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Inside: Discover a list of awesome experience gifts for kids that the little ones will love, and that will help you bring more joy and connection to your home!
When I look back to the most special gifts I received in my life, they all have one thing in common: they were much more than an object in a cute wrapping paper!
They were presents that filled my heart with joy. That created precious memories. That offered me the chance to enjoy things that I truly like and spend time with the people I love!
One of the best birthday presents that I ever received was a surprise helicopter ride planned by my husband. In another year, I was the one who surprised him with a secret city break to Madrid (that he only found out about when we arrived at the airport).
We kept this tradition after we became parents, and we always try to give our kids presents that can bring us closer and allow us to create wonderful memories together.
If you are looking for a gift that will help you enjoy wonderful experiences with your kids, here is a list of our favorite ideas!
Experience gifts: A special way to give joy to children
The reason why experience gifts are my favorites is that they offer much more than a material possession.
For kids, these gifts are truly precious because they give them the chance to do things they enjoy, and most of all, spend more happy moments with mom and dad!
Here are some benefits of choosing experience gifts for kids:
- They don’t add any additional clutter to your home.
- They teach kids about the true value of things. They will get to appreciate the things that really matter (like spending time with the family or visiting a nice museum) instead of only focusing on expensive toys on their wish list.
- And my top favorite thing about experience gifts: They help us connect with our kids, spend quality time with them, and build wonderful family memories!
Our favorite experience gifts for kids
There are many experience gift ideas for children. And sometimes the child will be the one guiding you to the best present. If you observe your child’s interests and hobbies, you’ll certainly come up with great ideas!
In case you need some additional inspiration, I’ve gathered here our list of favorite experience gifts for kids, and I hope you’ll like them too!
1. Museum or zoo memberships
The membership will not only make it more affordable to visit the museum or zoo on a regular basis, but it will also give you access to special events to enjoy together.
2. Educational subscription boxes
In December 2016, we signed up for our first monthly educational subscription and, ever since, we never stopped receiving boxes every month.
The kids lovs them, and we always have a lot of fun doing the activities together.
It’s like receiving a new gift in our mailbox every single month!
Here are our favorite subscription boxes for kids:
⭐ Kiwi Crate: a subscription box that encourages young innovators
This is one of the best subscription boxes we ever tried!
They have different lines for children of all ages, and you can check them out here.
Also, here is a referral link that offers you 50% off your 1st month of any line.
⭐ Bookroo: an award-winning book club for kids
Our favorite book subscription box is Bookroo. They send 2 lovely books every month and we enjoyed every single one of them!
If you want to encourage your child to love books from an early age, Bookroo is a perfect choice! You can check out their boxes here.
⭐ Atlas Crate: a lovely way to explore the world together
This subscription box invites kids to explore a new destination every month.
Each month you get 2 projects to do with your child, plus collectible cards and stickers that you gather in a special keepsake book to document your “journey” through every destination.
3. Activity passes
Activity passes are another great way to offer experiences that the child enjoys. Depending on the child’s age and interests, there are a lot of options to choose from:
- bowling passes
- mini-golf passes
- ice skating passes
- art class membership
- coding classes
and many more!
⭐ Alternative to try while social distancing: live online classes on Outschool.
4. Event or movie tickets
There are a lot of events to choose from! Here are some ideas:
– movie premieres
– Disney events
– special days at a children’s museum
– events for kids at the zoo
– celebrations at amusement parks.
⭐ Alternative to try while social distancing: a Disney+ subscription.
5. Educational kits
This idea is very similar to the educational subscription boxes but it’s a one-time purchase instead of a monthly subscription. And you can choose an educational kit that is focused on your child’s greatest hobby or interest.
Here are some of the ideas that we like:
Science kits
- Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit – The kit included 9 activities and almost all the supplies are included in the kit.
- Here is another similar set: My First Mind Blowing Science Kit.
Botany science kits
- Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids – This kit looks great and it’s perfect for teaching kids how to take care of a little garden.
- Creativity for Kids Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium – This is another nice terrarium that glows in the dark.
photo credit: Olga Bogatyrenko / shutterstock.com
Creative kits
- Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library Kit – a great kids that encourages creativity
- Crayola Inspiration Art Case – a portable art studio for many hours of drawing and creating together.
6. Weekend getaway
This is my favorite idea because I love to travel and discover new places! This seems the most expensive idea on the list but it doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money.
Planning in advance is a great way to find nice places to visit on an affordable bugdet and enjoy fun family adventure with your kids.
Kids love surprises and even if this gift requires a little more preparation, the effort is totally worthwhile!
7. Create a personalized coupon book for your child
This idea is my favorite one because I think that the most precious gift we can give to our kids is the time we spend with them. Building happy moments together is the best way to make children feel loved!
A coupon book is one of the easiest way to offer experiences instead of stuff and it will bring joy to your child for one whole year! This idea was the best gift for building a close relationship with my son, so I designed a printable set of coupons for you too!
All you need to do is download the coupons, create the coupon book (in just 10 minutes), and offer it to your child. I’m sure that your child will love the idea!
The coupon book will offer you and your child many happy moments to enjoy together, so this little coupon book is a gift for you as well!
You can download the printable coupon book here.
More experience gift ideas for kids
Here are more ideas to inspire you when searching for the best experience gift for your child.
8. magazine subscriptions
9. hiking pass
10. family game night kit
11. children’s theater subscription
12. treasure hunt game for kids
13. aquarium or botanical garden membership
14. Highlights Puzzle Club subscription
15. planetarium visit
16. tickets to a sporting event
17. train ride to a nice destination
18. factory tour visit
I hope you enjoyed the ideas on this list and that they will inspire you to choose some awesome experience gifts for your kids!
>> Want to remember this? Share these ideas to your favorite Pinterest board!
photo credit preview photo: FamVeld / shutterstock.com
