7 non-toy gift ideas for kids

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My kids are over-spoiled. I grew up in the lower middle class and my parents rarely had money to buy me all the toys I wanted. I knew I was going to spoil my children as much as I could to make sure they don’t lack anything. However, over the years, I realized that this had the opposite effect that I wanted; they barely play with their toys and ask more over and over again. Now, every time it’s my kids’ birthdays or Christmas, my family wants me to give them ideas for presents. Since I know the kids will only play with the toys for a little and never touch them again, I came up with a list of non-toy gift ideas for kids.

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Clothes

Clothes for babies and kids can get expensive really quickly, as they outgrow them faster than we like. You can also take this opportunity to get something special Make sure to ask the parents what sizes are needed, and if they need something specific, like sweaters, pants, onesies, etc.

Here are 3 baby and children stores that I like a lot:

• Peekaboo Beans
• Deux par Deux Clothing
• BabyEarth

Make sure to read my blog post about Peekaboo Beans!

Books (including book subscriptions)

Reading is so important for kids, whether you read them bedtime stories, or they read books adapted to their age and learning curve. You can gift them a special book or buy them a book subscription adapted to their age.

My ex and I have gifted a book subscription to a monthly French book to our goddaughter for 2 years now. I used to LOVE them as a kid and I am so happy to know that she is EXCITED every month to get her book by mail! (If you are interested in this French book subscription, check it out here: J’aime lire (it literally means “I like to read”).

Here are a few suggestions, including a few books that my kids LOVE:

Book Subscription Boxes

• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (from 0 to 5 years old)
• Little Passports (from 3 to 9+ years old)
• My First Reading Club (from 0 to 12 years old)

Books that my kids love:

• A Treasury of Curious George, by Margret & H.A. Rey
• Adventures of Little Critter, by Mercer Mayer
• Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women, by Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: The Illustrated Edition, by J.K. Rowling
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Illustrated, by L. Frank Baum
• The Little Mermaid And Other Fairy Tales (Illustrated with interactive elements), by Hans Christian Andersen
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space, by David A. Aguilar, Catherine D. Hughes
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs, by Catherine D. Hughes, Franco Tempesta

Participate in their college fund

Post high school education is so expensive, especially in the US. Why not invest in the kid’s future?

I gave this idea to my family a few years ago, and even though some family members really wanted to give a physical gift to my kids, most of them liked the idea, so every year, we had the chance to put more money in their college fund.

Education is so important. When my great-grandmother passed away (I was 3 years old), my grandma placed the money in a college fund for me. This means that I only had to pay for 1 semester of university (ok, remember that education in Canada is not as expensive as in the US… I’m pretty sure I paid about $15,000 for my degree, including my books).

I felt lucky that someone ensured I could go to university without a student loan, and I know that not everyone has that chance. I created a college fund for both my kids to make sure they have the money needed for their studies. And if they don’t go to school, they’ll be able to use the money to buy their first home. I’m okay with that!

Learn more about the Registered Education Savings Plan in Canada and Plan 529 in the United States.

Activities: Sports or arts

For a family, it can be difficult financially to pay for sports for their kids, especially families with many kids. If you know the kid would like to do a specific activity, like swimming lessons or ballet, why not pay for it?

Sports gear is also a great idea, like ballet slippers, baseball shoes, hockey helmet, skateboard.

This could also include guitar or piano lessons (or any other instruments), art classes, or baking classes. Anything that could help the kid develop their potential is a good idea!

Board Games

Educational board games are such a great gift (except when your kid loses all the pieces after 10 minutes… True story). Board games are an awesome way to mix learning and fun, and according to Scholastic, they “are an easy way to encourage healthy brain development in older kids and teens”.

I know this is very close to being toys but at least, board games are educational!

For ideas of board games depending on the age group, make sure to read this blog post!

Activity boxes

Do you remember in the 1990s, the minerals and gemstones boxes, where you could get a new gem every month at the corner store? No? Was that a Quebec thing? I don’t know! Anyway, there are tons of activity boxes for kids, such as jewelry making kits or fossil discoveries.

These activities will keep the kids busy and the parents happy!

For older kids: a gift card

You might this that this is a boring gift, but I remember when I was a teen… Getting a gift card meant that I could go to the shopping mall to buy something for myself, and it was a great feeling.

See, there are many ways to offer gifts that are not necessarily toys. I’ve been telling my family for years that I’d rather enjoy the time with them and that gifts are definitely not important, but who listens to me anyway?

Do you have any other non-toy gift ideas for kids? Let me know below!