Home / Holidays / The Holidays 50+ awesome experience gifts to give—instead of toys Experience gifts can be the best gifts for kids. By Kaitlyn Russell Updated October 10, 2022 We independently select and share the products we love—and may receive a commission if you choose to buy. Yes, it’s called the giving season, but who says that “giving” always has to mean toys, clothes or just more stuff? Experience gifts for kids, from museum memberships to sporting passes, can give your kids more than just another object for their playroom. It can create memories, help build skills and provide fun for the entire family. We asked what are the best experience gifts for kids instead of toys, and you told us. Here are some of the best experience gift ideas we heard: 1. A book bundle or subscription to Highlights or Honest History 2. Gift card to restaurant (or Doordash for takeout) for the family 3. Enrollment in the Elf Prep Academy, Santa’s exclusive school to train new elves. It’s a cookie-baking, tree-decorating and sleigh repairing good time! 4. Kid-friendly cooking set for home 5. Streaming services for a year—we love Disney+ 6. Trip to the bookstore to pick out new books View this post on Instagram A post shared by Strand Book Store, NYC (@strandbookstore) 7. Local or national state park passes for a year 8. Plane or train ticket to visit someone special (grandma, aunt, etc.) 9. Pass to an art museum 10. Cooking class for kids. The Kid’s Table offers virtual options! 11. A farm stay 12. Meditation subscription 13. Pottery making classes (or one of these fab at-home kits) 14. Out of country airfare and accommodation (if you want to be truly indulgent) 15. Swim lessons 16. A podcast subscription 17. Subscription boxes 18. A train ride to somewhere they’ve never been 19. Musical instrument and lessons 20. Flower or herb seeds to plant a garden 21. Ballet classes & tutu (Or sign them up for Dancely. Designed for kiddos age 2-8, this app puts a dance party in your pocket (or on your TV). Choose from over 100+ instructor-led videos and kid-friendly songs featuring songwriters who have written music for companies such as Marvel, Netflix & Disney for screen time without guilt.) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Magdalena Włodek (@magdawloxd) 22. Ceramic painting class 23. Payment for summer camp or a virtual camp they want to attend 24. A language learning app or software 25. Zoo membership 26. Indoor rock climbing experience 27. A camera to use for adventures (We love the Instax Mini for the instant gratification and analog vibes.) 28. Horseback riding lesson 29. Tickets and gear for sports team View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beast Coast Ninja Kid (@beastcoastninjakid) 30. Gift for charity, let the child decide where to give 31. Miniature golf adventure 32. Indoor climbing excursion 33. Mommy & me music classes 34. Tickets for Disney on Ice 35. Passes to the local waterpark 36. Children’s theater season passes 37. Music class gift card 38. Camping gear for a weekend away View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sara Goldstein (@sarachasen) 39. A hot air balloon ride 40. Subscription to Little Passports 41. Year fees for school 42. Full session for new sport (gymnastics, football camp, etc.) 43. Materials to build terrarium 44. Game night bundle 45. Season pass to attraction (Disneyland, Island of Adventure, etc.) 46. YMCA family pass 47. Movie gift card for the local theatre (some are offering reservations) 48. Volunteer trip (Toys for Tots, food bank, etc.) 49. Trampoline jump passes 50. Donation to future college fund 51. Aquarium yearly pass 52. “Adopt” a wild animal with World Wildlife’s symbolic species adoptions. Choose from a wide variety of species and the giftee will receive a photo, adoption certificate and even a cuddly plush pal to match. 53. An Alltruists volunteering box to take on an at-home afternoon project that gives back A version of this article was originally published on March 19, 2019. It has been updated.