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Non-Toy Gift Ideas Your Kids Will Love

Updated November of 2023: List of non-toy gift ideas that are perfect for young children.

It is that time of year. Quality family time. Tons of food. And gifts galore!!

For some families, this is a rather stressful time of year because the accumulation of toys gets to be so overwhelming.

So I created a list of non-toy gift ideas that any kid will love! When it comes to presents, I believe in giving experiences rather than physical gifts… although clothes are great gifts too!!

Some links may contain affiliates.

Magazine Subscription As Non-Toy Gift Ideas

My kids love getting snail mail, which is why I think a magazine subscription is an amazing gift! Just wrap up a magazine to show the kids they will get one once a month in the mail! Some of our favorites include:

  • Highlights
  • Ranger Rick
  • National Geographic Kids
  • Spider Magazine
  • Click Magazine
  • Chirp
  • Sports Illustrated Kids
  • Lego Club
  • American Girl

Image via Kiwi Crate

Kiwi Crate

We got a Koala crate for Hanukkah two years ago. The kids absolutely loved it!

Every month they would get a new box in the mail with projects varying in difficulty. Some projects they could do independently, while others needed adult assistance.

There are multiple choices in boxes based on your kiddos’ interests and age!

Classes As Non-Toy Gift Idea

Another option for the minimalists’ gift guide is to gift a class.

Around where we live, there are so many to pick from that it can seem rather intense.

Why not encourage the grandparents to gift a cooking class, sports class, or science class? Not only is it fun for the kids, but the grandparents love watching too!

Play/Musical

My daughter loves musicals! So whenever there is a kids show at our local theater, I keep tabs and use those as present ideas.

Grab a schedule from your theater group and pick some plays that your child might enjoy.

Either give them the real tickets to the show, or just a picture to get them excited for an awesome experience!

Kids love art but you hate the mess? Learn how to organize kids beads from a professional organizer! #organize #organized #kidsart

Bead Organizer

I shared how I created a bead organizer for a client.

Well, I got a ton of inquiries for where to find it.

This organizer would make an incredible present. No I am not joking! Add some beads and it would be the perfect gift for those kiddos who love collecting beads!

DIY Lego Table Portable Tutorial

Lego Trays As Non-Toy Gift Idea

I created this Lego tray using Lego-compatible base plates and a lap desk.

The kids absolutely love playing with it. Either for creating or using as bridges for their Lego creations!

You can get the full tutorial here!

Chatbooks

I have been giving Chatbooks as gifts to my kiddos every year! They love looking at pictures of themselves from the past year and how much they have grown.

I love these books because they are super durable and incredibly easy to make books.


My hope is to give you some different gift ideas for the holidays that don’t involve extra stuff! Now don’t get me wrong, we love new toys!! But with the family asking for gift ideas, it can be nice to switch up some of the presents for non toy gift ideas!

For more wonderful gift ideas, check out these posts:

Want to give your kids the best holiday? Start by giving them less! These tips for going minimal will help you give the greatest gift! #kids #organized

Going From More To Less: The Best You Can Give

Looking for out-of-the-box gift ideas? Check out the minimalists' gift guide with ideas that don't offer lots of stuff! #minimalist #giftguide #declutter

The Ultimate Minimalists’ Gift Guide

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