If you’ve ever tried finding a kid’s gift that doesn’t break the bank and actually holds their attention for more than ten minutes, you know it’s no easy feat. But one former babysitter on TikTok says she’s cracked the code. Creator @chelseaexplainsitall has gone viral for sharing cheap kids gifts that are simple and creative.
“If you’re on a budget this holiday season, I’ve got your back,” she says. “We can still make it magical without spending a ton of cash.”
1. Giant Roll of Drawing Paper From IKEA
To kick off the series, Chelsea shared her favorite boredom-buster that also encourages creativity: a massive roll of drawing paper from IKEA.
“One of my hacks that I’ve posted is to keep your kids entertained by saying that they can make the world’s biggest drawing, and then you just let them go nuts and color a whole big piece of paper,” she says. Or, “They can draw hopscotch on it and play with it inside.”
“There’s so many things that kids can do with it,” she adds. “They can lay down and you trace your bodies with it. They can turn it into a racetrack and draw roads and race cars on it. They can make a big sign if they wanted to do a lemonade stand.”
From there, she rattles off even more ideas: “They can color on it and make it wrapping paper. You can tape it over a table and let them color over dinner. There are just truly endless things that kids can do with a giant piece of paper.”
Beyond the fun, the paper is the kind of low-cost, low-effort idea that works for just about anyone — parents, teachers, grandparents, or caregivers looking for creative playtime on a budget.
“This is only $5, and I promise it will keep your kids entertained,” she says. “I don’t know a single kid alive who wouldn’t love something like this just at their disposal.”
As for the age range? “It works for kids of all ages and I promise it will be a hit,” she says.
2. Creative Invention Box
Next on Chelsea’s list of cheap kids gifts: The creative invention box. It’s exactly what it sounds like — a bin filled with what she calls “interesting trash,” or anything leftover from a project, such as plastic hosing, lids, containers, twine, tape, and other odds and ends that kids can use to build whatever their imagination dreams up. Think robot parts, rocket ships and cars, or homemade games. Chelsea says it’s one of the best ways to encourage problem-solving and creativity without spending a fortune.
“Every kid loves to invent stuff, so just keep your eyes peeled for when you see cool gizmos and gadgets; your kid is going to absolutely love this,” she says.
“This is the ultimate toy you can give a kid,” Chelsea adds, noting that it even helps parents declutter. “You can just go through your junk drawer or garage to find items that would have otherwise been discarded. This is open-ended play and spans across age groups, genders, and different interests.”
As for her own invention box, Chelsea likes to keep it stocked with gems, feathers, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and popsicle sticks — though she says you can just as easily fill it with things from around the house without spending a penny. “Invention boxes are the toys that kids play with for the most amount of hours over the most amount of years, and the beauty of them is that you can always keep adding to them. Kids will also add to their own invention boxes. Not only is this a great present, it will also unlock a lot of their creativity,” she says.
3. Picnic Kit
Chelsea’s next idea comes from the insight that kids love to eat anywhere but the kitchen table.
“They love to eat in the backyard, they love to eat in the basement or in their room,” she says. “So why not make them a picnic kit?”
The beauty of this gift is that it can take on any theme depending on the child’s personality. “It could be a tea party situation, it could be kind of neutral, or you could go the camping/adventure route depending on your kid and what they like,” she says.
For the tea-party version, Chelsea suggests scouring Facebook Marketplace or Goodwill for a cheap basket and filling it with inexpensive (but real) cutlery and dishes. “Kids love to play with stuff that feels grown-up, that feels real, and this teaches them to be more careful,” she says, adding, “I think even younger kids are capable of drinking out of a real porcelain teacup.”
For a camping or adventure-themed kit, she recommends swapping the teacups for a thermos, some plastic plates, a spork, and a bit of rope. “Part of this gift is the permission to eat in places other than the table,” she says. “You can say, ‘Hey, you can go have a tea party in the backyard or have your lunch in the basement.’”
Chelsea also suggests keeping an eye on Facebook Marketplace, where “there’s always stuff for free,” and adding extras like a small picnic blanket, tea packets, or even protein bars for the adventure version. “Something like this totally delights kids,” she says. “It makes them feel grown-up, it makes them feel like they can go on an adventure — and I think it’ll be a hit with all ages and genders.”
4. Dress-Up Box
“This toy crushes every single time,” says Chelsea. “I’ve made these for many of my kids’ friends and they’re always such a hit. In fact, one of my friends said that the dresses I put in her daughter’s dress-up box — all of which were thrifted — she wears them to school, with her friends, everywhere.”
To make your own dress-up box extra special, Chelsea says accessories are key. “You don’t want to just add clothes; you want to add stuff that deepens the story they might be making up,” she explains. “So things like magnifying glasses, plastic cutlery if they’re playing restaurant, purses, sunglasses, hats — all these things really add to the story.”
In one box, Chelsea even included a small plastic laptop. “It was a huge hit,” she says. “You can get those on Amazon.” Most of the items, though, can be easily thrifted. “Keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, and thrift stores for things that are costumey — but not everything has to be costumey. Some of it can feel more real,” she adds. “For example, I found this little trench coat, which is perfect for a detective. I found a robe, little football jerseys, things that are specific but not necessarily an actual costume. Sometimes that’s more fun for kids to play with.”
For storage, Chelsea recommends looking for trunks or fabric bins on Facebook Marketplace, or checking the laundry aisle at stores like Marshalls or TJ Maxx.
“They usually have these fabric organizational boxes on clearance for around $15,” she notes. And don’t forget the finishing touches. “Kids also really like jewelry,” Chelsea says. “You can buy cheap jewelry in bulk from Goodwill, or throw in makeup brushes, hair clips, or random things you don’t need around your house. Pretty much anything that will add to the play.”
5. Treasure Box
This treasure box gift idea is perfect for anyone who needs to buy for a bunch of kids, whether you’re hosting a big family gathering, celebrating the holidays, or just have a lot of nieces and nephews to please. “Kids love treasure,” Chelsea says, “so you’re gonna get them a little wooden treasure box and fill it with kids’ favorite currency: Plastic gems.”
The beauty of this gift is how simple and affordable it is, says Chelsea. All of the supplies can be bought in bulk online or at craft stores. “You can buy packs of four or 12 of these treasure boxes and the gems,” she says, adding, “You could make about five of these treasure boxes for under twenty dollars.”
It’s not just a gift, either — it’s an activity. “If you have some craft paint and brushes, everyone can decorate their own treasure box,” notes Chelsea, “You can also let them do it with markers, stickers, etc.” Once finished, the fun doesn’t stop there: “They’ll be playing with these gems, trading them, hiding them,” she says. “They’ll come up with treasure-hunting games and be entertained for hours.”
As with any small objects, Chelsea notes this gift should be age-appropriate, since the gems can pose a choking hazard for younger kids. “But for kids that are older,” she says, “this will be their favorite thing in the entire world.”
6. Potion and Spells Kit
Chelsea’s next idea might be the most magical of them all. “You can make these potion and spells kits incredibly cheap,” she says. “All you need is a little bit of imagination.” Her first tip? Start by saving old containers around the house. “Save your old spice containers, sprinkles containers, any little container,” she suggests. “If you don’t have time to do that or you don’t have a deep craft closet, you can go to the paint aisle at any craft (or dollar) store and they’re gonna have kits with a variety of different droppers, sprays, bottle container things for five to six bucks.”
Chelsea also shows viewers how she takes presentation up a notch. She bought a wooden box in the craft aisle for about $11, then cut up an old pillow she wasn’t using and glued the fabric inside to make it look upholstered. “I just used hot glue for that,” she says.
Now for the fun part — what’s inside. “Kids love making potions,” Chelsea explains. “So number one, you’re gonna get them a little spell and potion book. That’s very important.” After that, she fills the box with small bottles and droppers labeled with whimsical, imaginative names:
- Sugar Plum Mist (just paint and glitter)
- Liquid Luck (gold flakes)
- Troll Fur (green yarn)
- Dragon Hide (rolled-up leather)
- Enchanted Rings (old jewelry)
- Unicorn Fluff (polyfil stuffing)
“I just use a sticker or some masking tape on top of each container to label them,” she adds, noting that she also includes pipettes and funnels for mixing, along with small containers filled with things like rocks, gems, and crystals. For a finishing touch, Chelsea “ages” the box with a bit of brown paint mixed with water. “It ends up looking like a stain,” she says, “and that’s what I use to make the boxes look a bit darker and more rustic.”
7. Office Kit
Chelsea’s final idea turns everyday clutter into a kid’s dream workspace. “This one is an office kit — it’s like an activity that you can set up for them that also makes for a great gift,” she says. “Start by collecting some random office supplies that you can find around the house, like paper clips, pens, stuff like that.”
To make it extra fun, she suggests a quick thrift-store run. “Go to Goodwill and check the electronics section — you’re gonna find a keyboard, the big clacky ones,” Chelsea says. “Find the cheapest one, give it a good scrub, and remember, the keyboard by itself doesn’t even have to work. It doesn’t need a screen. Kids just like to type on it.”
She also recommends heading to the briefcase section while you’re there. “You’re gonna get maybe a leather briefcase, put some paper in there, some pens, manila folders, envelopes, etc.,” she says. “If you start collecting this stuff now, I bet you can make an entire play office kit for under $15, maybe even less if you get really creative.”
The result? A creative setup that lets kids feel like grown-ups for a day. “Kids love this,” Chelsea says. “They love to play grown-up. And another hack is that you can use this to get them to do their homework by getting them to pretend they’re office workers. Kids love office supplies.”
Whether it’s a box of “office supplies,” a pile of plastic gems, or a $5 roll of paper from IKEA, Chelsea’s ideas prove that kids don’t need flashy toys or expensive gadgets to have fun and be creative. Sometimes, all it takes is a few everyday items and bit of imagination to keep them entertained for hours.
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