Gifts kids can make: Painted wooden spoons

Let's face it, not all handmade gifts from kids are that useful, let alone stylish. But these DIY painted wood spoons almost look like they come from an Etsy shop, and they're super easy to make, even for little hands.

Difficulty: Easy

Age range: 2+. Younger kids will need help with the tape and clean up. Older kids or adults should do Step 4 (applying shellac).

Safety first: Acrylic paints can stain and are best not left on the skin. Use a non-toxic shellac, which is also food safe, and do not paint the business end of the spoon that will be in contact with food.

The takeaway:

• Kids will beam with pride and ownership when presenting a handmade gift, which makes it much more special than store-bought.
• You can follow the designs in the video and photos below, but having no set design sparks creativity in young minds.
• Learning to hold and control a paint brush and limiting the painted area below the tape develops fine motor skills.
• Waiting for the paint to dry teaches patience.

Step 1 Apply a strip of tape about a third of the way down the handle of the spoon. Press down firmly to ensure that paint won't be able to seep under.

Step 2 Paint a base coat in a favourite colour (or white). This sets the backdrop for the design.

Step 3 Here's the fun part! Let kids choose the design (polka dots, blobs, whatever!) and the colours as part of the creative process. Allow each layer of paint to dry before moving on to the next colour. Preschoolers aren't great at waiting, so help them choose a palette that will blend well (like yellow and blue or red and orange). Even a mushy design looks pretty chic in the application below, which we call "confetti camo."

Step 4 Apply a non-toxic food-safe shellac over the paint, which will seal it in so it can take a beating in the kitchen. (All kitchen wood utensils should always be hand-washed.)

Ta-da! Offer them up to the cooks in your family, or present them as an end-of-year teacher gift. 

Happy painting!

Read more:
How to make a cardboard dollhouse 13 kid-friendly crafts using recyclables 8 fun and easy felt crafts for kids

SPONSORED: Show your kid's teacher appreciation with a custom "thank you" card from Merci. Download it here.