If you’re looking to fill your kids lives with fantastically fun experiences (instead of toys) that will last a life time this birthday Christmas, I’ve got you covered.
I am sure your kids are like mine and have so many toys you’re running out of room. Share this amazing list with grandparents and anyone that wants to get your little ones something awesome this holiday instead of more stuff.
16 Experiences To Give Your Kids
1. Amusement park tickets
My kids get tickets to our local amusement park each year from their Grandma and it has given them more memories than any toy ever will.
2. Movie tickets
A favorite family memory of ours is going to the movies. Who doesn’t love popcorn and candy and a big screen? (Psst, did you know you could buy movie gift certificates right on Amazon?)
3. Sporting event tickets
We are a sports loving family and love spending time at the baseball field. Soccer games, football games, hockey, even WWE. If your kids love watching, go see it in person!
4. Pottery painting
We did this over the summer and the kids are still so proud of their masterpieces. There are lots of places to go, pick out a piece of art and paint it however you’d like.
5. Spa day
My little girl adores heading to the salon for a hair cut and big “princess curls” as she calls them. Go out for a day for a mani, pedi, facial or hair styling. Such special memories.
6. New family friend (dog, cat, lizard, hamster)
I know you’ve got to be in a certain mindset to do this, but our new family puppy has been so good for our kids and all the memories of growing up next to a puppy are priceless.
7. Dress up clothes
My little ones are growing up together with fond memories of dressing up together and putting on hilarious shows. There is nothing more special in their childhood than them giggling in their bedroom together, picking out different things to wear and what song to sing next.
8. Music lessons
Let your kids explore their creative side with piano lessons, guitar lessons or any other fun instrument they want to learn.
9. Trampoline
If there is one thing we have bought that has given our kids tons of laughs and fun (and exercise!) it’s our trampoline. This one is the best becomes it comes with a basketball hoop!!
10. Pool passes
We love spending summers at the pool! Not just during summer, but during the winter too at the local YMCA indoor pool. Add in a new swim suit or toy specific for the water to go along with it.
11. Zoo passes
Visiting a zoo a time or too and seeing your favorite animals up close is so fun!
12. SkyZone passes
Any jumping place is a blast for kids and a great way to exercise, too! I love this activity in the winter since we tend to spend more time inside, this is a good way to exert some energy.
13. Vacation
Big family vacations are my most favorite childhood memories. Tracking across country in our van and stopping at random souvenir shops are the stuff that sticks with us forever. But the small vacations are just as good! Find some places within a couple hours and find all they have to offer. (If you want to help your family out, grab a Southwest Airlines gift certificate or one for Hotels.com they can save!)
14. Rent a boat for a weekend
Spending a day or two out on the water (weather permitting, of course) will fill the kids with so much joy and memories.
15. Train, hot air balloon or helicopter ride
16. Items for a new family hobby
Get supplies for something the whole family can do together all the time! Maybe binoculars for bird watching, bikes for bike riding, or a compass for geo-caching. The opportunities are endless!
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Liz is a just a mom trying to keep it real about how little she sleeps, how often she gets puked on and how much she loves them. You can find her here every day writing about real-mom moments.
Great ideas for young and old.
Another suggestion is tickets to a museum. The last couple of years I have purchased a year membership to a children’s museum for my niece and nephew. They love that place!
All these things are fine; tickets to this, tickets to that. But unless your kids are just ungodly spoiled – which is usually the case these days – what kids want more than anything is for their parents to actually spend time with them!! You don’t have to go somewhere constantly; that’s mainly to keep YOUR attention! Play outside, play board games, do crafts, and so on. You don’t have to be watching a sports event, watching a movie, or watching something else. You don’t have to be going, going, going places. Why do you parents these days try to make it SOOOO difficult sounding when it comes to raising kids?? Quit spending so much danged money, and start spending time!!! And if you say you’re going to punish them…..do it!! Don’t keep saying you will and saying you will, and then never do it!! Kids catch on; they’re not stupid. Your children want your time, they want your attention, they want your love, and they want your affection!!! Quit acting like raising a kid is a job. If you’ve spoiled them THAT bad, then yes; you DO have a job!! And it’s your fault you’re doing that job so poorly.
Omg soooo true! Can you tell my sister this???
Jeez.. is this a general comment or is it directed at someone in particular? You’re making a LOT of assumptions here..
Yes!!!!
I couldn’t agree with you more…I have 3 daughters and I’m always trying to find new arts n crafts projects to do with them… It doesn’t have to cost money to be with your kids. Hell we find stuff to craft with all around the house, the yard,on walks… Doesn’t take much people just your time and your kids will remember the little things for a lifetime
Oh my, that is some bottled up frustration coming out there! Lol. These are supposed to be experiences to replace a tangable gift but it is still a gift. If she wants to go somewhere once a month, different than the other fun things she does at home, with her kids than what’s the big deal and how is that considered busy? Your comments might be better directed to the people in your personal life you feel need to hear it, not broadcasted here so you can vent and temporarily feel better. Nice article! I am going to take some of these ideas and incorporate some of them into our new year.
Thank you! I have always said this!!!!!!!! Do crafts that teach life skills! Sing as loud as you can with math games! Give them hugs and kisses! ABOVE ALL TEACH THEM RESPECT!
Some parents (myself included) don’t feel like being home all the time. I like bringing my kids places and doing things they enjoy, and consider the cash money well spent. We also do things at home like bike riding, crafts, board games, water balloon fights, etc. An added bonus of getting my kids out of the house though is less time for them to get it all messy, less time to clean it back up, and more time to spend having fun together.
sooo sooo true!!! Why does it have to cost money to entertain kids??? Turn on the hose outside and have fun spraying each other for an hour, run around and play tag, if you live near a park….walk to the park or the library…our library usually has something going on, get them interested in reading!, have a playdate with neighborhood kids, there are so many options other than getting in the car and going and spending money!!
So true!! I just love play tag, hide and seek, jump on the trampoline, talk WITH them or lay down in the grass and watch the clouds with my 3 kiddos! Spending time with my little ones at home it’s so much fun and warm. We all feel happiness!!
🙏🏼🙌🙏🏼🙌🙏🏼🙌😆😅🤣 Agree! We don’t have much money so we hardly do anything that has to do with taking trips. Instead, I sit and color, finger paint, actually sit on the floor and play and interact with my toddler! She has the best time ever and its dirt cheap! With my teenager, we sit together eat ice cream or make some kind of treat together and watch funny videos that he likes (funny cat, dog videos) or play board games he likes. Again…dirt cheap and we all have a good time including my toddler and husband! Children and teens NEED and crave QUALITY TIME!!!🤗❤️😊
One grandmother I know pays and transports her grandkids to swim lessons. I thought this sounded like a good investment of memories, time and Money.
They are so proud to have grandparents attend lessons. Its a special moment bc everyone is so proud.
All of these things cost….what about den building in the woods, jumping waves, swinging on rope swings across rivers, breakfast watching the sunrise….these are experiences. The list above is purchases, feels quite depressing….
Love all these old school suggestions. Those were the good old days…we need to bring them back!
We’ve done all of these except
The boat with our grandchildren and their parents as a family!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing !
Do *not* buy your kids a trampoline. I worked in home owners insurance for years and those things are a broken ankle waiting to happen. Have a net around it? I’ve talked to multiple parents whose children have broken a leg without even falling off. I have never spoken to anyone who owns a trampoline, socially or professionally, who didn’t have at least one accident.
Don’t believe me? Call your insurance company and tell them about it and watch your rates go up.
I had a trampoline as a kid. I sell homeowners insurance. We never had an accident or anyone get hurt. People are too sheltered and act like such babies all the time.
Same here, I had a trampoline, my daughter had a trampoline and no injuries
I work at a place that does therapy and we have a trampoline and no one has gotten hurt. Its been open 12 years now. I had a trampoline when i was little and my kids now have one also. No broken bones ever. Great ideas in this article all around!
I agree! My daughter broke her arm on our trampoline.
It was such a bad break, that it broke both bones in her arm and she required surgery. It was very traumatic and she actually never got back on it again. We sold it and haven’t missed it at all. Our doctor told us about all of the injuries he’s seen from trampolines over the years, and he tries to warn his patients about the dangers. He said the worst injury he treated was a boy who landed incorrectly after doing a front flip, and he broke his neck and was paralyzed. Just because you haven’t had an injury, doesn’t mean they don’t happen to others or make a trampoline any less dangerous. It’s also true that your insurance rates will go up, I definitely don’t miss that!
We have a trampoline, but my kids don’t abuse it. I don’t know the circumstances as to how people get injured on a trampoline but, people get injured doing all kinds of different things all the time. I was running once around the block and tripped falling flat on my face and broke my nose, does this mean I shouldn’t run?? Sounds crazy now right. Everything has risk.
Every Saturday night we have a movie night. The kids love old scary movies and we’re working our way through the old Dracula movies from the forties. They get a special snack that they get to eat in the living room (usually a no food allowed room). It’s cheap and we all get to spend time together.
Awesome ideas. I found things like playing in the dirt. Cooking together without doing it for them. Letting them help at a food bank. Letting them help with construction on the house. Yes it takes more time to accomplish these with their assistance but they love helping.
Geez people….did you read her introduction to this post? She’s talking about 16 things that are GREAT ideas to give children as CHRISTMAS or (Birthday) instead of toys or more technology!!
If you can’t say something nice, please don’t say anything AT ALL.
Thank you Liz for some awesome ideas. And thanks for the people who posted more ideas in addition to Liz’s. I love the museum one. Wish I would have thought of that when my boys were younger. We now have season passes to a local amusement park. Have done it the past 3 years, and it’s still as fun and memorable as the first time we went.
We did service project one year. We collected books and went to local hospital and read to children. It was years ago and still my most memorable Christmas. My brother made a rolling bookcase for the books. So after we were done we left the books there.
Wow that’s great awesome
Please don’t purchase animals as gifts unless you check with the parents to be sure the animal is a welcome addition. Actually don’t purchase pets. Go to your local animal shelter and adopt a dog or cat. There are also many private rescues where you can adopt animals as well. Some of them even have humane education programs you could enroll the children in as a gift. Teach them kindness.
Hi Liz,
These are all great ideas! I’m a grandma and love to see my grands having fun, and experiences are the best memories of all. You obviously enjoy the same thing with your babies. You’re a great mom…it shows!! Thank you!
All great ideas but tickets to these things can be very expensive (especially if you have more than one child) & not everyone can afford it. We have 5 children (all now grown with children of their own). When they were young it was a challenge to keep them busy. One of the things we did was have a games night once a week. Our kids still talk about that. Another thing they enjoyed was Sunday afternoon drives with Dad, while Mom had a break. LOL The object of the game was to “get Dad lost”. They would take turns telling him which direction to go & after an hour or so it was his job to find their way home. (before the days of GPS’s). Some of the fondest memories that our family have are the things we did as a family that did not cost money such as hikes in the woods, picnics, collecting leaves in the fall, sledding in the winter, etc.
Visite à la ferme, producteur maraîcher, cueillir des petits fruits en famille, sortie aux pommes, savourer les couleurs d’automne dans un sentier où en téléphérique, regarder les étoiles, canot ou kayak, jardin botanique, envolé de papillon, planter des arbres, ramasser des feuilles en communautés, participer à une activité culinaire avec les produits locaux, cuisiner sur un feu de bois, journée sans électricité, etc. Mon préféré écouter le silence…. sentir Le Soleil et le vent sur la peau et découvrir les merveilleux bruits de la nature. Bref, dans la simplicité découvrir de grandes choses
Hello thank you so much for the great list! I have asked for no toys twice for my daughters birthdays and instead told them what she really wanted was a swing set so they all gave us gift cards to Lowe’s and anyther party I just wrote her favorite restaurants down and it was amazing to get to go out all summer as a family without having to pay anything and she was really happy to pay with her birthday money.
Hello everybody, Actually I was surprised to see this post. I have 5 kids and I thought that it would be a good idea for their birthdays that instead of gifts we spend 1 on 1 quality time with our kids. Each child will get one day with mom and 1 day with dad to do something special. Because memories are so much more precious than things. We do often do things like hiking or geocaching which may include bike riding or even public transportation. My little ones love the fact that they didn’t have to sit in a car seat on a bus or on the Bart train here in the Bay area. Excellent idea for the post. 1 on 1 time with your child will make them feel special, loved and unforgotten. I believe that so often siblings grow up with rivalries. And as parents we need to work on correcting this. We need to build bonds that will last forever. I believe one of the worst things that you can do to a child is to show favoritism. And if you continue to buy them things the spoiling will only get worse.
My 20 year old broke her leg at sky zone last year and had to have ACL surgery. It’s been awful. They have serious accidents at those places daily.
Hey Liz,
I just wanted to give you a shout and say thanks for your ideas! I see there have been a lot of negative comments on your post, and I just wanted to add a positive one to the mix.
Your idea for booking helicopter rides or hot air balloon rides was one I hadn’t thought of. And the season pass to the zoo is great too. I fully intend on doing that when my daughter is old enough to enjoy it fully. <3
Thank you!
Add weekly trip to the library. Free. Fun. A kids fantasy land
Great things to do with your kids. So much fun but if you can’t afford it, do what I do with my grandchildren. I do crafts with my grandchildren and we have a great time. I like to see them being creative and off their electronics. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. We also play card games, play kick ball, make milkshakes. Just to name a few. When my grandchildren call and tell me they want to come to my house, I know I’m doing something right.
Hey Liz! Big shout out to you. These are awesome ideas to do INSTEAD of Christmas or birthday gifts. I see you are getting a lot of flak for these being “expensive” ways to spoil your kids. If the read the title of the article, it says it right there.
I have been struggling with what to get my kids this year for Christmas. They like the toys for about a week, then go back to their tablets. I love the idea of gifting experiances instead of toys. I will definitely be looking into our local places.
Keep up the good work you are doing, and remember the haters are gonna hate, let them wallow in their misery. You keep on keeping on!
I never forgot the nights my Dad woke me up to see shooting stars, eclipses and just looking up at the full moon.
Great ideas for young children. Can anyone come up for young teenagers older children and young adults
My teenage daughter is always begging us to take her to concerts or anime conventions. We took her and a friend to a masquerade ball as an early holiday gift this year. The girls loved it. We live within a few hours of NYC and she loves to take trips into the city. My husband’s parents have bought us a few bus trips to see shows as Christmas gifts.
One year I bought a cruise for my two granddaughters and daughter. The girls were like thirteen and nineteen in age. The trip wasn’t until the next August so we talked about and planned all summer! For their birthdays they picked out a dress for dinner on this trip. We played with hair does and clothes all summer. It was so much fun getting passports and reading about the places we would be visiting. Sound expensive but when you add up how much you spend at Christmas for each one it isn’t bad. And the trip was great!! Memories for a life time. I went also!
I like all these suggestions except for the Buy a PET idea! Never give an animal as a gift to a child. The novelty of a pet wears off within 2 weeks or as soon as they realize they need to clean up Poop! So many animals end up in shelters or neglected because they go unwanted. An animal is a lifelong commitment which can be 10-25 years. So please for the love of gawd don’t buy your child an animal as a gift.
Hello
Your childs are so sweet.
Can i ask you where do you live?
in LONDON?
I will be happy if we can meet together
i am from algeria, you look kind and your daughter seems to my daughter she loves smile,
she loves nature.
Keep me informed.THANKS GOOD FAMILYY
I love this and I totally agree! Things break or become out grown, but memories last forever. I decided a couple years ago to do this and it has been amazing. Last Christmas all my children received money, cozy jackets, and just a couple other items. The next day we headed for the mountains with the whole family. We played games, made memories, and had so much fun! My daughter also received her own luggage and Jojo tickets which we built a family trip around this summer. I am already planning our getaway for this year.
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Love some of these ideas and will definitely do a few more this summer! I saw similar post last year.