NON-TOY GIFT GUIDE FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

 

 

Kids love getting toys. They get toys for their birthdays, holidays, and just because.

 

Sometimes they get so many toys they don’t know what to do with them. They get thrown around, lost, or ignored.

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As a parent and gift giver I like to get gifts for kids that are unique, educational, and/or useful, although I am guilty of getting my daughter these toy blind bags that are absolutely useless.

 

Here is an extensive list of non-toy gift ideas that will surprise every kid.

 

best non toy gifts for toddlers

 

 

INSTANT CAMERA

 

My kids love playing with my phone and taking pictures. I don’t know any kid who wouldn’t enjoy their own camera and get to see how their photos come out right away.

 

 

INSTRUMENTS


I’m not saying to get a giant drum set because hello! people need to sleep.

This kit comes with several different instruments so that kids can be introduced to different musical instruments and explore their creative side.

 

If the child is older look for some introductory music lessons nearby.

 

 

CLASSES/GROUPON

 

Give the gift of entertainment. Consider giving a class for:

 

-Music lessons

-Karate

-Dance

-Piano

-Magic

-Soccer

-Paintball

-Bowling

-Fishing (my daughter just did one with my husband. She was so excited to catch her first fish and they had a nice fireworks display too).

 

Groupon offers discounts for all of the above and more. They have cheaper tickets to shows, restaurants, and getaways.

 

Don’t forget to earn free cash on your online and in-store purchases using Ebates. You can read my full Ebates review.

Ebates also gives promo codes and free shipping when available. Get a $10 welcome bonus!

 

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

AMAZON FREETIME UNLIMITED

 

Give the gift of unlimited access to kid friendly books, movies, games, apps, and more. It’s only $2.99 a month for Prime members and $4.99  a month for non-Prime members. That means it’s just $30 for 6 months! That’s a great gift at an affordable price.

 

COMPUTER TABLET

 

We just bought our daughter a LeapFrog tablet. We want her to be more tech-savvy and also play more educational games to get better with her numbers and letters.

She loves it because she can color and I love it because we can download new apps whenever we want to fit her learning level at the time.

 

 

DIY/CRAFTS

 

Another non-toy gift idea is a kit where kids get to make something.

 

Science kit

Knitting

Clay charm bracelets

 


Sewing

Slime

My kids love making their own slime. I just bought a giant bottle of white glue, contact lens solution and baking soda.

-Art kit/easel

 

 

PLAYHOUSE/TENT

 

A play house or tent is a great non-toy gift idea because it encourages a child to use their imagination. They have ones made of fabric that can be put up right in your living room. They also have the plastic ones that are great for the outdoors. Keep in mind those are more money and if you don’t mind second hand items you can get them very cheap and sometimes free at garage sales or on Craigslist.

 


Princess Snowflake Tent

 

Pop Up Tent with Tunnel and Balls

 

 

 

Tidy Cottage


BIKE/SCOOTER/SKATEBOARD

 

Every kid has a bike, scooter, wagon or some sort of “vehicle” to cruise around in. Get them to go outside and enjoy the fresh air, especially with fall coming!

 

This is a balance bike which is a great starter for younger kids to learn how to balance and steer.

 

 

PUPPET THEATER

 

A puppet theater is a great non toy gift idea because kids can have fun putting on their own shows. This is great for kids to express themselves, practice acting, etc.

 

 

DRESS UP CLOTHES

 

Here is another non toy gift idea that gets kids to use their imagination. There are princess dress up clothes, superheroes, and my favorite the career oriented costumes.

 

 

MAGNETIC TILES

 

I bought this gift for several kids of different ages and they went nuts. I know some would consider it a toy, but this really gets kids to use the mechanical part of their brains.

Some kits come with more than others, some come with letters, and one even comes with a motor so you can create a Ferris wheel or car that moves. So cool!

 

GARDENING

 

My husband has a green thumb and starts a lot of his plants from seed. The kids like to dig holes in the dirt and plant the seeds.

Let them have fun by starting their own garden or help using their own garden tools!

 

Mini terrarium kit

Fairy Garden

Garden tools

 

 

BOUNCE HOUSE

 

My sister bought this bounce house for my kids and they went crazy for it!

Thankfully it fit in our living room and made my kids exhausted every single day because they bounced like maniacs.

 

 

MINI ELECTRONIC ATM/PIGGY BANK

 

This electronic piggy bank is so cool and a great non toy gift idea. My kids love fighting over who gets to put the coins and dollars into our glitter money jar. This one is fun because you can set up a secret code to open it.

 

 

GIFT CARD

 

The perfect gift for that someone you have no clue what to get. Amazon offers physical gift cards and ones that you can print from home. They have a variety of graphics for every occasion.

 

 

GROWTH CHART

 

Instead of a toy, buy a growth chart that fits the child’s room décor. You can get a simple one like the one pictured or they come in all different designs and with various characters.

Kids get to mark their height at every birthday and it makes a nice keepsake that can be taken with you.

 

SLEEPING BAG/BLANKET

 

How cute are these sleeping bags? Perfect for sleepovers or an indoor camp out. This one comes with a stuffed animal pillow and overnight bag too.

 

STICKERS

 

What kid doesn’t like stickers? My kids love anything that they can stick all over the places, including band-aids. There are over 1,900 puffy stickers in this kit with all different themes.

COLORING KIT

 

Coloring is one of the many creative outlets that I like having my kids explore. Instead of playing with toys they can draw, paint, and color using their imagination.

 

 

PUZZLES

 

As a kid my mom bought my sister and I puzzles because they kept us busy, made us use our brains, and wasn’t too messy 😉

I like puzzles because they are for different ages, can come in very fun shapes and designs.

 

BOOKS

 

I can’t believe I forgot to add gifts on this list so thank you Melissa!

Books are a great non-toy gift idea that is perfect for kids of every age. I still like some “kids” books.

Here is a popular one.

 


For more budget-friendly gift ideas for adults (him & her) and other kids gifts check out my Cheap Christmas Guide Ideas post!

 

affordable non toy gift ideas for kids of all ages

No one wants to be known as the boring gift giver. With this list of non-toy gift ideas you’ll be a hit with the kids and the adults. The best part about this list, most of the gifts are affordable.

 

What is the best non-toy gift you’ve given or received? Share in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

 

31 thoughts on “Epic Non-Toy Gift Guide for Kids of All Ages”

  1. These are great ideas! I love the idea of gifting classes/experiences. We have so many toys in this house, I am implementing some of these ideas for Christmas this year!

  2. These are some really great ideas! I despair of the ever-growing mountain of toys, 90 percent of which are never touched from end of the year to the other. I think I’ll probably do some of these for Christmas. You’ve reminded me of the puppet theatre I had when I was young!

  3. Wonderful ideas! My niece got a polaroid camera a couple of years ago and we still have the pictures she took. Nothing else gets developed nowadays but those were developed instantly and we all cherish them.

  4. I love this list! My little one is under a year old, and so far, we’ve managed to keep the toys at a minimum. My goal is to get my kids a small amount of good quality toys. I want to encourage them to value experiences more than things, so I’m on the lookout for gifts that aren’t toys. Thanks for the ideas!

  5. Thank you! Yes, everyone loves giving clothes and toys for the young ones so it’s nice to get ones that are easy to clean and last.

  6. That’s an extensive list! I do love the giving of classes / entertainment. That’s unique and very specific to someone’s likings. It shows someone that the giver has been paying attention.

  7. This is a wonderful and comprehensive list! I promised myself I’d get my holiday shopping finished early year. This post is motivating me to start my list making. 😀

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