joyfullydwell

As my kids have ventured into their teens, gift giving has become somewhat challenging. They have outgrown the phase of popular characters and have never really been into trendy toys. Money to me just seems somewhat impersonal. I mean, straight cash is always nice, don’t get me wrong, but I like to put a little effort and focus the gifts around what my kids are interested in and make it more personal. Even when they were younger, when given the option, my kids preferred a special outing as a family in lieu of gifts.

Here are some of the experience-gifts that have been wonderful activities and we’ve made great memories as a family or one-on-one doing them.

The gift of art lessons, art camp, or a special one-day paint or drawing tutorial has always been a hit. If you’d like to have a physical gift to open along with a certificate or voucher for the class, you can wrap it up with the art supplies they may need or extra supplies they can use leading up to the classes like an art apron, sketch book and pencils or a nice paint set.

A subscription art box is also an option. We had Kiwi Crate boxes sent monthly with different art activities. One option we gifted to one of our kids later on was called Atlas Crate and the focus was a different country each month with multiple activities to do. I ordered ahead of time so I could wrap the first box and put a note saying they would be receiving whatever amount more.

Aviation lessons. If you happen to live in an area near an airport that supports smaller aircraft, look into flight lessons. Many pilots enjoy sharing their experience and teaching younger generations the joys of aviation. Some locations also host EAA Young Eagles which is a free program to introduce and inspire youth aged 8-17 in the world of aviation.

A day at the Aquarium is always good fun. My children love to experience the hands-on activities at the different Aquariums we’ve visited throughout the years. Through our POGO Pass, we get a day of free admission or you can opt to purchase an annual membership for the aquatic lover in your life.

Amusement parks are the biggest hit for birthday celebrations. Even as my kids have gotten older, when given the opportunity to go to Legoland, Six Flags, Knott’s Berry Farm, etc. there’s always a resounding “yes!”

If there isn’t an amusement park nearby, you can always opt for a carnival, state fair or family fun center. There are many options these days for trampoline parks, bowling alleys, arcades, indoor rock climbing, Lazer tag, bumper boats and go-karts. I always look for deals when I have a birthday coming up on Groupon or use our POGO Pass. Some of these places require special socks to participate, so purchase a pair ahead of time to wrap up and give.

A subscription to a monthly cooking kit or cooking lessons makes for a great gift for those who love the culinary side of life. Wrap up the certificate with a cooking apron or fun set of pot holders. I’ve gifted my kids a monthly subscription box which also allowed me to have a night off in the kitchen… Winning!

Believe it or not, factory tours can actually make a really fun gift. The experience of learning hands-on, face to face with an interest your child has can be something they talk about for years to come. Factory tours can be a fascinating way to dig deeper with your kids in their interests and learn so much more about how things in our world come to be. You can include an activity or science kit along as a gift with tickets or a homemade certificate saying where you will be going.

Garden and nature centers are fun to spend the day celebrating, or if you have a plant lover, you may opt to get them an annual membership. You can give it to them along with a potted plant or cut flowers.

If you have someone who’s a movie lover, give the gift of movie passes or a movie membership. You can make a fun movie themed basket with popcorn and snacks to put the gift card or membership certificate in. If you’re looking to find a deal, check your big-box store like Sam’s Club or Costco first, Groupon also runs movie membership deals from time to time.

Museums and learning centers are a wonderful experience. Like factory tours, you can get more hands-on and in-depth with whatever your child is interested in. They are such a fun way to make memories, and there’s almost always a gift shop so you can bring home a souvenir.

Music lessons are a great gift to help your child expand on any talent or interest they may have musically. Tickets to a concert or musical theater are also great experiences.

Tickets or season passes to sporting events can make a great gift. You can wrap up the tickets with memorabilia like a team shirt or hat to give.

Tours like this glass-bottom boat tour we went on was another great Groupon find. There are many options for tours on the water and on land, depending on your destination. I’ve also been on a Haunted tour with a friend for her birthday and that was such a memorable and actually a rather educational experience.

U-Pick farms make for a fun day no matter what age. Though with younger kids, it tends to be a somewhat messier, whinier and thus shorter experience (been there, done that!) When your kids get older they actually seem to enjoy it more and you can do other activities at the farm along with picking berries, pumpkins, peaches or whatever it may be.

Water fun. If your child’s birthday happens to be in the warmer months, opt for a day of play in the water. The beach, lake, river, or at a water park. If an indoor facility is in your area, lucky for you, you have the option to enjoy that year round! I’ve gifted tickets with a new pair of goggles or a new beach towel. Or if we were headed to the beach, a fun new set of beach toys – yes even my older still enjoy building sand castles!

We definitely have animal lovers in our household, so an annual membership to the zoo or safari park has always been a gift option. With our POGO Pass, we’ve also been able to go to multiple zoos in our area for free. You can gift the vouchers with a stuffed animal or a fun hat or water bottle to bring along with you.

I know this has been one of my longer blog posts… Thanks for sticking it through to the end! My hope is I’ve offered some inspiration for you to have a fun experience as a family for your next birthday or holiday celebration.