fun to have something with your own name in it! Plus, the puzzle aspect – the ability to take apart and put back together time and time again is half the fun!
There are many variations of name puzzles, but this interlocking letter style is my favorite.
8) A fun adventure
Some families want to focus less on giving material gifts (I totally understand – each year we try to do that a little more for our family).
If this is you, consider taking the kids to go do something super fun…play laser tag, go bowling, roller skating, rock climbing, a ropes course, skiing, an indoor amusement park (or indoor water park such as the Great Wolf Lodge). Maybe even a play (we are starting a tradition of going to see a Christmas play together – this year it’s A Christmas Carol), family comedy show, or a concert.
The possibilities are endless, and this idea can range from dirt cheap to fairly expensive, depending on your budget. The most important part of this idea is the time spent together making memories – not the activity or the cost.
9) A musical instrument (or karaoke box)
Give the gift of music! I believe this is a gift that keeps giving. Most kids love music. We gave our kids a keyboard, and they LOVE it! I love that they spend hours experimenting with it and playing it…now it’s time to really learn how to play music (lessons in their future, perhaps?)!
We also have a karaoke machine. I was completely resistant to the idea of them having one at first, but I am so glad I gave in! This is another item that keeps them busy for hours just singing and having a dance party. Keep your eyes out for deals, as these items can range in price and become expensive. However, deals are out there, if you are patient!
10) Make tie-dye t-shirts, dresses, long sleeve shirts or even bags
They are fun, colorful and cheap! My kids absolutely love the ones they made a couple of years ago! This can be done ahead of time and put under the tree so the kids can unwrap them. Or another option is to give them the kit (a shirt and they dyes, etc) and do it all together. I am a huge fan of making memories together 🙂
You can find blank white t-shirts and canvas bags of various sizes for low prices at your local craft store. Shirts range in price from $2-$5 or so. Canvas bags can cost about $2-$10, depending on the size of the bag.
Start Now to Save Money
By making a plan ahead of time and setting a budget, you can effectively save a lot of money on your holiday shopping this year! Take advantage of the great deals between now and then to help you stay on track.
Please tell us in the comments: what are creative and frugal gifts that you have given your kids?
My children would especially love that globe! They play with our normal globe all the time. If they had one of their own that plugs in and plays geography games with them, they would be so happy! Thanks for the tip!
Hi April! I cannot tell you how many hours my kids have spent playing with their globe – and how much better they are at geography than I am without even realizing they were learning something! I hope your kids enjoy it!
I never would have thought of making tie dye items! That would be so fun to do with my kids to make for their friends or club members. Thank you!
Hi Heather and Lisa – popping in from the #HomeMattersParty to see what’s going on here at Made in a Pinch . . . and I love all of these ideas for Christmas gifts. Thanks so much for sharing at the party! I’ll be looking for you guys next week at the #HomeMattersParty ;o) Nina @ Vintage Mama’s Cottage
This is such a great post! I’d never considered these gifts, every year I just follow what’s been written on the letter to Father Christmas, but this year they are absolutely getting some of these. I love the globe and personlised jigsaw ones the best. Thank you for the inspiration!
You are welcome, Alice! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope that your kids enjoy the gifts!!
I would still like some of these gifts and I’m an adult! lol
These are great ideas, I can’t wait to try some of them. The cool thing is that you can make personalized journals using a sewing machine. You can even add a lock with key on the cover! They can decorate their own journals using paint, or crayons and markers. Then, you can add a bookmark with a dangle on the end! That way the child feels like their journal is completely there and you are just buying the supplies to make the kid happy for weeks, months, or years!
Oooooo, what a FUN idea, Christa! Unfortunately, at this point, I’m not talented enough with sewing or a sewing machine to accomplish that myself, but I’m LOVING the idea and the picture I just got in my head! And I completely agree that kids love to feel like their “thing” (journal, etc) is unique and theirs only. Thank you so much for sharing!
i love christmas!
great ideas