Toolz, TIA’s very own Elf on the Shelf, had so much fun here last year that he’s back! He has another great list of crafts and projects to help keep his friends busy over winter break.
Last year, Toolz put together a great list of woodworking and craft projects for kids. He has an all-new list this year, and just like last year’s projects, these are fun things to make and do. Kiddos will have fun learning new skills while making some super cool stuff. And best of all, many of these can be given as gifts.
Cardboard Boxes, Friendship Bracelets Galore!
If we saved all our cardboard boxes, over time most of us would have enough to build a small city. Recycling them helps, but it seems such a shame to just toss them out. Toolz wants you to know there are sooooo many fun projects you can use them for. There is a limitless variety of kits with tools, braces, screws, and bolts to create hundreds of things out of those cardboard boxes: forts, airplanes, animals, costumes, and on and on. Below are three favorites, but you can follow this link for more great ideas and supplies.
Elmer’s Build It Tools Starter Set
Toolz used the tools and connectors in this kit to make his house (pictured above). Toolz says he likes this set but wishes the screws were a bit longer.
Amazon Review: This would make a great gift – This was like a great gift for any child that like to build with building blocks and other things like that because you don’t have to buy extra blocks you just have to make sure they have cardboard to make their new projects. You can also buy extra screws if they keep losing theirs.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Makedo Discover Cardboard Construction Toolbox
This kit comes in three sizes; Explore has 50 pieces including two tools, Discover (shown below) has 126 pieces including four tools, and if you really want to help your kiddo build an actual city in their room give them the Invent version. It has 360 pieces including three tools.
Amazon Review: The Coolest Toy I’ve Seen In A Long Time – This open-ended cardboard construction kit is incredibly cool. The screws hold very well and go through many layers. The cutting tools are safe and effective on cardboard. With the amount of boxes we get delivered to our home and business, it is wonderful to have a way to recycle the boxes into something creative!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cardboard Box Engineering
This 176 page book might be Toolz’s favorite. Your child will never look at regular household items the same way again. They will find pages and pages of instructions and diagrams on how to make everything from animatronics to robots, with things found around the house. “STEAM activities, such as the ones featured throughout the text, foster creativity, problem-solving, and teach the value of repurposing items.” They will be introduced to the fields of audio and optical engineering, aeronautics and nautical engineering, mechanical engineering, and energy.
Amazon Review: I really wish I’d had a book like this when I was a kid, and I think any young person who gets their hands on this book is really lucky. Who knows what kind of awesomeness this will inspire? I can’t think of a better way to get kids away from screens and working with their hands, thinking, and inventing. This book might even change the world!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Just like all those cardboard boxes it seems like friendship bracelets are everywhere. Toolz loves all of his! (Did you see them in his profile picture?) So he wanted to make some bracelets to share with all his friends. He’s here to tell you there are not only kits with beads and strings and all the things needed to make bracelets to wear and share, but there are also lots of ways to make paper beads. Two of his favorite kits are below.
Friendship Bracelets Kit
This kit has enough beads to make a bracelet for every relative at the next family holiday party. Toolz thinks grandpa would love a bracelet from his favorite granddaughter. 😉
Amazon Review: Swiftie Fans Will Love This – My 6 year old and I have used this kit to make several bracelets for ourselves and for others. She loves making them for her teachers and comes up with the cutest designs with all of the color options available. There are so many beads and so many different styles you can create. It has a ton of letters and symbols. I will buy again when needed.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Recycled Paper Beads Kit
Toolz likes this kit because it has everything needed to make one-of-a-kind beads for bracelets and necklaces, or even garland. He also likes that you can (re)use old magazines and newspapers to make the beads. And he wants you to know there are lots of other ways to make these paper beads. You can just wrap the cut strips of paper around a toothpick, straw, or wooden skewer, then use paper glue or even nail polish to finish off the beads. Here’s a video on how to make cool paper beads using a straw and some paper glue.
Amazon Review: Easiest recycling project – Easy to use, my students (5th grade) loved it, even the young men were volunteering to make paper beads. It turned out amazing, the whole class was involved. It doesn’t come with a bottle so we used an old 2 liter bottle to attach the roller to. It worked out so well, for being a small attachment it withstood the use we put into it.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Key Chains, Cookies, and Crafts
While Mom and Dad are preparing the family’s Thanksgiving feast, the kids can be making gifts and gift tags for that other holiday that is just around the corner. Toolz would love for some of his Elf on the Shelf cousins to bring these kits before Thanksgiving so everyone can be busy with holiday preparations.
Plush Keychains Making Kit
Amazon Review: Cute and Fun to Make! – This is a really cute craft for kids to make. My 9-year-old daughter was able to read and follow the instructions on how to make this even without me helping at all. She made two out of the three characters up and said she had a lot of fun. These are key chains but can be used as little toy characters by removing the loop that holds the keychain in place. I do notice that the “puffs” can come out easily if they are not put in well enough. The quality seems to be nice and these were a lot of fun for us to do together. The instructions were clear and everything was easy to figure out!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cross Stitching Keyrings Kit
We love when kids are having fun and learning, and this kit delivers both. Kids will begin to learn how to cross stitch plus improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Amazon Review: Fun and Excellent Motor Skills Tool – I bought this for my 5 year old boy and we worked on it last night. It is a good challenge for him and was a lot of fun creating something. He had to use his thinking and motor skills for it. We worked on the unicorn pillow and the bunny key chain. First thing he said this morning was that he wanted to cross stitch! I’d say that is a win. It reminds me of working on a cross stitch picture when I was very young.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Sewing Keyring Kit for Kids
This kit makes six adorable keychains that kids can keep or give as gifts. Toolz says they will be having so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning basic sewing skills as well.
Amazon Review – Fun – Soft – Easy – What a great introduction to sewing for little hands! I had a blast doing these with my grand girls (ages 4 & 6). The instructions were super easy to follow, everything was included even the fluff to stuff inside. The needles are large with a big eye so it’s easy for them to put the thread through. You have the back portion and the fur-like cutouts both have holes. All you do it line them up and start sewing! There are several dog and cat patterns to choose from, so this kit has allowed us to spend special visits doing these more often. The 2 yr old also helped in doing one of the cats, which I had her pulling the needle on each pass. She loved it! The features are stickers made with felt toppings, perfect for the eyes, nose, ears, etc. This project with the girls took about an hour, what great memories!
Where to Buy: Amazon
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Modeling Clay Arts & Crafts Kit
Most of us grew up with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC as the best known source for all things nature and environment. So when we saw this all-in-one air-dry pottery kit from NG, we had to check it out. The kit can make five holiday ornaments AND four leaf shaped dishes. And not only will kids learn the fundamentals of air-dry pottery making, with the included full-color Learning Guide, they will learn what clay is, the history of clay pottery, and the many ways cultures have used clay over time.
Amazon Review: High quality kit–after painting the clay items really look great! – This kit was actually pretty impressive. My seven year old made an acorn ornament that looked okay but then once he painted it with the included paints it looked just really good–significantly better than I expected. We used our normal kitchen rolling pin to squish the clay down, but other than that everything else we needed was included in the kit. He’s successfully made two acorns, but the tree cracked in half…now full disclosure, my seven year old was handling the tree when it broke and I don’t think it was completely dry at the time.
There is enough clay included with the kit to make a ton of ornaments/trays and there is also plenty of high quality paint. For the price ($17) I think this is a really good activity for an artsy child.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Cookie Cutters for Everything!
We love this set because it has shapes for the whole year, not just the holidays. You can make some traditional sugar cookies to decorate, follow this recipe to make cinnamon applesauce ornaments, or use these with the clay and markers in the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Modeling Clay Arts and Crafts Kit shown above. Or all three ways for endless projects of gifts, gift tags, and goodies.
Amazon Review: Love the selection – I was a little iffy on them since they are plastic but they work surprisingly really good. They feel fairly sturdy. I love the selection of different cookie cutters. Something for every occasion. Definitely makes making cookies more fun. I’ve been looking around for cookie cutters for a while. Lots were pretty expensive with only a few. Happy I found these!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Elf on The Shelf Baker Outfit
Imagine how great Toolz would look baking cookies with this baking set.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Christmas Tree Ornament Decorating Kit
All of the BIG kids here at TIA asked Toolz to bring us one of these the next time he visits. This looks like too much fun.
Amazon Review: Great Fun for Busy Little Hands! – Purchased as a pre-Xmas gift for the 5 & 6 year old to decorate their Xmas tree. It is one of their holiday highlights! I know they will enjoy decorating their own ornaments!! So fun!! Bet Mom and Dad get involved, too!! Even ordered the extra ornaments. All parts seem to be sturdy and are lightweight. Kit is complete with ornaments, markers and the spinning machine. Can’t wait to see the completed works of art, on the tree!!
Where to Buy: Amazon
Wind Chime Kits- Arts and Crafts for Kids
Toolz really hit the mark on this one. This kit will make three gifts that can be enjoyed year-round. Gift for grandma … check. Teacher’s gift … check. Gift for Auntie Sally … check.
Amazon Review: So much better than I expected. – You get three wind chimes, plenty of paint. This was a great craft project for my 10 year old grandsons to make as gifts. They did need help putting the chimes together, which made for a very pleasant family time.
Where to Buy: Amazon
3D String Light Kit
We think you should get two or three of these sets because every kid that makes them will want to keep them for their room. You’ll need some extras if the kids want to give a few away as gifts.
Amazon Review: So fun! – This is really one of the cooler at home art projects for kids. Such a fun process and my daughter and I both had a great time using it!
Where to Buy: Amazon
3Doodler Start+ Essentials (2024) 3D Pen Set for Kids
3-D printing technology is everywhere. This safe (no hot parts) 3-D printing pen will be your kid’s introduction to this technology. “Cut back on children’s screen time with 3Doodler Start+ and let them enjoy hours of play and learning as they make real-world connections to a variety of STEM concepts in a matter of seconds.”
Amazon Review: 3-D doodler set – Absolutely awesome gift for kids ages five through 12. Kids can use this to create 3-D artwork. It is a great price but the refill can get costly. It certainly keeps kids entertained that is fun to use. Many kids may start in their stem labs or maker space.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Toolz Loves Tools
Toolz could only carry the Toywoo Toolbox today, but he says he really loves the Toywoo Tool Bench he has at home.
Toywoo Tool Bench
Amazon Review: Just buy it!!! – We’re totally in love with this work bench. We also bought the toolbox (for more screws etc) and it’s a total fit. Our little one (1year) just loves it. Every day he’s playing with it and improving his (fine) motor skills. It’s well made and easy to assemble. Yes, the wood‘s not that hard and you see scratches very fast BUT it’s a work bench so it needs scratches to show that your working on it and in the end we won’t inherit it to our grandchildren… ? Absolutely recommend it!!!
Where to Buy: Amazon
For kids big enough to use “real” tools, Toolz says give them the book and some real tools. They’ll spend hours learning basic woodworking skills. And maybe even make a few great gifts with these tools and some lumber.
Yougfin Drill Sets Power Tool Combo Kit
Amazon Review: Powerful, Precise, and Perfect for Every DIY Project – I am positively impressed with this electric drill set! The 18+1 clutch settings and torque control offer excellent precision for all my drilling needs, whether it’s for larger fasteners or delicate tasks. The two-speed settings allow me to tackle various projects without worrying about damaging surfaces. The battery life is fantastic, and the fast charger ensures I’m never stuck waiting around. The ergonomic design makes it comfortable to use, even for extended periods, and the LED light is a game-changer for working in dim corners. Plus, the 195-piece tool kit is incredibly comprehensive—everything I need is right at my fingertips. Highly recommend this for any DIY lover.
Where to Buy: Amazon
And if you have a really serious woodworker on your Christmas list, now is a great time to check out all the tools and tool sets on sale at The Home Depot.
ONE+ 18V Cordless 6-Tool Combo Kit with 1.5 Ah and 4.0 Ah Batteries, Charger, and 65-Piece Drill and Impact Drive Kit
Where to Buy: The Home Depot – On Sale for $218.97 – Save $105 (32%)
RYOBI also has an extensive line of tools for hobbyists and crafters. These would make great gifts, some are on sale now. TIA and Toolz will keep you posted on any great holiday deals we find at The Home Depot.
Truck Engine Toy – Perfect for STEM Learning
The world needs more great mechanics. Do you have a budding mechanic on your Christmas list? If so, they’ll love “fixing” this school bus (there is a fire truck option as well). “Kids can open the engine cover, remove and rebuild engine parts, and use the oil dipstick for an authentic experience in checking oil levels.”
Amazon Review: Cute – Very cute great quality. Got it for my son who loves to watch his dad work on his car. Thought it would be cute to give him something he can “work” on while he’s outside with him. Very interactive and lots of fun. Worth the price.
Where to Buy: Amazon
Toolz Extra Tips
During Toolz’s visit to the TIA workshop he gave us a great tip for when it’s hard to get him into all those crazy positions and spaces every night. He says this Elf Flex will help him be much more flexible, bendable, and cooperative. He doesn’t mean to be difficult, and after all who couldn’t use a little help now and then?
Along with all these great ideas Toolz had a few more things to share with us. He told us that his Elf on the Shelf family has an official website, elfontheshelf.com. On the website you’ll find the rules (who knew?) for Elf on the Shelf as well as more great ideas, props, and games. There are also tons of ideas and props on Amazon.
Toolz says he’d love to hear if any of his Elf on the Shelf cousins bring these this year and he wishes everyone happy and healthy holidays.
 had so much fun here last year that he's back! He has another great list of crafts and projects to keep his friends busy over winter break. He shares his ideas for great things for kids to do. They'll be leaning new skills and maybe making a gift or two!){kind=link}