Gift Ideas: 12 DIY Play Kits For Kids

Looking for a gift that’s a little bit different this time around? Something that’s a little outside the box? Here are 12 totally unique DIY gifts that encourage all kinds of play, creativity and exploration.

DIY Art Kit

DIY Art Kit  - The perfect gift for the little artist in your life! An awesome book full of open-ended art activities and individual bags filled with all of the required materials for a few select projects from the book. Nothing better than having everything you need ready to go when the urge to create art strikes!

Dinosaur Dough Kit

Dinosaur Dough Kit - Play dough paired with loose parts? A match made in heaven! Play dough kits are a go-to in our house because they truly span the ages and encourage all kinds of creativity and imaginative play. This dinosaur one is always a hit, but you can pick anything theme, colour your dough to match and collect some coordinating loose parts. (Check out some of our other play dough kits here).  And if the recipient loves play dough but is a little bit too young for a bunch of loose parts? Simplify and create a simple play dough kit with just the basics — dough, rolling pins and cookie cutters!

Tackle Box Craft

Tackle Box Craft Kit - A fishing kit turned epic craft kit! Any little crafter is bound to love a personal selection of craft supplies all bundled up in a case that he or she can stow away or take on the go. Let the crafting begin!

Little Chef's Baking Kit

Little Chef’s Baking Kit - What does every little chef need? Why, a baking kit of their very own, of course! Pick out a kid-sized apron you know they will love and build a collection of baking supplies from there. Include a few recipe cards and a blank cookbook for your little chef to record the recipes he creates to take it to the next level.

Portable Car Play Kit

Portable Car Play Kit - Need a gift for a little car lover? Turn an old-school lunchbox into a portable play kit with a little collection of matchbox cars and a placemat turned roadway and they will never be left without cars to play with!

DIY Science Kit

DIY Science Kit - Have a budding scientist on your list? A really great science experiment book paired with a bin full of the book's most frequently required materials makes for a fantastic gift! Finish it off with a pair of safety goggles and a magnifying glass just for fun.

Portable Lego Kit

Portable LEGO Kit - Oh, Lego…You really can’t go wrong, can you? It’s just timeless. If you’ve got a little Lego lover in your life, grab a metal lunchbox, a bin of Lego, and create this portable kit for Lego play-on-the-go.

Sensory Play Kit

Sensory Play Kit - The ultimate gift for little ones who are safely out of the put-everything-in-their-mouth stage! Sensory play stimulates a child’s senses while encouraging them to explore, investigate, and create and a kit like this one is bound to bring about hours of open-ended play.

Create Your Own Family Peg Doll Kit

Create Your Own Family Peg Doll Kit - A lovely gift that is not only a fun project, but an amazing keepsake too. Include a unfinished wooden peg doll for each of the recipients immediate family members, plus supplies to decorate them. Packaging everything up in a little wooden house means that they will have a beautiful way of displaying the wooden dolls afterwards.

Inventing Kit

Inventing Kit - Have a little one who loves rescuing items from the recycling bin to turn them into something awesome? Put together a collection of creating and constructing items so they have everything they need organized and in one place when the urge to invent strikes! A couple of really great inspirational books make a nice addition too.

Colour Exploration Kit

Colour Exploration Kit - Is there anything as magical as colour mixing when you’re a kid? Nope! Create an amazing colour exploration kit by including play dough, coloured vinegar, paint and anything else you can round up in primary colours. Include your favourite colour theory book for inspiration.

Portable Activity Binder

Portable Activity Binder - In search of a gift for a little traveller? A binder full of simple but engaging activities in individual pouches is not only fantastic on a plane, but also at the little one’s destination. Customize the activities to the child’s age and interests and you’ve got a winner! (See more portable activity kit ideas here and here.)

Happy gifiting!