We live in a consumer society that has long since stopped appreciating the value of material stuff. That’s especially true for kids, who have a lot of things available in just a few clicks. It’s like they have lost the feeling of happiness when they get something they have long wanted.
By giving your kids everything they want, you deny them a lot. Above all, they have lost the joy of waiting and being rewarded. But if you instill values in them from an early age, your youngest will know how to rejoice and appreciate your efforts. That’s why kids often prefer things you’ve made for them yourself to generic gifts.
Easy DIY Birthday Cards for Nephews
If your favorite nephew’s birthday is approaching, you’re probably in a dilemma about what to buy as a gift. At this link, you can find some handy guidelines that won’t break your budget. And as a cherry on the top, you can add a personal note to the gift with a DIY birthday card.
Be Inspired with Cartoons
It’s easy to be creative when you find inspiration quickly. That’s what happens if you know that your nephew especially loves animated or movie characters. These can be a great inspiration for you to make a special birthday card that will indeed have a special place in this boy’s heart.
When making a themed birthday card, have your nephew’s favorite hero as the central figure on a cover. Or opt for something related to that character, such as a favorite weapon, food, or any prop. If you are good at drawing, you have just made this DIY task easier for yourself. However, even if you are not handy with pencils and crayons, do not despair. Internet and printer come to the rescue.
Harry Potter Theme
For example, you don’t have to have the whole Harry Potter card. Instead, glasses, a unique hairstyle, and a lightning scar on the forehead can give the contours of his face, and everyone will know who it is. A white owl carrying an envelope or a magic hat and broom are ideas reminiscent of Harry Potter.
Cut these shapes out of collage paper and glue on a background of the opposite color (for example, a white owl matches a brown or grey background). Print the name of the celebrant, the number of years, and the message inside the card in Harry Potter font.
Pokemon Theme
If the boy is a Pokemon fan, have these cute creatures as the central figure. If you’re handy enough, you can draw an entire cartoon scene. Or you can print and cut out or draw Pokemon’s head with a cloud saying ‘happy birthday to (your nephew’s name).’
You can opt for a red and white ball that indicates the props from this cartoon. Take extra comfort and cut a card in the shape of this ball. Inside, you can draw your little boy’s favorite Pokemon with a catchy message. These can be some quotes from this cartoon, customized in a way, like ‘happy birthday to Chu’ or ‘I choose you to have a great day.’
SpongeBob Card
SpongeBob and his friends are the favorite characters of most young (and slightly older) children. A yellow sponge or pink star can be great forms for a birthday card. Cut colored paper into these shapes and add ‘accessories’ like eyes and collage paper clothes. For example, for a SpongeBob, you can get a pair of wiggly eyes (make sure these are blue) to make the card even more enjoyable.
Another idea is to cut cardstock into the square SpongeBob’s body that hides a birthday message (or gift, if you opted for a voucher or gift card). You can glue arms and legs later. Stick this base to another piece of paper, only at the edges. Make a slit large enough to fit a piece of paper or a gift card on the line representing the suit.
Write what you want, and stick a piece of red cardstock in the shape of a SpongeBob’s tie on the bottom of the paper (or gift card). Insert the paper into the slit, and voila. When the celebrant pulls on the tie, he will have something to see.
Extra tip: You can do the same thing with Minion shape.
Halloween-Inspired
If your nephew’s birthday is around Halloween, use this theme for a birthday card. Adjust the design to his age. Teenagers like spooky and unusual things, so you can make blood from the glue. Mix the colorless adhesive with a few drops of red food color.
With a teaspoon, apply this mixture on white cardstock or construction paper to act like blood flowing. If you have a steady hand, you can also write “happy birthday” or the name of the celebrant this way. It is only essential that the glue dries well before further decorating the card.
As this is a period of celebration, it can make your birthday card even more striking if you use a few thin glow sticks. You can find these in almost all retail stores. For example, you can connect several sticks and insert them through a dark-colored birthday card to illuminate the message you wrote.
Easy Halloween Pop-Ups
Spooky things can be inspiring, but leave them for teenagers. Younger children will know what it is about when they see a ghost, spider, or witch hat. You can make these coming out from a regular birthday card as pop-ups.
Fold the construction paper in half. Cut slits in the center of folded paper. Open the paper and fold tabs inward to push them inside your birthday card. These tabs will hold main motifs. On each of them, stick printable as desired, ghosts, pumpkins, spiders, or any Halloween motif adapted to your nephew’s age. Glue this paper to another piece of paper that will be the cover of your birthday card. Decorate it as desired.
Birthday Card for Video Game Fans
Boys of all ages love video games, so you certainly won’t go wrong with a card like this. You don’t need a lot of skill to make it in the form of a game controller. You can find this printable on the Internet, and it’s not hard to draw it either. Transfer the shape to a folded black or white cardstock and cut out.
Add control buttons that you cut out of cardstock. You can make them even more realistic if you stick pieces of folded construction paper (they serve as strings) to card buttons and glue them to the base. So these buttons can be ‘pressed.’ Messages like ‘you’re a level higher or ‘bonus unlocked: you’re old enough to drive’ are apt for your favorite gamer.
Choose Quality Materials
You should choose the right kind of paper for DIY birthday cards. Choose construction paper or cardstocks as they are not thick but way more durable than regular paper. Plus, they are easily foldable. You can find them in a variety of colors, and you can also use collage paper. It is easier to cut and make fine details.
The point of your birthday card may be in details that are not made of paper. You can use sequins, stickers, pom-poms, threads of various colors, etc. These items will make them look very festive and attractive to kids and teens. If you lack ideas, you can check https://cardgallery.co.uk/collections/birthday-cards-nephew-aut and find a whole bunch of great cards for every occasion.
Be Creative with the Message
Apart from the card design, it is important what you write in it. The content will largely depend on the age of your nephew. You can’t address a teenager and a preschooler the same, regardless of how close you are. It would help make your message meaningful, creative, and unique to make a Birthday boy happy on his birthday.
In any case, make sure that the messages are neat and appealing. Long writings can be tedious. It would help if you made them fun and entertaining rather than serious and advisory. Handwritten messages, even the shortest ones, are more special than any printed note.
A special birthday card for your favorite nephew should be catchy so that the kid enjoys looking at it. There are lots of creative ideas for making these. So, find your inspiration and try out your hand at it. It’s worthy of that lovely smile and a hug from your dearest boy.