Jeff McRitchie

Six Do-It-Yourself Stocking Stuffers for Kids

Holidays make for a busy time of year. Between gift exchanges, Christmas parties, Holiday concerts and more, who has time for shopping? But before you know it the kids will be out of school and you will be attempting to entertain them while trying to get everything done. Here is a list of stocking stuffers your kids can make with little help from you.

Holidays make for a busy time of year. Between gift exchanges, Christmas parties, Holiday concerts and more, who has time for shopping? But before you know it the kids will be out of school and you'll be attempting to entertain them while trying to get everything done. Here is a list of stocking stuffers your kids can make with little help from you.

1. Bookmarks. Your mailbox is probably full of Christmas catalogs and magazines. Let your children look through these and find pictures they like. Give them bookmark size strips of paper and glue. Depending on their age, children can cut out their favorite photos and make a collage on the bookmark. Run these through a laminator and you've got a great gift for grandparents. Alternately you can have them choose photos to turn into a bookmark.

2. Magnets. Xyron makes laminators designed to apply adhesive or magnet backing that work without heat by using a hand crank. This makes them perfectly safe for children to use. Save those wallet size school pictures and let your kids turn them into magnets. Far away family will love seeing those little reminders of your children on their refrigerator.

3. Stickers. The same machine that can make magnets also makes stickers. You can choose between permanent and repositionable adhesive. These are a great gift for scrapbookers, teachers, and moms. Simply let your little ones choose fun items and use a sticker maker to add adhesive. Then trim off the excess and slip them into stockings. The Xyron Create-A-Sticker devices range from 1.5" up to 5" models and cost less than $30. However, for a little bit more money you can get the Creative Station 510, which will apply laminate, magnetic, and adhesive backings.

4. Gift Tags. Last year's Christmas cards can be cut and turned into gift tags to attach on presents. After the tag is cut out, punch a hole in the corner and tie it on with ribbon. Or use a laminator to make it into a sticker and adhere it to the package that way. Kids can have fun choosing which part of the card would make the best tag.

5. Journal Tags. This is for the scrapbooker in your family. Using a rotary trimmer, older children can trim paper scraps or old cards into smaller labels. Mount these onto cardstock and slip them into the stocking of a "scrapper." They can use them in their scrapbook to document events or label pictures. These don't have to be Holiday related.

6. Gift Coupons. Children often come home from school with little booklets for parents containing coupons to be redeemed. These can be things such as "Good for Cleaning My Room without complaining" or "One extra chore." Get some perforated paper and your child can create some of these for their siblings, parents, grandparents, and other relatives. Letter size 24lb perforated paper is perfect for this because it tears easily into three long strips and offers a thicker weight than standard printer paper. Other examples of coupons are "Good for walking the dog," "One free pet sitting," or "One free night of babysitting." These are fun because your child can tailor the coupons to their abilities and likes. After the coupons are made, punch a hole in the side and tie them together with some fun ribbon, then slide into stockings.

Depending on your child's age, they can potentially make these crafts with little or no help from you, leaving you to finish up your own Christmas preparations. Good luck and happy crafting!

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