Stop filling your home with too many toys! End toy overwhelm today with this huge list of specific, FUN non-toy gift ideas!
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Is this how you feel when you survey the growing collection of toys in your home?
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This morning I'll be interviewed on several radio shows across Canada about the idea of a Toyless Christmas, so I thought I would share a list on the blog of Non-Toy Gift Ideas that can serve as a reference for birthdays and Christmas when you're feeling overwhelmed with toys!
There are so many non toy gifts for kids but we tend to get stuck on toys. Let's get you out of that rut!
100 Specific Non-Toy Gift Ideas:
Season Passes
A gift that keeps on giving, season passes are great gifts for the child who has everything and the home that has no space left!
- Zoo
- Museum
- Butterfly Conservatory
- Aviary
- Aquarium
- Amusement Park
One-Time Passes
- Movies
- Bowling
- Swimming
- Theatre Performance- Dinner & A Show(we went to Medieval Times)
- Go see a sporting event
- Disney On Ice
- Circus
- Ice Skating
- Roller Skating
- Mini Golf
- Concert
Experience Gifts for Kids
Some of the best non toy gifts for kids are the ones that create special memories and allow them to spend time with the people they love. Why not give the gift of time with the promise of a special day trip together? Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Horse & Buggy Ride
- Train Ride
- Ice Cream Vouchers
- Special dinner out
- A Trip to the Fire Station
- A Trip to Chuckie Cheese (buy the tokens ahead of time so you have something to wrap!)
- Coupon book with "time" gifts (ie. an afternoon making cookies with mom)
Experience Gifts for Parents & Big Kids
We can get stuck giving physical gifts to adults and big kids too! To get you thinking about special experience gifts for parents or teenagers, I've included this list of ideas:
- Hot Air Balloon Ride
- Wine Tasting
- Zip Lining
- Helicopter Ride
- Trip to the Spa (Mani/Pedi, Massage, Facial, etc.)- Overnight Getaway to a Spa
- Rock Climbing
- Trip to Arcade
A Class or Season of Lessons
Lessons are excellent non toy kid gifts because they get to keep going to them week after week and they develop a skill while they're at it. They can be excellent confidence builders! Here are a few lesson or class gift ideas:
- Swimming
- Sports
- Gymnastics
- Dance
- Karate
- Musical Instrument
- Pottery Class- or paint your own pottery
- Art Class
- Craft class (ie. knitting)
- Horseback riding lessons
Family Experience Gifts
- A night(s) away at a local hotel (with a pool)
- A hotel with an indoor waterpark
- Camping
- Road trip- Trip to the Beach
- Give each family member the travel/camping gear, swimsuits, or other accessories needed for the experience you'll be gifting so that they have a physical item to unwrap- Let them unwrap something that reveals where they'll be going!(Here's how we told our girls we were going to Disney World)
Physical Gifts that aren't Toys
- Books
- Games
- DVD
- CDs of fun kids music
- Craft kits (or supplies to make something fun for themselves!)
- Science kit
- New art supplies
- Magazine Subscription
- Monthly Craft or Science Kit Subscription
- Fun Bath Supplies (colour-changing water, crayons that write on walls, foamy soap, etc.)
- A wagon to pull kids in when you go on walks
- Stationery
- Special Christmas Tree Ornament-Camera
- Wrist watch
- Piggy bank
- Memory/Photo Book
- Journal
Fun "Needs"
- Kid furniture
- New bedding that they really like (check out our awesome bedding- we love it!)
- Bedroom décor/Promise of a total room makeover
- New hat, mitts, etc.
- Bike
- Scooter- PlasmaCar
- Roller skates/blades
- Basketball hoop
- Trampoline
- Swing set (for big ticket items like this, grandparents can pitch in)
- An item they need, but they wanted a more expensive version than you would normally buy (ie. boots/clothes)
- Colourful band aids
- Sled/toboggan/other winter outdoor things
- Sleeping bag
- Flashlight
- Toy box
- Personal set of scriptures
- Jewelry box
Learning Tools
- Telescope
- Magnifying glass
- Strong Magnet
- Science Kit
- Magic Kit
- Cookbook & Apron/Chef Hat
- Easel
- Chalkboard
- Gardening tools
- Bug-catching tools (better if you don't live somewhere that's snowy ;)
- Binoculars
- Globe
Other Non-Toy Gift Ideas
- Educational App they can play on your phone/iPod/tablet or Computer Game
- Items they need for lessons (costume/instrument/etc.)
- A new game for a game console
- A refill for an easy bake oven or other toy requiring refills
- A pet! (perhaps a "certificate" saying that you will go and pick one out together)- Contribute to an education savings plan (Ideas for how to make that more Fun)
- Pet Accessories/supplies
- iTunes gift card
- grandparents can take the grandchildren for a sleepover and let their parents go on a getaway!
If you want to refer to this list in the future, you can on Pinterest for later!--------
Need some Stocking Stuffer Ideas too?
100 Kid-Approved Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Thanks for stopping by and if you're visiting for the first time, check out the "About Page" for a place to start with looking around my blog! :)
