One of the things I have been hearing a lot of lately is that my friends with kids want to get their older kids experience gifts rather than your typical possession gifts. This got me thinking about what kind of experience gifts could be good for my kids or younger kids.
1) Zoo pass – Luckily for me and my family, we live very close to a zoo and we are able to visit multiple times throughout the year. My sister gifted us a family pass two years ago and it was awesome to be able to go without worrying about the price.
2) Weekend trip – One of my favorite places to visit for a weekend is Victoria, BC. From where I live, it is a train and ferry ride away, and it is pretty affordable. With younger kids, the train and the ferry are a definite experience and Victoria is beautiful with so many things to do. For this kind of experience gift, think about weekends that are less popular and you could save some money.
3) Mommy and Kids Spa Day – There is nothing I love more than getting a pedicure with LeLe. This is usually pretty cheap and she loves being pampered. Getting this as a gift would be huge for her or for Little Bug.
4) Pottery painting – We have a pottery painting place in my town and you can purchase a gift certificate for a painting session. LeLe is obsessed with this place and frequently asks to go.
5) Concert/Performance Tickets – One of the best gifts I ever received was tickets to a Michael Buble concert. This may be a little boring for a younger kid, but tickets to a play or a musical performance that is geared towards children could be a great option.
6) Dance Lessons – Little Bug has been asking for ballet lessons for quite a while now, and this would be a great option for him. I love these kinds of gifts because it gives him a chance to learn something as well.
7) Sporting Event – The magic of attending your first sporting event is something that your child will remember for a long time. I am lucky because we live in a college town and that means we have a lot of opportunities to attend games.
8) Horseback riding – LeLe is completely enamored with horses, so she will be receiving a gift of three riding lessons from a local stable. I can’t wait to see her face when she opens this one.
What are some of the experience gifts you have in mind for your kids?
cherry / 247 posts
These are such great ideas! I was wondering what age you think is old enough to sit still for a pedicure? My daughter is two, and I frequently paint her nails at home because she asks me to, but I’m certain she is not ready yet to go to a nail salon. What age do you suggest?
blogger / kiwi / 626 posts
@SteelerGirl: I took LeLe when she was two and it was really successful. I called ahead so the salon know that I was bringing a little one, and they had a special little set-up for her. She loved it!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
Zoo/aquarium memberships for sure! Now that my girls are older we plan to take them to a bigger zoo that’s a little farther. We can check out passes to museums with our library so I’m not as interested in those. I def plan to enroll my 4 year in swim class prob next spring too!
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
@SteelerGirl: depends on the child! olive has always been able to sit still very well so I took her when she was 2!
blogger / cherry / 138 posts
These are great! My mom gave us movie theater giftcards last year, and we are going on a train trip w/ her this year!