Pinto Carpentry Holiday Gift Guide 2025: Amazing Screen-Free Gifts for Creative Families On A Budget

Instead of gifting the same-old same-old, why not try something new? Give your loved ones the gift of a new skill or hobby this year by shopping for creative woodworking and DIY kits this holiday season!  Forget about video games, electronics, AI, and computers, everything on this list is about engaging all of your senses and connecting with reality. 

Get great deals and low prices on unique build it yourself kits, wood burning tools, kinetic and STEAM based DIY projects, and more.  Everything on our list today is about giving someone the gift of joy in creating and making something!  From kids projects to family-friendly group projects to whittling, you’ll find something on this list to inspire your friends and family to engage in activities that reduce screentime and encourage the mind. We're sure you'll find amazing screen-free gifts for creative families on a budget with our list!

The Build-It-Yourself Woodworking Kit for kids and tweens from Lakeshore is a must-have this holiday season.  The kit includes everything your kiddos will need to create pinewood projects in a variety of shapes and sizes. It includes a kid-friendly, lightweight hammer, nails, glue, and more. It has step by step instructions and clear details on how to create multiple projects from its 80 piece set. It also includes a handy storage box for easy clean-up when you’re done!  Perfect for kids ranging Pre-K through the 6th grade (4 to 11 years old.)  Budget friendly priced at $50 for infinite fun!

The Young Woodworker’s Project Kit also from Lakeshore is another fantastic DIY kit. This one includes precut wood, hardware, glue, and detailed instructions to complete 3 different projects. Your kids will enjoy creating a custom corner shelf, a treasure chest, and a toolbox to contain their new hobby supplies. (Hammer is not included with this kit!)  It’s geared towards kids age ranging from 5 through 11 years old.  Another great budget friendly option at just $40 per kit.

Uncommon goods is offering a quirky little Build Your Own Candy Dispenser!  With 16 individual wood pieces and a plastic mason jar, kids can use the step by step instructions, paint, nails, and sandpaper to assemble and customize their own candy dispenser (candy not included.) Fill with your favorite gumballs, hard candies, M&Ms and more when completed! Perfect for ages 6 to 11 (may require some parental assistance for younger kids.)  It’s a charming budget-friendly gift for creative kids at just $35.

We’ve been a fan of KiwiCo for years, and our own kids have used some of their projects. The KiwiCo Kinetic Light Up Bluetooth Speaker is a stellar gift for kids of all ages but especially the tweens and younger teens on your list.  Kids will engage with engineering skills and learn to build, assemble, and engage with their hands to build their own portable speaker.  It features lights and interactive foam balls as you play their favorite tunes!  It’s a must-have for the holidays at just $50 per kit for a budget friendly gift the whole family will enjoy.

KiwiCo has created the ultimate Cozy Glowing Fireplace Kit that’s perfect for the holidays.  Build your own festive fireplace from the wood pieces and build a circuit that emits a warm, cozy glow behind the fireplace that crackles and snaps just liek a real one (without the actual flames.)  Customize your mantel with the included holiday decor and tools and paint it as you see fit.  A great stocking stuffer gift at $30 for the budget conscious.

The Cyber Hand from WoodTrick is an incredible wooden 3D Puzzle that invites you to challenge your skills and engage in play. Great for teens and adults, this unique puzzle is poseable and movable and can be put on display or used as a functional decor item to hold your favorite household objects.  It’s a little more expensive than our previous entries, but worth every penny in our opinion at $70.

From the same makers at Woodtrick, the Geared Safe is another functional 3D puzzle that also comes equipped with a locking mechanism!  Assemble a fully useable safe for your personal items from a laser cut wood 3D Puzzle to store small valuables.  What’s not to love about something fun and functional? Exactly! It’s currently on sale at the time of publication for $53 down from $62.

Create your own custom gifts all year long with the Customizer Engraving Pen from Resparked. This incredible tool works with glass, metal, stone, and wood to help you create personal engravings and beautiful custom decor items.  It has convenient USB-C charging with up to 2hrs of creative charge.  It’s lightweight, easy to use, and creates stunning intricate designs with utmost precision. Perfect for the carpenter or DIYer or artist in your midst. Another wonderful budget friendly option as it comes in at just $55 on sale at the time of publication (a whopping $45 off MSRP!)

BeaverCraft’s Comfort Bird Carving Kit offers a chance for beginning woodworkers to dabble in a new creative skill of whittling.  You’ll receive everything you need to start carving your own custom bird sculptures out of both cherry and basswood. Comes with all the tools you’ll need to get started including a whittling knife and sharpener!  It’s great for both kids and adults!  On sale at the time of publication for just $32 this is a great stocking stuffer and budget friendly entry. We also recommend their bear-carving set as well which is on sale for $27 at the time of publication.

Turners Warehouse offers a very charming BeaverCraft Wizard Carving Kit for another unique gift craft.  You’ll find everything you need to whittle your own little whimsical wizard figure that you can leave as-is or customize it as you see fit with stains and epoxy or even paint it yourself with your choice of colors.  The kit includes 3 basswood blocks, the wizard pattern, carving knife, and a pencil to help get you started on your whittling journey. A great stocking stuffer for just $30 can’t be beat!

This charming DIY kit includes everything you need to create a Driftwood Sculpture from Crafted in Thai on Etsy! This is a great family group project to create a unique piece of decor for your home where everyone can leave their keys (and never lose them again.)  With 3 pre-cut houses, a base, and mountains, you can assemble your own custom homes and decorate them as you see fit. Includes paints, brushes, a palette, hand drill, glue, and more! Everything you need is right here in the kit. Order ASAP to allow for holiday shipping times and tariffs, but it’s a great budget friendly option on sale at the time of publication for just $35 USD.

For the more discerning DIYer, we love the Woodcraft Kits for Exotic Cutting Boards.  This kit allows you to create your own custom cutting board by arranging the wood slices (angelique, wenge, and hard maple) in your choice of creative pattern for something that’s completely unique.  It requires minimal tools but produces a truly luxurious result!  Experiment with the arrangement for a piece that fits your own aesthetic and design desires.  A wonderful option for just $40 that’s perfect for adults and teens alike.

Got someone on your list that’s already a scrap wood hoarder? Yea, we feel ya haha!  This professional Woodworking Kit from Wood Shop Bits features 3 precision-made cast iron planes, a 6” long low angle block plane, and a 9-¾” long smoothing plane with hardwood handles. It’s the perfect gift for the woodworker or carpenter who is looking for something a little more luxurious. Makes a great gift for spouses and significant others while not breaking the bank, as it clocks in at $87 for an under-$100-budget gift that looks high-end!  Who doesn’t love something functional AND beautiful?