Homemade Cards Kids Can Make for Any Occasion

A homemade card means more than any shop-bought one. Children love making them, and grown-ups keep them for years. Making cards also builds fine motor skills, writing and kindness. Here's how to make simple cards, plus ideas for every occasion.

Basic card-making kit

• Card stock or thick paper
• Crayons, markers and colored pencils
• Stickers, tissue paper and scraps of wrapping paper
• Glue stick and child-safe scissors
• Optional: glitter glue, buttons, ribbon and stamps
• Envelopes (or make your own from folded paper)

Start with a printable card

Our greeting card pages are designed to fold in half. The front picture is at the bottom of the page and the inside message area is printed upside down at the top, so everything reads the right way once folded. Print, color, fold and write.

Card techniques

1. Fold and draw. Fold a sheet in half and draw on the front.
2. Collage. Glue torn tissue paper, magazine pictures or wrapping paper scraps.
3. Handprint and fingerprint. Turn handprints into flowers, animals or trees. Fingerprints make hearts, balloons and bugs.
4. Pop-up card. Fold a card in half. Cut two parallel slits on the fold, push the tab inside and glue a picture onto it so it pops up.
5. Lift-the-flap. Glue a folded piece of paper on the front with a surprise message underneath.
6. Stamp cards. Make stamps from potatoes, sponges or bottle tops.
7. Window card. Cut a shape in the front and tape tissue paper behind it.
8. Stitched card. Punch holes around a shape and thread wool through.

Ideas for every occasion

• Birthdays: balloons, cakes, candles. Color birthday pages.
• Thank you: flowers, hearts and a big "Thank you!"
• Get well soon: suns, rainbows and smiling faces.
• Holidays: see Christmas, Valentine's, Easter, Hanukkah, Diwali and Lunar New Year pages.
• Mother's Day and Father's Day: see our Mother's Day and Father's Day craft guides.
• Just because: "I miss you," "You're my best friend," "Have a great day."

Writing the message

Help children write in a way that suits their age:

• Toddlers: a grown-up writes, and the child adds a scribble "signature."
• Ages 4–5: trace a message. Use our name tracing tool to make tracing sheets with any words.
• Ages 6–7: copy a short message.
• Ages 8+: write their own message. Try sentence starters: "Thank you for…", "I hope you…", "My favorite thing about you is…"

Make your own envelope

1. Place your folded card in the middle of a square of paper, turned like a diamond.
2. Fold the left and right corners over the card.
3. Fold the bottom corner up.
4. Fold the top corner down and seal with a sticker.

Ideas by age

Ages 2–3: handprints, stickers and scribbles.

Ages 4–5: fingerprints, collage and tracing messages.

Ages 6–8: pop-ups, lift-the-flap and writing their own messages.

Ages 9+: detailed designs, calligraphy, stitched cards and making cards for the whole family.

Kindness card projects

• Make cards for a care home, hospital or veterans' group.
• Leave a card for a neighbour, postal worker or bin collector.
• Make a "thank you" card for a teacher at the end of term.

See how to teach kindness to kids.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Thin paper. It flops. Use card stock or glue paper onto cereal-box card.
• Too much glue. It makes cards soggy and wrinkly.
• Forgetting the date. Write the date on the back for keepsakes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I print your greeting cards?

Print on letter or A4 paper, color the picture, fold in half along the middle so the picture is on the front and the message is inside.

What can toddlers do on a card?

Handprints, fingerprints, stickers and scribbles. They'll love "signing" their name.

How can I encourage my child to write in cards?

Give them a sentence starter, let them trace the words or dictate the message, and praise their effort.

A card-making station

Set up a box so children can make cards whenever they like:

• Pre-folded blank cards in different colors
• A stack of printed greeting card pages
• Envelopes (or paper to fold them)
• Crayons, markers and colored pencils
• Stickers and washi tape
• Glue stick and child-safe scissors
• A list of family birthdays

Keep it in an easy-to-reach place and top it up every few months.

Card messages for different occasions

• Birthday: "Happy birthday! I hope your day is as fun as you are."
• Thank you: "Thank you for helping me. You're the best!"
• Get well: "Feel better soon. I'm sending you a big hug."
• Missing you: "I miss you! Here's a picture to make you smile."

How can kids send cards to people far away?

Post them, or take a photo of the card and send it by message.

What's a quick card for a busy day?

Fold paper in half, add a handprint or a sticker and write a short message.