Unique gifts for kids: their drawing, dad’s tattoo or their face as a temporary tattoo
Three unique gifts for kids that aren’t just another toy: your child’s drawing turned into a tattoo, a mini copy of mom’s or dad’s tattoo, and their face on a temporary tattoo. How to make them step by step, when to give them and frequently asked questions.
Christmas toys have a habit of ending up at the bottom of the toy box by the end of January. The gifts kids really remember are the ones with something of them or their family inside: their drawing, their name, a photo, something to do together.
Here are three unique gifts for kids along those lines, and all three fit on a temporary tattoo: your child’s drawing turned into a tattoo, a mini copy of mom’s or dad’s tattoo and their face on a tattoo. They work for Christmas, for their birthday, for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, and for the grandparents too. And you can order just one.
Why a temporary tattoo makes a great gift for a child
- It’s theirs. Not a design from a catalog: it’s their drawing, their face or their dad’s tattoo. Kids love that.
- It’s something to do together. Putting it on is a moment for the two of you: the water, the sponge, the thirty-second wait and the photo afterwards.
- It’s not forever. It lasts a few days and comes off in no time with oil. If they want a different one tomorrow, you make a different one.
- It’s safe. Ours are made with cosmetic-grade inks, dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. If it’s for a young child, our guide to temporary tattoos for kids explains from what age and how to put it on.
1. Your child’s drawing turned into a tattoo
The stick figure they brought home from school, the sun wearing sunglasses or the family portrait with four hairs each. Just as some people turn their kids’ drawings into plush toys or dolls, you can turn them into a temporary tattoo: the same lines and the same colors, exactly as they drew them, but on skin.
It works both ways:
- For the child. Wearing something they made themselves on their arm is a real source of pride. With brothers and sisters, each one gets their own, or everyone wears everyone’s.
- From the child. For dad, for mom or for the grandparents: one of their drawings to wear for a few days. On Father’s Day, on Mother’s Day or at Christmas dinner, it’s one of the gifts that ends up in the most photos.
Which drawings work best
- Bold lines. Markers, crayons or paint work better than faint pencil, which barely shows at a small size.
- Plain white paper. No grid or notebook lines, because they would be printed too.
- A good photo. Straight on, in daylight, with no shadows or creases. A phone is fine; a scanner is even better. What matters is that the paper comes out white, not gray: with the color finish, white isn’t printed and only the lines stay on the skin.
- Size. On a child’s arm, between 4 and 6 cm per side. For an adult it can be a little bigger.
2. Father and son tattoos: a mini version of dad’s or mom’s tattoo
Kids copy everything we do. If mom or dad has a tattoo, sooner or later the question comes: “When do I get one like yours?” The answer can be today: the same design, sized for their arm, as a temporary tattoo. It makes a lovely gift for Father’s Day or Mother’s Day, or for taking a photo of your two arms side by side.
To make it, take a straight-on photo of the tattoo in good light or, better still, use the original design if your tattoo artist kept it. In the editor you crop it and choose a smaller size than the real one. If the tattoo is black, the color finish is all you need: white isn’t printed, so the skin shows through there.
And if nobody at home has tattoos, you can do it the other way around: a new design for both of you, in two sizes, one for the adult and one for the child. Fine-line silhouettes, your two sets of initials or an important date work really well.
3. Temporary tattoos with your child’s photo
The third idea turns it around: instead of something the child made, the child themselves. A photo of them, with the background removed, on a temporary tattoo. It goes down well with several people:
- The grandparents, who can wear their grandchildren on their arm at Christmas dinner.
- Mom or dad, for a special occasion like their first day of school, or when one of you has to spend a few days away from home.
- Their birthday. Having all the guests wear the birthday child’s face, with their age or their name, makes for lots of laughs and lots of photos. You’ll find more ideas in our temporary tattoos for kids’ birthday parties.
How to choose the photo
- Straight on and in good light, with the face filling a good part of the photo and nothing blurry.
- The background doesn’t matter: in the editor, “Remove the background” leaves just your child.
- Color with white finish. A layer of white goes underneath, so the face shows its true colors on any skin tone.
- At least 5 cm per side, so the face is recognizable.
- With their name or a date? Add it to the image before uploading, with any photo app or with Canva.
How to order the tattoo, step by step
All three ideas are ordered the same way, from your phone or your computer, in design-your-own temporary tattoos.
How to turn a drawing, a tattoo or a photo into a temporary tattoo
- 1
Take the photo
Of the drawing, the tattoo or your child: straight on, in daylight and without shadows. A phone is fine. If you have the original file, even better.
- 2
Upload it to the editor
It accepts JPG, PNG and PDF. The first step is cropping: frame the drawing or the face.
- 3
Remove what you don’t need
When you crop, the editor removes the white around it so the size is the size of the drawing (“Fitted to the design”). For a photo, “Remove the background” leaves just the person.
- 4
Choose the finish
Color for drawings and tattoos: white isn’t printed and the skin shows through there. Color with white for photos.
- 5
Choose size and quantity
For a child, 4 to 6 cm; for a face, at least 5 cm. There’s no minimum order: you can order just one.
- 6
See it on the skin
With “Preview on the body” you can see how it looks on an arm, at real size, before you order.
- 7
Get it delivered
We make it in 24 hours, and you’ll see the delivery date when you order.
One by one or all on one sheet
- One by one. Upload each drawing or photo as a separate design and choose how many copies you want of each: they arrive cut out. It’s the easiest option if you only have a few designs or want several copies of the same one.
- All on one sheet. If your child has a folder full of drawings, arrange them on a 27 × 20 cm document and upload it on the temporary tattoo sheet page. Lots of them fit, it’s the cheapest way to get many, and you cut them out with scissors afterwards.
When to give it
| Occasion | The idea that fits best |
|---|---|
| Christmas | Their drawing as a tattoo, or a sheet with all their drawings from the year |
| Their birthday | Their face on a tattoo for all the guests |
| Father’s Day (third Sunday in June) | Dad’s tattoo in mini for the child, or the child’s drawing for dad |
| Mothering Sunday (March or early April) | The child’s drawing for mom, or the same design for both of you |
| Grandparents’ Day (first Sunday in October) | The grandchildren’s faces or a drawing by each of them |
| The last day of term | A tattoo with a drawing by every child in the class |
Order it at least two weeks ahead. In December, give yourself three.
How long it lasts and how to remove it
A temporary tattoo lasts 3 to 7 days, depending on where it is and how much it rubs. It holds up in the shower and the sea, but on kids, who wash their hands more often and never sit still, it usually lasts a little less; on the forearm, shoulder or back it lasts longer than on the hands. We go into detail in how long temporary tattoos last. To take it off sooner, a few drops of oil (baby oil works really well) and a cotton pad.
If it’s your first time putting one on, follow our guide on how to apply a temporary tattoo: clean, dry skin, the design against the skin, a soaked sponge on top for 30-45 seconds and then peel the paper off slowly.
Frequently asked questions
What’s a unique gift for a child?
One that’s truly theirs, not just another toy. Three ideas that work: their own drawing turned into a temporary tattoo, a mini copy of mom’s or dad’s tattoo so they can wear one just like them, or their face on a tattoo for their birthday. You can order just one.
Can you turn a child’s drawing into a tattoo?
Yes. Take a straight-on photo of the drawing in good light, or scan it, and upload it to the editor: when you crop it, it removes the white around it. With the color finish, the white of the paper isn’t printed and only the lines stay on the skin, so make sure the paper comes out white, not gray. Drawings in marker or crayon work better than faint pencil.
Can I get a temporary tattoo like my own for my child?
Yes. Upload a photo of your tattoo or, better, the original design, and choose a smaller size for their arm: 4 to 6 cm is usually enough. If the tattoo is black, the color finish is all you need.
Can I put my child’s face on a temporary tattoo?
Yes. Upload a straight-on photo taken in good light; the editor removes the background and shows you how it looks on skin. For photos we recommend the color with white finish and at least 5 cm per side, so the face is recognizable.
How much does a tattoo like this cost?
It depends on the size, the finish and how many you order, and you see the price instantly in the configurator. There’s no minimum order. If you have lots of drawings, a 27 × 20 cm sheet, which fits many of them, is the cheapest option.
Are temporary tattoos safe for kids?
Ours are made with cosmetic-grade inks, dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. Don’t put it on a cut or irritated skin, or near the eyes, and always put it on with an adult there. Our guide to temporary tattoos for kids has all the details.
How long does it take to arrive?
We make it in 24 hours, and you’ll see the delivery date when you order. In December, it’s best to order three weeks ahead.
A gift made with them
At Yatatu we make custom temporary tattoos starting from a single one and deliver them to your door: with your children’s drawings, with the tattoo you already have or with their faces. Cosmetic-grade inks, dermatologically tested, made in 24 hours and rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google.