50+ awesome experience gifts to give—instead of toys
Experience gifts can be the best gifts for kids.
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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
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.)
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
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
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
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.