Non-Toy Gift Ideas
As a parent, I deeply appreciate the caring “village” that surrounds our family. That being said, the number of toys and gifts that enter our home at Christmas can be overwhelming. I want my kids to truly appreciate things they have, and I wonder how our culture of “more” is impacting them.
In an effort to encourage gratitude and keep our lives centered on faith, I’ve been working on a list of non-toy gift ideas for kids… read on for the ideas I’ve come up with so far!
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- Games
- Board games
- Card games
- If you like to travel, check out Trekking the National Parks! We got it for my nieces. There’s also a National Parks Yahtzee.
- Books
- Secondhand books are great! Book Outlet has TONS of secondhand books, plus you can save $10 off your first order of $25+ by signing up with my referral link here.
- “Have you filled a bucket today?” book
- “Shine-a-light” books
- Faith-building gifts
- Bible (for older kids/teens, I love the Life Application Study Bible)
- Journal
- Nativity set (our favorite for young kids is the Little People Deluxe Nativity!)
- Bible infographics book
- Devotionals
- Activity books
- Water WOW books
- Dry erase books
- Sticker books
- Mazes, coloring books, word searches, etc.
- I Spy books
- Educational/Manipulatives
- Art & craft supplies (These are great because they’re consumables, so you can do different themed art & craft supplies over time and not have to store a ton at once… although my craft closet would beg to differ, haha!)
- Markers, crayons, colored pencils
- Coloring paper rolls (either big rolls of blank white paper, or pre-printed coloring rolls)
- Glue and/or glitter glue
- Googly eyes (self-adhesive!)
- Pipe cleaners
- Pony beads
- Foam stickers
- Play doh
- Textured rolling pins – for play doh, painting, etc
- Kinetic sand
- Paint markers (for making kindness rocks & all kinds of other things)
- Blank ornaments
- Washable paint
- Rubber stamps & stamp pads
- Activity kits (You can purchase already-made kits, or make your own!)
- Baking kits
- Slime kit
- Jewelry making kit
- Painting kits (I love the Melissa & Doug painting kits!)
- Tie dye kit
- Cardboard coloring houses
- Bath-themed
- Bath robes
- Hooded bath towels
- Bubble bath
- Bath crayons
- Bath bombs
- Toothbrushes (my kids love these $5ish electric toothbrushes!)
- Fuzzy blankets
- Clothing
- Fun socks
- Pajamas
- Swim suits
- Snow gear
- Coloring tshirts
- Sheets/Bedding
- Large motor activities (for when you’re cooped up all winter long…)
- Small trampoline
- Foam blocks (my parents got these for our daughter when she was 1… the girls are now almost 2 & 4 and they still get played with all the time!)
- Stepping stones
- Camping hammock (be extra fun – hang it inside!)
- Foam balance beam
- Outdoor fun
- Bikes/scooters
- Helmets
- Full-sized trampoline
- Swimming pool
- Sidewalk chalk
- Power Wheels vehicles
- Trips
- This idea can be catered to any budget… whether you spend a night at a relative’s house or camping, or spend a few weeks traveling across the country, travel memories are so precious!
- Memberships (Most attractions offer annual membership packages.)
- Zoo
- Children’s museum
- Amusement park
- Subscriptions
- Magazines (catered to the kid’s interest or an activity magazine like Highlights)
- Monthly activity boxes like Kiwi Crate
- Tech subscriptions, such as ABC Mouse
- Lessons
- Gymnastics, horseback riding, musical instruments, online coding… whatever your kids are interested in! Feed their curiosity and encourage their passions.
I hope these ideas are helpful for your family! I’d love to hear what other non-toy gift ideas you have. Thanks for visiting!