Waking up to an alarm clock before 7:00 am to get ready for school is never fun. You’re tired, hungry, and can think of at least a dozen places you’d rather spend the day than in a classroom. However, when you open the bedroom door to the smell of fresh toast, and notes of roasted coffee, you know that at least mom has your breakfast covered.

She sets out the staples for you to scarf down and steals a kiss on the cheek while you throw on your jacket and backpack. You race to get ready as you know the bus will be here soon. When you finally rush out the door, you hear the hissing squeak of the brakes releasing and turn the corner just in time to see the bus tail lights disappearing down the road.

You sulk back inside, feeling defeated. But have no fear, because dad has come to the rescue. He shuffles in wearing his work attire and gives you a big smile. Upon telling him the bad news, he pats you on the back and says he’ll give you a ride… just as soon as he’s had his coffee, of course. You couldn’t ask for a kinder father.

Growing up, many of us have encountered days like these. Having loving parents to help support us makes these tough times so much more manageable. It’s because of these awesome caregivers that we celebrate Parents Day every year! If you want to show your appreciate for you parents, or help a younger sibling or child you care for do something special for theirs, read on for our guide to heartwarming diy gifts to make for this Parents Day Sunday.

Handprint Apron

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you know we’ve done a couple of different posts about making cute art pieces out of children’s hand and foot prints. This project is a great way to take that concept and make it into a practical gift! Whether mom likes to bake, or dad likes to grill, an apron is something every household can use. All you need for this project is a blank apron (which can be found at most craft stores) and fabric paint in a variety of colors!

You will need

• Plain, blank apron
• Fabric paint in a variety of colors
• Paint brushes
• A vinyl table cover
• Paper towels (for clean up)

Directions

1. Wash and dry the apron. This will remove any sizing or finishes that may prevent the paint from full soaking into the fibers.
2. Prepare your workspace by covering it with your vinyl tablecloth. This will protect the working surface from any stains. If you don’t have a table covering, you can improvise by using cardboard, or even laying out a trash back flat on the surface.
3. Using a paint brush, cover the palms, or the bottom of the child’s feet and press them flat on the apron. You can also use the brush to add accents and details to the prints. If your need ideas, check out our guides on how to create adorable animal art and garden art from hand and foot prints!
4. Follow fabric paint instructions for drying times and care instructions.

Lavender Soap

Everyone has to clean up at some point, and mom and dad are no different. If they enjoy the finer things in life, head on over to A Pumpkin and a Princess to find out how to make beautiful bars of lavender soap.

If you love the process and want to play around with more soap making, keep your eyes peeled for the Pinwheel Crafts new Soap Making Kit. It comes with everything you need to make a bunch of soap in a nearly endless variety of colors, styles, and scents. Coming soon!

Sharpie Bookmark

This is a simple and fun craft to decorate a special gift for a parent this Sunday. Did you know that you can use sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol to tie dye plastic? Well you can, and it’s a super easy way to make your mom or dad a one-of-a-kind bookmark. It’s also a great way to reuse plastic and help keep it out of the landfill.

You will need

• Plastic sheets (you can use strips from recycled plastics like a milk jug)
• Sharpie markers in a variety of colors
• Rubbing alcohol
• Eye dropper
• Hole punch
• Ribbon or string

Directions

1. Cut the plastic into the desired bookmark shape. Standard bookmarks measure 2 x 6 inches, but you can make yours any size or shape that you like.
2. Color the plastic with a variety of colors. You’ll want to color it in large blocks of color for the best effect.
3. Fill the eye dropper with rubbing alcohol and place small drops all over the marker colored blocks. The alcohol will cause the ink to fade and run outward, creating an awesome tie dye effect.
4. Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark.
5. Pull a small piece of ribbon or string through the hole and tie the ends together.

Feel free to experiment with different ways to apply the rubbing alcohol. Try creating streaks by splattering the alcohol in lines across the surface. Maybe let the first layer dry and add more patches of color to drop rubbing alcohol on again. Art is all about trying new things and seeing what happens!

Recycled Lid Photo Magnets

Every kitchen comes equipped with a fridge. And almost every fridge has a variety of important images and documents held to it with magnets. While much of your work may have already been displayed here, what if you were able to create functional art and keepsakes to use on the fridge? We are, of course, talking about making your own beautiful magnets!

I Love to Create has a great walkthrough on how to make super unique fridge magnets using recycled container lids. It’s another great way to reuse refuse and help the environment! If you don’t have the supplies necessary, of course, make sure to head over to the Pinwheel Crafts store and check out our fun Fridge Magnet Kit. There’s everything in one box to make ten custom tile magnets to keep on the fridge for years to come!

Coupon Book

This is a tried and true gift for any kid to give to their mom and dad. A Parents Day coupon book is a great way for children to give something to the parents that already have everything. You can find plenty of coupon templates online to print. Some are ready to go, but we highly recommend trying to find a set that at least allows the kiddos to color them in.

Of course, you can also make the coupons yourself! Consider offering coupons for things like a free hug or kiss, 1 hour of quiet time, an extra load of laundry or dishes. Fill the booklet with whatever you think your parents would like from you.

You will need

• Paper
• Scissors
• A stapler
• Markers/crayons/pencils
• Computer printer (optional)

Directions

1. If you have a template, print it off and decorate each coupon as you see fit. If you do NOT, simply design your own!
2. Cut coupons into equal sizes.
3. Stack coupons together and use 2 staples on one end of the booklet to hold them all together.

Conclusion

What do you think? Did we miss any essential, or uniques diy gifts for parents? If so, please share your amazing ideas with us in the comments. And, if you do end up making one of these great items for your mom or dad, make sure to share them with us on social media. We love seeing the work you make.

Happy crafting!