Gift Ideas That Aren’t Things, They Are Experiences!

Do you ever feel like asking your relatives or friends to not give your kids anymore “things”? No more toys to get broken in a month, no more books to scatter all over the house, no more STUFF. You are not alone in feeling like that! With this list of gift ideas that are all about experiences and not about “stuff”.

Last week I was watching the chaos of Black Friday shopping extravaganzas and everyone in a gift buying frenzy. It got me thinking about some of our family’s favorite “gifts” over the years. I realized that the majority of our favorite gifts aren’t things at all, they are experiences.

What Do You Mean? No Gifts at All? Are you Crazy?

So, what I mean by that is,  instead of buying our kids toys and trinkets that they would likely love for a week (and then forget about and end up cluttering up our little house), we have been very lucky to receive some trips and experiences that either:

1. we did together as a family or
2. our kids experienced with their grandparents and other relatives.

These trips and passes have been enjoyed not just when they are happening but the gift just keeps on giving. So, even years down the road when little things or pictures remind us all of those past experiences. Or if something significant or super memorable happens (like the time we went somewhere in Calgary, in December when it was -35 and the smoke alarm went off in the building we were in and we had to stand outside, with no coats, for awhile until the firemen said it was ok to go back in!)

I’m not a parent, could I give something like this to someone else?

I don’t believe you have to be a parent or grandparent to give these kinds of experiences either. These gift ideas can be given by Aunts and Uncles (our ski day trip was given by an uncle) and friends too. Maybe talk with the parent of a child first about some ideas you might have and see if they will work.

I’ve rounded up a few gift ideas of experiences that you can give someone this year. Or, if someone is asking you for ideas for your own kids, you could forward this list of ideas as well!

Experiences to Give

A night out at the movies (with the whole works, popcorn, candy, pop etc.)

A day trip/pass or weekend at a hot springs or mini golf or theme park.

A fun/crazy activity like zip-lining or river rafting. (check out our family whitewater rafting experience here!)

A yearly family pass to a museum or science center (fun and learning too!)

A day or month or yearly pass to a swimming pool, skating rink, community center, YMCA etc.

A gift certificate for a class to take and learn something ie: pottery, jewelry making, painting, sewing.

Online class registration in whatever interest they might have, for example learning how to make a blog or how to make money blogging.

If you are a grandparent or aunt or uncle and you know that the family is saving up for a big vacation (ie: Disneyland or Disneyworld) give Disney gift cards or a CityPASS .

Taking your children/grandchildren on a trip to see a music concert or Monster Jam or Nitro Circus, or Cavalia type event.

What Kinds of Gift Experiences has our Family Received?

We have been gifted in the past 15 years (in no particular order);

• a weekend in a chalet at Halcyon Hot Springs resort
• a theme room (which included passes for the World Waterpark) for our stay at the Fantasyland Hotel at West Edmonton Mall.
• Gift cards for the West Edmonton Mall, which we used to pay for a day in the Galaxyland park.
• Gift cards for restaurants and gas for a planned family road trip
• A family pass to the Telus Spark center in Calgary.
• a family day pass to a ski hill Red Mountain Resort (which is a different ski hill than the one we usually go to)
• A class to learn all about bullet journalling at our local craft store.
• our kids were given a trip with their grandparents to Vancouver to see Monster Jam (as well as several other attractions around that city)
• tickets to see Cavalia,
• a night out at the movies,
• a day pass to Ainsworth Hot Springs (a different one from the one above),
• a whitewater rafting excursion
• every year for the past 5(?!) years one set of grandparents give our family Powder Passes to our local ski hill so that our family can go skiing together at least 6 times a year.

Related Posts:

• Our family adventure with the Nelson Whitewater Rafting Co.
• Adventures at the Calgary Zoo 
• Our Sleepover with Dinosaurs at The Royal Tyrrell Museum
• Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump with kids~ A World Heritage site
• Our 30 hour Family Adventure at The West Edmonton Mall
• 8 Tips for Winter Travel to Keep Your Family Safe and Healthy

I hope this list helps you cross some things off of your shopping list. Please feel free to share any experiences that you have done or maybe that you have given as gifts in the comments or on Facebook and Instagram!

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