Today is someone’s birthday, and you’re in need of a card FAST. It’s no problem now. We’ve compiled a list of 16 DIY birthday cards kids can make that are sure to delight anyone celebrating another year of life.
For most of these handmade birthday greeting cards, you only need paper, scissors, and glue. And a dash of creativity with a pinch of imagination, of course.
Handmade cards are all the more special because it takes time, thought, and effort to craft something from scratch. Don’t you agree?
Get started on one of these birthday cards today!
Homemade Birthday Cards for Kids to Make
While you have your craft materials out, make a few cards from the list below. That way, you’ll be ready the next time a birthday rolls around.
1. Pop-Up Birthday Cake Card
This pop-up birthday cake card from Red Ted Art will surprise and delight the recipient. The beautiful cake leaps off the page as soon as the card is opened. There’s plenty of room to write a personalized message wishing them the happiest of years.
2. Yoda Card
Any Star Wars fan will go crazy for a handmade Yoda card. It’ll make the birthday all the more special. Write a fun message inside like, “Wishing Yoda best on your birthday!” Get the template from Simple Everyday Mom.
3. Unicorn Card Craft
Craft a unicorn card for the guy or gal in your life who’s obsessed with unicorns. And who isn’t? These mystical creatures are gorgeous. This handmade birthday card from Messy Little Monster incorporates scissors work, threading, and tying knots, so it’s great for fine motor practice.
4. Birthday Card from a Coloring Page
The Country Chic Cottage offers some clever tips for making a birthday card from a coloring page. It’s quite easy to do by shrinking it down using your printer and adding the colored page to pretty patterned paper with a few embellishments.
5. Pop-Up Bear Card
Say Happy Birthday to a “beary” special friend with this pop-up bear card idea from Red Ted Art. The bear is surrounded by balloons, so it’s certainly a festive option as far as handmade birthday cards are concerned.
6. Cupcake Card
It’s time to blow out the candles! This cute cupcake card from DIY Candy is suitable for all ages, from kids to adults. Make it with paper, a cupcake liner, a candle and some twine. How easy and cute is that?
7. Printable Birthday Card
What could be simpler and cuter than this printable, colorable birthday card from Studio DIY? It will give kids a chance to express their creativity without having to create a card from scratch. The connect-the-dots card is a lot of fun, too.
8. Easy Birthday Cake Card
Use colorful blocks of paper to make this easy peasy birthday cake card design from It’s Me, JD. You’ll find 9 more designs here, too, all of which are fairly simple for kids to make.
9. 3D Unicorn Card
Here’s another lovely unicorn birthday card because you can never have too many options! This unicorn from Red Ted Art features a rainbow-colored mane and looks like it’s leaping across the sky. Any unicorn fan will love putting it on display in their room.
See more magical unicorn crafts!
10. Handprint Minion Card
Is your friend a fan of Minions? Make one of these cute handprint minion cards to say “You’re one in a minion! Happy Birthday!” It’s easy to make. After tracing the handprint, cut the pieces out of the printable template from Simple Everday Mom to complete the overalls and eye.
11. Scrape Painting Cards
Have you ever tried scrape painting? It’s a fun process art technique involving scraping paint across the paper using a card or flat-edged tool. The results are beautiful, and it’s a great way to create color handmade stationery, like these scrape-painted cards from Persia Lou.
12. Pipe Cleaner Flower Card
Kids can use pipe cleaners to make a beautiful DIY flower card for Mom, Grandma, or their friends. This DIY birthday card from Kids Activities Blog is easy enough for preschoolers, but older kids will enjoy making it, too. It’s wonderfully whimsical!
13. Sprinkle Lollipop Birthday Card
Gather cardstock, blank cards, lollipop sticks, and rainbow nonpareils to make these fun and festive sprinkle lollipop cards for a friend’s birthday. They almost look good enough to eat, don’t they? Just follow the tutorial from Tikkido to make one today for someone special.
14. Panda Pop-Up Card
Who can resist this adorable, smiling panda popping off the page? Make this panda pop-up card for the animal lovers in your life. It’ll be a wonderful card to accompany tickets to a local zoo. Follow the tutorial from Red Ted Art to make it.
15. Heart Balloons Card
This handprint heart balloons card from Our Kid Things is just as perfect for birthdays as it is for Valentine’s Day. Kids trace their handprint and then use a heart punch to make the heart balloons. Draw on strings and clouds in the sky, and your card is nearly complete. All that’s left is adding a personal message to the recipient.
16. Koala Card
Give this adorable koala card to a “koality” friend! Print the template from Simple Everyday Mom, trace it on cardstock, and then the rest is as simple as cut and paste. Finally, use markers to draw on the eyes, eyebrows, and cheeks, and your koala card is ready to give to the birthday boy or girl.
Pin this list to come back to it anytime someone in your life is celebrating a birthday.