DIY Father’s Day gifts are always so special, especially from the youngest kids. (Once we hit voting age or so, those handprint mugs just don’t really cut it in the same way, huh.) So for our next installment of our 2016 Father’s Day Gift Guide, we’ve put together two dozen of the most creative, sweet DIY Father’s Day gifts including crafts, cards, and printables — some new and some favorites from years past.

We hope these become treasured keepsakes in your family. Except maybe the food ideas. Those we’d suggest you don’t treasure or keep for too long.

 

More Father’s Day Gift Guide Posts:

*13 awesome Father’s Day gifts for dads who love camping

*13 of the coolest personalized Father’s Day gifts

*22 fantastic Father’s Day gifts under $25

 

Simple DIY photo gift tags for Father's Day via Bloom Designs

1. Simple DIY Photo Gift Tags

We often describe ways to make a store-bought gift or tech gift more personal, and we think this lovely idea from Bloom Designs Online does the trick. Click over for the simple instructions — don’t you love the result in black-and-white?

 

DIY key chain for dad | Tutorial via Hello Bee

2. DIY Father’s Day Key Chain

If he’d prefer a DIY Father’s Day key chain made by the kids to one made by a big store, this tutorial at Hello Bee may be just the thing. And it’s easy!

 

DIY Photo bookmark tutorial for dad: So awesome! | via Nearly Crafty

3. DIY photo bookmarks

We are so charmed by this sweet photo bookmark craft from Nearly Crafty — who seems pretty darn crafty to us. Click over for the simple instructions.

 

DIY Father's Day gifts: A plant with these free printable

4. A Small Succulent with a Free Printable Father’s Day Thank You Tags

We saw this neat idea from Anders Ruff on the Cool Mom Eats roundup of free printables for food gifts and realized it’s a perfect message for dads, and not just teachers. After all, dads definitely help us grow too. Let the kids pick the plant, plant it, and decorate the pot too. He’ll love it.

 

Make a DIY donut "cake" and top with your own handmade cake topper | via Oh Happy Day

5. DIY Donut “Cake” with Handmade Dad Cake toppers 

Homemade food gifts for Father’s Day are always welcome, and we loooove this DIY donut “cake” spotted at Oh Happy Day, right along with the fun cake topper that kids can make themselves with just a wee bit of help.

 

DIY Father's Day gifts from the kids: Easy Gold medals | Tutorial at And we Play

6. DIY Father’s Day Olympic Gold Medals

Last year we shared 20 fantastic DIY Father’s Day gifts that included these easy DIY medals from And We Play. With the Rio Olympics coming up, it’s the perfect timing to let younger kids try their hand at this simple craft.

 

Cool DIY Father's Day gifts: Free Father's Day printable survey via Tiny Me. Beautiful design!

7. Free Printable Father’s Day Survey

Tiny Me always has the coolest printables and freebies, like this survey that allows kids to jot down favorite memories and descriptions of Dad. It would be great framed, or just print and turn into your own DIY card.

 

Printable Father's Day gift cards by Tatertots & Jello | Cool Mom Picks

8. A Jar of His Favorite Childhood Candies with Free Printable Father’s Day Hero Labels

Whether your dad or grandfather has fond memories of Atomic Fireballs, Licorice Allsorts, or Mary Janes and Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews — which are Liz’s dad’s favorites — make it more special with this sweet free printable gift tag from Tater Tots and Jello.  If you don’t have a candy shop near you, you can order from Old Time Candy, which carries 600 varieties of vintage treats sorted by decades and going back to the 1920’s.

Related: 15 of the best free Father’s Day printables from the kids

 

Printable papercraft camera frames on Etsy

9. Printable Papercraft Photo Frames

Last year we found these cool printable frames from Sky Goodies on Etsy. For just $4.99 you have one awesome, semi-homemade Father’s Day gift that really stands out on a desk or night table.

 

DIY Father's Day gifts from the kids: painted softball craft

10. Personalized Softball Craft

Since kids love turning anything into a canvas we love this idea from Melissa Allen for Kiwi Crate that we shared in a cool DIY Father’s Day gift ideas post a few years ago. All you need are some inexpensive softballs and permanent markers. And maybe a stand for display, since he’s unlikely to want to go out and play with this one.

 

DIY decoupage comic frame for dad - so cool! Full tutorial via Anything Except Housework

11. DIY Decoupage Comic Photo Frame Gift

If you really want to do a from-scratch frame for a favorite photo of the kids or special artwork, kids can always decorate a plain frame with stickers, sequins, paints — you name it. But this decoupage vintage comic frame from Anything Except Housework is just awesome. Click over for the really clear, detailed instructions. It’s easier than you think!

 

Free Father's Day printables pack includes wrappers, cupcake/cake toppers, cards -- you name it! Via TinyMe

12. Free Father’s Day printables pack

You’ll find everything here from a very cute tie banner, to candy wrappers, cards, pancake toppers — even a breakfast in bed menu from our friends at Tiny Me. All you have to do is register with them, which you won’t mind because everything they make is so fantastic.

 

Handmade gifts from kids: Embroider a note from your child for a keepsake

13. DIY Embroidered Father’s Day Note from the Kids

Among our roundup of  handmade craft gifts kids can make themselves from a few years back, we’re still huge fans of this amazing keepsake DIY Father’s Day gift spotted at Urban Comfort. We imagine any dad or grandfather would absolutely adore it.

 

How to make your own wood mounted photo art craft for dad | tutorial: Project Nursery

14. DIY wood-mounted photo wall art

Another cool photo gift, this one spotted at Project Nursery — a clever way to turn just a few supplies and a favorite photo into a treasured piece of art for Father’s Day.

Related: 6 amazingly sweet keepsake photo gifts + tips to make them extra special

 

How to make a we love dad silhouette photo | photo shoot idea tutorial via crafty gator

We love dad photo shoot idea | Crafty Gator

 

15. Creative Father’s Day Photo of the Kids

Why just give him a framed family photo when you can give him one made just for Father’s Day? Click over for 7 easy, clever Father’s Day photo ideas including this brilliant one from Crafty Gator.

 

Free printable Father's Day coupons from Elegance & Enchantment. So modern!

16. Free Printable Father’s Day Coupons

We’re always looking for nice, modern Father’s Day printable coupons and we found that very thing with these from Elegance and Enchantment for Remodelaholic. The expiration date is a fun touch — though knowing how busy families can get, you might want to set a date about 20 years from now.

 

Adventure in a Box: tutorial at How Does She

17. Father’s Day Adventure In a Box

Whoa, such a creative idea! Check How Does She for instructions on filling an inexpensive bin with a treasure map and fun activities to help the kids create their own memories with Dad for the day.

Related: 13 awesome Father’s Day gifts for dads who love camping

 

DIY Travel journal for family vacation memories, or a clever way to present a travel gift

18. DIY Travel Journal (and maybe a couple of tickets?)

For something a little more advanced — maybe for teens or even you — A Pair and a Spare offers this beautiful travel journal craft. So great if you’ve got a family vacation coming up, or you’re surprising him with a weekend out of town or plane tickets somewhere far away.

 

Free printable Father's Day menu for breakfast in bed, + Father's Day coupons | TinyMe

19. Father’s Day Breakfast in Bed with a Printable Menu Card

Of course you can’t  skip breakfast in bed if he’s the breakfast in bed type. Also from Tiny Me, download a Father’s Day breakfast menu, some coupons, and then consider serving it all up with one of the awesome Father’s Day recipes on Cool Mom Eats, shared with us by our favorite dad food bloggers. Hey, no one knows what dads really want more than other dads.

 

DIY personalized initial letter photo collage gift by Kenzie Mastrow

20. DIY personalized initial letter photo collage

Another creative photo gift, this time by Kenzie Mastroe for eHow. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves a bit, grab a blank wooden letter, print a ton of photos and go to town. If you’re really ambitious, you can even spell out D-A-D.

 

Father's Day spinner card: Tutorial at Make and Takes

21. DIY Father’s Day Spinner Card

As an alternative to coupon books, I love this Father’s Day craft project at Make and Takes that the kids will have the best time creating. Imagine what they could write on there — a backrub? An extra slice of cake? A knock-knock joke? 15 minutes of no whining? The possibilities are endless.

Related: Great ideas for last minute Father’s Day gifts

 

Homemade gifts: diy instagram picture frame

22. DIY Instagram Picture Frame

If he’s a social media fan, it’s hard to resist this DIY from Michael’s, which we also included in our list of terrific homemade holiday gifts from the kids (another resource worth checking out for DIY Father’s Day gifts, by the way). All you need is your favorite square photo, and something tells us you have quite a few to choose from.

 

Great video editing apps: Animoto is a fun, easy way to create professional slideshows

23. An Easy DIY Father’s Day Video

On Cool Mom Tech we shared 6 cool video editing apps and services that let you easily put together a DIY Father’s Day gift that’s sentimental and wonderful. Whether you want to create a montage of favorite photos or video clips, or create something new from scratch, there are plenty of apps for that. Shown here: The Animoto Video Maker app.

 

Your child's artwork beautifully printed on a dog tag, key ring or more from Metalmorphosis

24. Custom Dog Tag or Key Ring from a Child’s Artwork

While it’s not a DIY Father’s Day gift in the sense that you’re forging the metal and doing the hand-stamping yourself, we’ve got the next best thing with Metalmorphosis. They’re one of our longtime faves for bringing to life children’s own drawings, scribbles, and shakily sketched notes. And it’s guaranteed to last, even after the original is starting to yellow. Sniff.