Gifts

With Father’s Day right around the corner, so we’ve been thinking about easy-to-make gifts for Dads that you can make with your kids.  While plenty of dads might be pleased with gifts like a lap top case or a traditional tie, wouldn’t they love something handmade from their kids even more? After all, it’s the thought that counts, not how much you spend, right?

Crafting up the perfect Father’s Day gift is easier (and often cheaper) than you think.  Check out some of these ideas!

Desk Organizer for Dad

Help Dad sort office supplies in style with this neat desk organizer.

What You Need:

• 3 aluminum cans
• DecoArt no-prep metal paint (3 colors)
• Sponge brushes
• Dishwashing glove (optional)
• Colored rubber bands
• 3 metal-rimmed tags
• Crayons
• 2 small binder clips

Directions:

1. Paint 3 empty aluminum cans with no-prep metal paint; set aside to dry. (Make it clean and easy by wearing a dishwashing glove to hold the can while your child paints.)

2. Stretch colored rubber bands around the body of each can. Crisscross them for a more abstract look, or follow the can’s grooves to create evenly spaced stripes.

3. Let your child write d-a-d, one letter per tag. Loop a rubber band through the hole and wrap it around the can. Use binder clips to hold the cans together.

Dad Rocks Salt Dough Personalized Paperweight

Rock, fabric, scissors and — craft! Turn a stone from the yard into a personalized paperweight for Dad.

What you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water
• bowl
• cookie sheet
• 1/2 cup pea gravel

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. Mix flour, salt and water together in a bowl. If dough is too sticky add small amounts of flour until it is doughy and pliable. Be careful not to add too much as the dough will dry out and your creation will crack.

3. Shape a piece of the dough into a ball in your hands. Place the ball on the cookie sheet and flatten to about 1/2″ thickness.

4. Carefully select pieces of pea gravel to spell out “DAD ROCKS”. Press them firmly but gently into the salt dough.

5. Bake your paperweight for 2-2.5 hours until completely dry.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before handling or removing from cookie sheet.

Optional: You can spray your creation with acrylic sealer or paint it with a clear coat sealer.

Peekaboo Letters Father’s Day Card

What you’ll need:

• 2 pieces of cardstock or construction paper (colors do not have to match)
• 3 different colored or patterned papers (or have kids color white paper with markers or crayons)
• Scissors
• White craft glue
• Craft knife

Directions:

1. Choose which piece of cardstock will be your card and fold it in half.

2. Use a pencil to write the letters D A D in block letters down the front of the card diagonally.

3. Open the card and place it on a cutting board. Have an adult use a craft knife to carefully trace the outline of the letters and gently pop them out of the card. Set the pop out pieces aside, do not discard.

4. Place the card on the work surface so that the front of the card is facing up. Hold the patterned papers under the card cover to help you decide which patterns to use for each letter. Once you have decided, glue them in place, checking the front to make sure they look good. You may need to trim your patterned paper in certain spots if the overlap.

5. Open the card and lay it flat so that the front if now facing down onto the work surface. Take the second piece of cardstock and trim it to fit onto the inside of the card. This will hide the patterned papers from view when the card is opened. Glue it in place.

6. Position the card with the front facing up again. Take the pop outs from the letters and trim out the center piece of the D’s and the A. Glue them on the front of the card in the appropriate places.

7. Allow your card to dry them write a nice message for dad inside!

What will your kids be making dad for Father’s Day? – Cute Beltz