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First of all, let me start off by clarifying that toys are a good thing!
Play is essential when it comes to a child’s development, so I would never discourage playing with toys, but too much of anything isn’t good. A great way to combat too many toys is to add in some non-toy items or experiences to the gifts.
There are so many different things you can give your child that isn’t toys. From experiences that will stay with them for a lifetime to an educational present that can expand their horizons, a fun practical item that can be used every day, or just about anything that isn’t a toy!
In this post, you’ll find +30 non-toy gift ideas that are going to blow you away!
Popular Non-Toy Gifts for Kids
Here are the top 3 selling non-toy gifts for kids on Amazon. Maybe your child will love them as well!
- 🎃Halloween Party Favor Toys & Accessory Asortment Includes 3 Witch's Cauldron, 8 Coil Springs, 10 Stampers, 10 Bouncing Balls, 10 Yo-Yos, 12 Vampire Tooth, 8 Fake Spiders, 10 Witch Finger nails, 3 Jack O Lantern Pumpkin mini Buckets, 6 Plastic Rings, 1 Halloween Rubber Duck, 1 Sheet of Mustache Self Adhesive Stickers and 12 Spider Rings.
- 🦇High Quality Collection of 120 Pieces Halloween Novelty Toys for Goody Bags. Durable. Superior Quality. Deluxe Set.
- 💀Super Value Pack for Halloween Decoration. Perfect for Halloween Scene and Decoration, Halloween Parties Prizes, Trick or Treat, Halloween Prizes, Halloween giveaways, Halloween Goodies, Halloween Toys, Halloween Favors, Halloween Gift, Miniature Halloween, Miniature Novelty Toys, Halloween Goody Bag Fillers, Halloween Treats for Kids, Halloween Pinata Filler and Halloween Novelty Toys.
- 🕷️CHILD SAFE: Non-Toxic. Meet US Toy Standard. Safety Test Approved.
- 🐈⬛MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, Contact Seller and We Will Replace or Refund You If You are not Satisfied in 90 Days.
- 1.Squishies Toys! Cute, slow-rising and so soft! 6 Squishies in a Halloween-themed box will bring delight to Squishy lovers.
- 2.6 Packs Squishies with Gift Box - The Squishies toys in your box are the same as those you see in the photos. You'll be squeezing the Spooky, Pumpkin, Zombie,Black Cat,Mummy, Vampire every chance you get... The surprise toys will be how much fun they are!
- 3.SLOW-RISING, adorable, SO SOFT and super cute ! These HIGH QUALITY, bright vibrant colored Squishies in a gift box ready for wrapping Halloween themed box will make gift giving so simple!
- 4.Incredible Gift! These high-quality Squishies make AMAZING gifts! The perfect addition to any Squishy Ghost collection, or start a new collection off right – the box is ready-to-wrap and you'll be proud to give a gift that's sure to be enjoyed.
- 5.Reliable after-sales service：If the items you receive are damaged or missing accessories, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately, we will give you a satisfactory answer, exchange or refund. Each product has a three month guarantee.
- Aqua Magic Mat Boys Girls Toys【LARGER AREA for Doodle】 ---- Larger mat size 39.5 X 31.5 inches with neat sized letters printed on side, leaving more room for your kids’ doodle art. Great learning toys for 3 4 5 6 year old girls
- Water Doodle Mat【Reusable】--- Toddler girl toys. Fill the magic pen with clean water and draw on the magic drawing mat. After 3-10 minutes, it magically disappears, and kid can doodle on it over and over again. 3 4 5year old girl gifts toys
- Aqua Mat 【Safe & no mess & easy to clean storage】--- No paint, Non-toxic, Non-polluting. NO mess with water proof backing. Easy Storage, can be folded into a compact size. Best Gifts for 3 4 5 6year old girls boys
- Water Drawing Mat Doodle 【Doodle on Floor Table or on Smooth Wall or Window】with 4 suction cups. It also comes with Doodle mat x 1, Magic pens x 5, design booklet x 1, stamps x 6, Storage box x 1, drawing template x 6, drawing mold x 6
- Educational Kids Toys【BONUS 6 Stamps】 --- Educational toys for 3 4 5 6 year olds. Your little ones will love to stamp and make the doodle more beautiful. We 100% stand by our products. If any concern or questions, please feel free to contact us for replacement or refund.
Non-Toy Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids
Instead of buying toys to refill our playroom, here are some ideas of gifts that are not toys we’re considering. These are perfect for Christmas gifts for kids, Easter gifts, Valentine’s Day gifts for kids, or birthday gifts!
1. Memberships
If there’s somewhere you go on a regular basis?
Zoo, science museum, children’s museum, YMCA membership, online memberships, subscription boxes, etc. These are particularly great to give as family gifts!
Bonus! A lot of museums participate in a sharing membership. This means that if you belong to one, you get access to hundreds of other ones for free or reduced access.
2. Classes
Classes are a great way to encourage children in their interests and if they learn to play an instrument, you’ve literally gifted them a Christmas gift that lasts a lifetime!
From music lessons to riding and dancing or art – the options are endless!
3. Instruments
Giving your child the gift of music is mind-expanding! Whether it’s a guitar, keyboard, ukelele, or some other instrument, playing instruments stimulates different parts of the brain simultaneously.
4. Sporting Equipment
What activities you do as a family or something you would enjoy doing? If your child needs equipment for that activity, now is a great time to splurge for their own skis, snowshoes, trampoline, etc.
5. Something for their room
Do they need a lamp, alarm clock, mini couch, or a new shelf to display their LEGO creations or favorite books? Many older kids enjoy displaying their LEGO creations on a shelf where younger siblings can’t reach.
Perhaps they’d like an organizing caddy to help keep their hobby supplies under control.
6. Books
Books are always a great option and reading stimulates the imagination and opens up new worlds for kids in so many different ways.
Early readers also tend to become lifelong learners and get better grades than their peers.
For pre-readers, I recommend BOB Books or The Adventures of Otto Collector’s Set.
Fun read-aloud books for preschoolers’ recommendations include Mercy Watson series, books by Mo Willems or any of the Seuss Learning Library books.
For books that teach lessons, I recommend The Berenstain Bears or The Best Behavior Series books.
7. Kindle
If you want to minimize the clutter of a bookshelf, you can get a bunch of books loaded on a Kindle.
Having a bunch of e-books stored on one device allows kids to have access to their favorite books at all times, making traveling a breeze and you won’t have to deal with the hassle of bringing paperbacks.
8. Audiobooks
Audiobooks are great for all ages and are perfect for quiet time or for keeping siblings occupied when you need to focus your time on your other child.
I recommend downloading Audible which is part of Amazon and is an app on your phone, iPad or Kindle.
Here are some good stories collections for young kids: The House at Pooh Corner, Thornton Burgess Bedtime Stories, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, and Peter Rabbit.
9. Events
Movie tickets, tickets to a play, concert, or sports event are all great gift ideas! Having an event to look forward to makes the days or weeks after Christmas more exciting.
Whether you are going to see a live performance or simply going to the movies, going to an event is a mesmerizing experience!
10. Activities
Activities like mini-golf, bowling, or going to the skating rink are also a fun gift idea!
11. Arts and Crafts Supplies
A gift of art and craft supplies often brings on the imagination, and kids can’t wait to get to work.
Stock up on craft supplies that your little one need or get something fun that they’ve never used before.
12. Clothes
I’m sure we’ve all opened up our fair share of socks and underwear on Christmas morning, but clothes can be a welcome gift to the right child.
Make it a point to get something that fits their style and can be worn in many ways.
13. Dress-Up Clothes
Kids love to dress up – my son practically lived in his Spiderman costume between the age of 3-4!
There are plenty of princesses, superheroes, and Disney costumes to choose from for the child who likes to dress like the people they see on screen.
14. Puzzles
Puzzles are a great gift to give kids and having a puzzle to sit and work on by themselves helps brain development, builds concentration muscles, while practicing fine motor skills, and improve problem-solving skills.
Puzzles are a great activity to keep kids busy, quiet, and engaged indoors. ABC puzzles are great for young kids who are just starting out with puzzles before moving on to different or maybe harder puzzles.
15. Games
A well-designed game can provide hours of entertainment all together as a family. The right one will get the family sitting down together, the competition flowing and the laughs never-ending.
Some of our family favorites are Monkey around, Zingo! and Eye Found It!
16. Watch
My son got his first watch when he was 3. And although he didn’t know how to tell time yet, he felt so cool wearing it!
Getting kids a cool watch makes them want to be able to tell time on it.
17. Swoop Bag
This is a huge help for children and parents alike. Great for Legos or sets of small toys that the kids like to play with, the swoop bag makes cleanup and storage so simple.
18. Shoes
My kids love getting new shoes, which is great since they go through them so fast!
19. Jewelry
Pretty necklaces or bracelets will be much appreciated if your child loves jewelry. You can also get them their own jewelry box so they have a place to store jewelry without losing them.
20. Personalized Stationery
Who doesn’t like having something with their own name on it?
Encourage reading and writing skill development with personalized stationery.
21. Real Tools
Yes, there are play tools, but using the real thing is so much more fun!
Construction Supplies: Give them a box of nails, a hammer, and some scrap wood. Be sure to supervise, but it won’t take long before they pick up this important skill.
Fishing Supplies: Give them high-quality supplies that are easier to use than the cutesy supplies they market to kids. You will have way more fun It’s much more fun if they don’t have to fight the equipment and if you get a telescoping rod, it means the kids can transport their own to the fishing spot and not worry about damaging it.
Camping Supplies: Higher-quality supplies are easier to use and will last them their entire lives, even if they aren’t as “cute” as the play pretend stuff. Having their own sleeping bag can make little ones pretty excited about sleepovers, trips, or camping-out family nights.
Gardening Supplies: Having their own set is so much fun and with real tools, they can actually help out in the garden. Add the tools to a pot with some dirt and seeds, and they can grow something fun right away.
22. Personalized Backpack
Does your child need a new backpack? A personalized backpack makes a great Christmas present that’s not a toy!
23. Umbrella
Umbrellas are perfect for rainy days outside and your kids will have so much fun being in the rain with their new umbrellas.
24. Bedding
Pick out some beddings or bedspread with your kids favorite colors or characters on them for a cozy non-toy gift idea.
25. Pajamas
Get your kids some cute, new pajamas with their favorite character, or why not give the whole family matching pajamas? This would be so cute!
26. Piggy Bank & Coins
Start teaching kids the important skill of saving money by giving them a piggy bank.
All kids I know absolutely love putting coins into their piggy banks, starting their own savings!
27. Science Experiment
Add in some STEM learning to the gifts with fun science experiments! With kits covering so many different types of experiments, you can find one that interests your child.
28. Fun Socks
No one likes getting socks for Christmas. But fun socks on the other hand are, well, fun! Kids love to express themselves and fun socks are a great way to do that!
29. Calendar
Most children like to know what is going on, what day it is, how many days until __. Give them their own calendar so they can plan everything out and keep track on the days.
Pick a calendar with something your child likes, kittens, pusheen, or why not a homemade calendar with family photos?
30. Digital Camera
See the world through your kids’ eyes and watch them thrill in discovery with a camera of their own!
A point-and-shoot is a great to start out developing good photography skills.
31. Photo Album
Create a photo album with pictures of your family members or of your child at special places or a trip.
Or simply give them an empty photo album that they can fill with photos of their own!
Other great non-toy gift ideas are those that encourage them to get exercise and stay active. You can find a lot of fun gift ideas for kids that encourage them to be active here!
Explore More
Want more gift ideas? Be sure to check out our tutorial 25 Of The Best Fortnite Gifts For Kids Of All Ages and this 20 Of The Most Magical Unicorn Gift Ideas for Kids!
For more Christmas inspiration for kids, make sure to stop by our social pages to see our latest ideas. Join us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
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