110+ Experience Gifts for Kids That Will Make Your Child Happier and Cut Clutter

Inside: Here are the best experience gifts for kids—not cheesy or boring gift ideas. These gifts will delight your child and build lifelong memories.

You racked your brain thinking of the perfect gift for your child and wrapped it up, knowing they’d love it. Then finally on the big day, they open your present and their face lights up.

Mission accomplished.

But then a couple weeks later—or even days later—you happen to notice your thoughtful gift on a shelf, in a corner, or under a bed, collecting dust. And that’s when you realize that lately, you haven’t seen your child playing with it.

Unfortunately, many gifts of “stuff” end up forgotten or abandoned, and the reason has nothing to do with your child’s lack of gratitude.

Here’s Why

The reason this happens is due to a quirk of how the human brain works called adaptation. It means that when we’re exposed to something on a regular basis, we adapt to it.¹Cassano, J. (2015, March 30). The Science Of Why You Should Spend Your Money On Experiences, Not Things. Fast Company.

When your child gets used to something new, adaptation kicks in and that object is no longer notable or interesting. It blends in like wallpaper.

This isn’t anything “wrong” with your child because it happens to everyone.

The Best Gift for Your Child? An Experience Gift

All those toys and gadgets on your kid’s wish list are kind of like junk food. They’re fun for a bit, but the novelty will wear off and then your child will be left feeling empty.

If you want a gift that will stick with your child, get them an experience gift.

In the same way that a diet of healthy food will stick to your kid’s ribs and give them the nourishment they need, an experience gift will build memories and stick with your child for the rest of their life.²Hamblin, J. (2014, October 7). Buy Experiences, Not Things. The Atlantic.

What Is an Experience Gift, Exactly?

When you give a child an experience gift, the goal is to create an enjoyable or memorable experience for them. Depending on the gift, you might also include a physical item the child can use during that experience.

You may have also heard these kinds of gifts referred to as activity gifts for kids, unstuff gifts, or non-toy gifts.

Experience gifts have gained popularity in recent years because they offer several benefits:

• Experience gifts make you happier than material gifts.³Pchelin, P., & Howell, R. (2014). The hidden cost of value-seeking: People do not accurately forecast the economic benefits of experiential purchases. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9, 322-334.
• Your brain quickly gets used to new material gifts, so the pleasure you derive from them fades quickly.⁴Hedonic treadmill. (2008, November 22). In Wikipedia. On the other hand, experience gifts create happy memories that endure over the long term.⁵Kumar, A., Killingsworth, M.A., & Gilovich, T. (2020). Spending on doing promotes more moment-to-moment happiness than spending on having. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 88.
• Experience gifts strengthen the relationship between the gift-giver and the recipient.⁶Chan, C., & Mogilner, C. (2017, April). Experiential Gifts Foster Stronger Social Relationships Than Material Gifts. Journal of Consumer Research, 43(6), 913–931.
• Physical clutter can add to your stress and increases your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.⁷Le Beau Lucchesi, E. (2019, January 3). The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter. The New York Times. When you gift an experience, you help reduce clutter-induced stress.

To be clear, I’m definitely not suggesting you skip all “stuff” gifts for your child forever and ever from here forward. Go ahead and get your kid that awesome toy they’ve been pining after! But keep in mind that the more toys you get them, the less they’ll appreciate any of them.⁸Hollis, L. (2007, January 19). When toys take over. The Guardian.

The Most Epic List of Experience Gifts for Kids

For the past few years, I’ve been gathering this list of the best kids’ experience gifts, scouring every list I came across and collecting ideas from friends and family like a squirrel stockpiling nuts.

Today, I’m sharing this massive list of experience gift ideas for kids with you. But in the list below, you won’t find cheesy or lackluster gifts to make your child roll their eyes. You’ll find the experience gifts your child will adore.

If you know of another experience gift idea that belongs on this list, let me know in the comments and I’ll keep this guide updated to be a resource for all of us.

When you need an idea for a gift that will delight your child and stick with them for years, browse this list of experience gifts for children.

Want to save this for later? Pin this on Pinterest, bookmark this page in your browser, or email it to a friend (then you’ll be able to search your email for it later).

But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience?

Sometimes it can be tricky to wrap an experience gift, so each gift in this list also includes a simple idea for a physical way to present that gift to a child.

In many situations, you can create an invitation or gift certificate for an experience gift, then print that and wrap it. Here are a few ideas:

• Find a gift certificate template in a free design tool like Canva, then tweak it to your needs.
• Use a word processing app like Microsoft Word or Google Docs to design your own invitation.
• Purchase a digital gift certificate on Etsy that you can customize and print as many times as you need to. For kids’ experience gifts at Christmas, this Special Delivery From the North Pole† certificate is adorable. For older kids, this cheerful Christmas gift certificate is a great fit. Or for a non-Christmas option, this gift certificate template is specifically designed for experience gifts.

^† This site is reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

A few ideas for you: Highlights, Ranger Rick Jr, or anything in the Cricket magazine family like Ladybug for 3- to 6-year-olds, Cricket for 9- to 14-year-olds, and more.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Varies but typically ranges from $12-24
• How to Wrap It: Pick up the current issue in a local bookstore and wrap that, then when they open the gift let them know they’ll get a new one in the mail every month.

7. Write a letter.

This gift doubles as a keepsake that the child will treasure for the rest of their life. For a unique gift, write a special handwritten letter to the child to share your favorite memories, childhood stories they’ll love, or any words of wisdom you want to pass along. Or if you want writing prompts, you can get these Letters to My Daughter or Letters to My Son prompted letters and give your child 12 special letters. (You can also get a version for your grandchild, for your friend, and a version kids can fill out to their future selves for when they grow up.)

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free or under $15 for prompted letters to your daughter, your son, or your grandchild
• How to Wrap It: Write the letter on festive stationery like this beautiful winter scene or this simple birch tree letterhead with a matching envelope, then wrap in a box. Or if you get the prompted letters to your daughter, your son, or your grandchild, you can wrap that.

8. Make a playlist.

Pick a few fun songs the child will enjoy and save them to a kid-friendly USB flash drive like this unicorn or penguin for young kids—or this heart key for tweens and teens. This gift is super easy – follow these step-by-step instructions for how to share a playlist. Then every time the kid fires up the playlist you gifted, they’ll think of you!

Or if you prefer, you can make a playlist on a music streaming service and pair the playlist with a gift card to that service, like Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Can be free, depending on how you deliver the gift
• How to Wrap It: For ready-made playlists, check out 20 Best Kids’ Dance Songs Loved by Parents, Too or The Best 20 Love Songs for Kids. Type up a list of the songs, then wrap that with the USB drive.

9. Puzzle it out.

Pick out an awesome puzzle the child can do alone or with their family, like one from our favorite puzzle company Ravensburger or this epic 18,000-piece puzzle. Bet you they won’t forget the experience of solving that puzzle together! Or if you have puzzles sitting in your game closet, you can always re-gift them.

For puzzle lovers, sweeten the pot with this snazzy puzzle work surface plus storage system or a set of handy puzzle sorting trays.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free if you’re re-gifting a puzzle you’ve already solved; varies otherwise
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the puzzle, and that’s it!

10. Open the door to meaningful conversations.

From a mother to a child, this mother-daughter journal or this journal for mothers and sons will give you a magical way to get your child to open up about what’s going on so you can stay connected. You take turns writing in this journal, and in the process, you find out what’s weighing on your little one’s heart. This non-toy gift will definitely end up being a gift for both of you!

From dads to kids, check out this father-daughter journal or this journal for dads and sons. For more journal ideas, check out 10 Best Journals for Kids to Boost Their Emotional Intelligence.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Ranges from $7 to $25
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the journal. Easy peasy!

11. Box it up.

Save all your cardboard boxes for a while until you have a massive collection, then give the child the whole batch plus non-toxic acrylic paint and colorful masking tape for designing their own cardboard city—or anything else they feel inspired to create.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Boxes are free if you save them up over time; crafting supplies will vary depending on what you choose
• How to Wrap It: Collect the boxes in an area of the home the child doesn’t typically go, then reveal them on the big day.

12. Make summer magical.

If the child is excited for a special summer camp but it isn’t in the budget, you can cover the registration fee for the camp as a holiday or birthday gift.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print a flyer about the camp, then wrap that.

13. Connect with a hero.

This one takes some upfront planning, but kids love it! Think about who the child looks up to, then plan an experience around that.

For example, if they have a favorite author, you can track down a signed copy of one of their books and check the author’s event schedule to see if they’ll be nearby anytime soon. Or if they have a favorite musical artist or actor, you can look into whether they have any special events just for fans, such as a Patreon subscription. You can also check for that person on Cameo, where you can get a personal message from a celebrity.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Make a flyer with a photo of their hero along with a short description of the experience you arranged, then print that. Or to keep it even simpler, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

14. Be mysterious.

When you get Mail Order Mystery for a child, they’ll receive personalized letters from the characters in a mystery, along with puzzles and clues to help them solve the mystery. They get a package in the mail once a week for six weeks, with each package uncovering more clues. The whole experience is delightful!

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Under $100 for a 6-week subscription
• How to Wrap It: Print a flyer about the subscription and add a note about when they can expect their first box.

15. Inspire their next project.

Give the child a book that’s chock full of projects and activities they can make or do. Even better, you can join in on the project for a one-of-a-kind bonding experience.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Under $15 for a book of projects; more if you’ll be providing any start-up supplies
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the book along with any supplies they’ll need for their first project. Here are a few of our favorite books in this category:
  • Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family Friendly Experiments from the Pantry – This isn’t exactly a cookbook but rather a collection of fun science experiments you can do in the kitchen.
  • Out of the Box – Projects kids can make using old cardboard boxes. Think of all the empty cardboard boxes on Christmas morning that they can reimagine into fun building projects! We got this for our preschooler one year, and she ATE IT UP. This gift pairs well with #11 above so they’ll have everything they need to dive into their first project.
  • Rosie Revere’s Big Project Book for Bold Engineers and Iggy Peck’s Big Project Book for Amazing Architects and Ada Twist’s Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists – We’d been drooling over these books since they were first released, and we just picked up the first one and plan to get the next two as well. If the child loved the companion picture books Rosie Revere, Engineer and Iggy Peck, Architect and Ada Twist, Scientist, these activity books are the perfect fit.

16. Pick your favorites.

Pick your all-time favorite photos of the child, then have them printed into a photo book at Shutterfly with their name on the cover. Reflecting on those moments will strengthen the child’s positive memories. And knowing that you cared enough to put together a collection of their best moments will put a smile on the child’s face.

Alternatively, you can pick your favorite photos of the child’s family and upload those into a photo book template. Kids love flipping through photo books of their favorite people!

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Typically under $25, depending on which options you choose
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the photo book, and you’re done!

17. Help them help others.

Give the child a charitable gift card so they can pick a cause that’s important to them to support. The choice component is key for this gift because if you tell a child, “I made a donation to the food bank in your name,” they likely won’t feel the importance of the gift.

Instead, give them a Kiva card so they can help fund a microloan that will change someone’s life. Or as another option, you can give the child a GlobalGiving gift card so they can make a donation to the cause of their choice.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: The minimum for GlobalGiving is $10; the minimum for Kiva is $25
• How to Wrap It: Print the digital gift card and wrap it. This one works great as a stocking stuffer!

18. Reflect and reminisce.

Grab a nice sheet of paper and list 100 of your favorite memories of the child—or as many as you can. If that feels like too much, grab my free printable here for sharing your favorite memories.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free
• How to Wrap It: Write the list on festive stationery like this winter scene or this simple birch tree letterhead with a matching envelope, then wrap it in a box. Or if you’re using my free Favorite Memories printable, print that and wrap it.

19. Record interviews.

Sit down with family members and ask them to share what they love about the child while you record the interview as a voice memo on your phone. You can ask parents, grandparents, cousins, or aunts and uncles to share memories of the child.

Alternatively, you can ask everyone to share a favorite story from when they were the same age as the child. (My kids are constantly asking us to tell stories from when we were younger!)

Then compile the audio files and save them to a kid-friendly USB flash drive like this unicorn or penguin for young kids—or this heart key for tweens and teens.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free
• How to Wrap It: Type up a list of the interviews, then wrap that with the USB drive.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on what food you bring
• How to Wrap It: Grab a blank notecard and write an invitation for lunch, then wrap that. Or you can use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

4. Give a movie night in a box.

Grab your favorite family DVD off your shelf, like We Bought a Zoo (with the family-friendly soundtrack!) or The Goonies, or give an Amazon gift card for $5 so they can rent one. Then add some popcorn (our favorite is this movie night variety pack), soda or juice, and a cozy blanket for everyone to snuggle up under.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on which supplies you already have on hand
• How to Wrap It: Find a spare basket, fill it with the family movie night supplies, and wrap it all in one fell swoop. As another option, you can gift them a streaming service for a year like Disney+ or Netflix so they can make movie night a family tradition.

5. Catch a show.

Get two tickets to a special event for you and the child. Here are a few ideas:

• Sporting event—major league sports, minor league baseball, or a nearby college team
• Live music concert
• Kids’ comedy show
• Play or musical
• Dance performance like ballet

Then make a date of it with the child. I can still remember my first experience at a show in fifth grade. It was an Italian opera and I understood absolutely zero of the words, but sitting in the theater as it filled with a sound I’d never heard before created a sense of complete awe that I’ll never forget.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Find concert tickets or tickets to another event or show at a performing arts center and wrap the tickets.

6. Take them on a tour.

Many cities offer tours for visitors that can be lots of fun for residents, too. From food tours to architecture tours and more, you can help the child see their town in a fresh way by gifting tickets to a local tour.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print the tour itinerary and wrap that.

7. Get pampered.

You can go DIY style with a spa day at home and paint each other’s nails, or make it an extra special event by getting an appointment at a local spa to get manicures and/or pedicures together. If you live far from the child, give them a gift certificate.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Can be free if you DIY at home; professional manicures range from $25 to $75 and pedicures tend to be a bit more than that
• How to Wrap It: If you made an appointment, print the appointment details and wrap that. If you’re DIYing at home, make a coupon for one spa day at home, then wrap that. For an extra treat, include a fun new shade of nail polish with a piece of paper tied to it that says, “Let’s try this one out together!”

8. Browse the shelves.

Take the child to a locally owned bookstore and browse around together, checking out the staff recommendations and the bestsellers. Whether the child is at the picture book, chapter book, or young adult level, pick out a book or two and read aloud to them. (Kids are never too old to be read to!) If you need some ideas, here are our absolute favorite picture books of all time and our favorite chapter books—and we read a lot.

For a special treat, tell them they can pick out any book they want, and you’ll get it for them. For a free version of this gift, you can take them to get a library card and encourage them to check out whatever they want.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Can be free if you just browse or visit the library; typically under $20 if you treat the child to a new book
• How to Wrap It: Grab a blank notecard and write an invitation for your one-on-one bookstore date, then wrap that. Or you can use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

9. Give back together.

Setting up a volunteer activity you can do together can be an amazing gift. Not only will you give the child an experience they’ll remember, but you’ll also foster their budding compassion and empathy for others in need.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Free
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above. Here are a few kid-friendly volunteer experiences:
  • Volunteer at a local food pantry to sort food donations
  • Help out at a soup kitchen preparing or serving food
  • Visit an assisted living facility or nursing home to bring some much needed light into the residents’ lives
  • Deliver meals through a program like Meals on Wheels
  • Make a meal to serve to families at a local Ronald McDonald House
  • Leave food and notes of encouragement for families with babies in the NICU
  • Put together care packages of food and essentials like a toothbrush to hand out to the homeless living on the streets of your town

10. Say yes.

Surprise the child by giving them a “yes day,” which means you say “yes” when you’d usually say “no.” Can I have a piece of chocolate? Yes! Can we play a game? Yes! Can you teach me how to drive? Uhh…yes? You definitely don’t have to go to the extremes the parents in the movie Yes Day did, but “yes days” can build powerful memories. In fact, one of my kids once told me she didn’t care if she got any physical presents on her birthday. All she wanted was a yes day!

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Can be free, but many families find it helpful to set some boundaries for yes days. For example, in my family, we give the child a monetary budget they have to stick to that day. When the money’s gone, it’s gone, and they have to switch to free activities. As an added bonus, the child will get practice working through tough (for them) spending decisions like, “Do I get the new toy I want, or do I order every dessert on the menu?”
• How to Wrap It: If they’re not familiar with the concept, you can pick up a copy of the sweet picture book Yes Day and wrap that along with a sticky note telling them they’ll have their own yes day. If they already know what it is, you can give them a coupon for one yes day, then wrap that. To save time, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

11. Paint the walls.

This experience gift works well for when kids reach milestones like moving from a crib to a big kid bed, hitting double digits in age, starting middle school, or entering their teen years. Give them the gift of a room makeover.

Let them pick their paint color, then queue up your favorite family dance party playlist and paint together. Ask if they have ideas on rearranging furniture, let them pick out new sheets, or take them shopping for small but fun decorations like these twinkling lights that double as a photo display.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on how involved the project is
• How to Wrap It: Pick up a few paint swatches of their favorite color from the home improvement store, then wrap those with a handwritten note to let them know about the room makeover. Or you can use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

12. Build a library.

For kids who love to read, give them everything they need to start a Little Free Library. Then build it together. To kick off the new library, you can go through your owned books to decide whether you have any you’re ready to send to a new home.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on whether you DIY or get a ready-made library kit at Little Free Library
• How to Wrap It: Print a photo of a Little Free Library, add a sticky note that says, “Let’s build a library together,” and wrap that!

13. Plan a staycation.

Pick a school holiday and clear your calendar of all obligations. No errands, and no chores! Pretend you’re on vacation, but you just so happen to be at home together. You can stay in your jammies and have a movie marathon, play your favorite board games all day, or visit your closest city and do everything a tourist would do.

For an extra special treat, you can book a night at a hotel in your downtown area and order room service for breakfast or for a late-night treat.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on whether you stay at home or venture out
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

14. Take them on a trip.

Find a fun destination within driving distance, pack some fun snacks, and head there together to explore. Research shows taking a trip with a child becomes a “happiness anchor” for them.¹⁰Becker, H.A. (2017, February 21). Family Vacations Have Long-Lasting Impact on Kids’ Happiness. Parents.

In other words, family vacations stick in kids’ brains as vivid memories, and later on as adults, those memories can even help them get through tough times. (During your road trip, don’t forget to crank up a kid-friendly dance party playlist and sing aloud at the top of your lungs!)

To be fair, this is a pricey gift, but to put it in perspective, you can add up what you were planning to spend on physical gifts for everyone in the family. You may find that the cost of a vacation isn’t too far off, especially if you plan a road trip to somewhere nearby.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Type up the travel itinerary, print it, and wrap it with a kids’ travel journal like this. Or you can put together a slideshow of photos from the destination and flip through photos until they catch onto what the gift is! Here are a few ideas for destinations:
  • Plan a road trip, complete with snacks
  • Set up a trip to visit someone special, such as a grandparent or favorite aunt or uncle
  • Book a weekend at a nearby Great Wolf Lodge, which is an indoor water park
  • Go skiing or snowboarding in the winter or hiking the rest of the year
  • Drive to the nearest beach or lake and go surfing, jet skiing, parasailing, or scuba diving
  • Go to an all-inclusive family-friendly resort
  • Give them Disney gift cards to help them save up for a Disney trip
  • Visit a college they’re interested in so they can tour the campus and imagine their future there
  • Transfer your airline miles or give them an airline gift card
  • Book a train trip
  • Stay at a farm with Farm Stay USA
  • Give them a National Park Pass so they can visit any national park or look into passes for state or local parks—Note: If the family has a fourth grader, you can get the little one and their immediate family a free annual pass to all national parks in the U.S.!
  • Rent an RV
  • See the Northern Lights
  • Book a cruise
  • Plan a safari trip
  • Give an Airbnb gift card
  • Check for deals on Groupon Getaways

Gifts That Will Take Them Places

One of the best gifts you can give a child is to take them somewhere special you don’t go very often. Below, you’ll find ideas for places you can take the child in your life to create a memorable experience.

For each of these experience gifts, you can surprise the child with tickets, a gift card, or a printed invitation to the special outing.

1. Amusement park or theme park
2. Axe throwing field—best for teens!
3. Bakery—splurge on yummy goodies
4. Batting cages
5. Berry picking at a local u-pick farm
6. Boat tour
7. Bookstore event like an author visit
8. Bowling alley
9. Carnival or local fair
10. Coffee shop—let them pick out whatever fancy drink they want
11. Country backroads—pack a picnic dinner and pull off to the side of the road to eat while you stargaze; before picking a date, check to see if there are any upcoming meteor showers you’ll be able to catch
12. Creek, river, or lake—explore together or go canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, or tubing
13. Dolphin or whale watching ride
14. Donut shop
15. Drive-in movie theater
16. Driving range or Top Golf
17. Escape room
18. Farmer’s market
19. Fishing hole
20. Geocaching
21. Go-kart track
22. Horseback riding
23. Hot air balloon ride
24. Ice cream parlor
25. Ice skating rink
26. Indoor skydiving simulator
27. Laser tag
28. Mini golf course
29. Movie theater
30. Paintball field
31. Park with a picnic lunch
32. Pond where they can feed ducks—make sure to bring defrosted frozen peas or corn, never bread!
33. Pool—if they don’t have access to a free community pool, or even if they do but don’t go very often
34. Restaurant they’ve been wanting to try or their favorite restaurant
35. Rock wall for indoor rock climbing
36. Roller skating rink
37. Rollerblading track
38. Splash pad
39. Tennis court
40. Trampoline park
41. Video arcade
42. Water park
43. Zipline or ropes course
44. Zorbing park—if you haven’t heard of this before, think “human hamster ball”

Educational Experience Gifts

Some experience gifts for kids bring the added bonus of teaching them something new they can carry forward with them. Here are the most gift-worthy educational experiences for kids.

1. Inspire awe.

Make a date to stay up late together and stargaze. Not only will the child feel special that they get to stay up past their regular bedtime, but you’ll also inspire a sense of awe about the world. And that matters because research shows that experiencing moments of awe is important for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being and can improve a child’s academic performance.

If you want to support the child’s learning even further, you can include a beginner telescope like this or a kid-friendly guide to the stars along with this experience gift.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Can be free; varies if you’ll be providing supplies
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

2. Give a free pass.

Cover a gift membership to a children’s museum. This is a gift the family can use year-round, and it may just save the parents’ sanity on a rainy day! If the child doesn’t live near a children’s museum, try gifting a membership or tickets to a science museum or planetarium.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print the membership certificate from the museum and wrap that.

3. Awaken their inner scientist.

Put together a science experiment kit or a terrarium the child can build. You can get a ready-made science kit or terrarium from Kiwi Crates. Or if you’d rather DIY this experience gift, you can search for a kid-friendly science experiment online, then gather all the supplies and create your own kit.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Varies but typically under $30 for a science kit
• How to Wrap It: Get a science experiment or terrarium kit, then wrap that.

5. Show them the world.

If you travel on a regular basis, make a promise to send a postcard to the child from every place you visit. Even if you just pick up a postcard from the airport on a layover and drop it in the mail before you catch your next flight, you’ll make that kid’s day when they get your postcard in the mail. If they have a map or globe at home, they can find where you visited on the map for a bonus geography lesson (sneaky!).

As a companion non-toy gift, you can give the child a scrapbook where they can collect all the postcards you’ll be sending. Just remember to keep stamps in your carry-on luggage at all times!

• Ages: Preschooler to elementary
• Cost: Under $30 for a scrapbook, and typically under $2 for each postcard plus postage
• How to Wrap It: Give the child a scrapbook where they can collect the postcards, like this adorable adventure book modeled after the (also adorable) movie Up. To take this gift a step further, you can include a map or a globe so the child can follow along with your travels, like this dry-erase world map decal (or this U.S. map decal if that works better).

6. Share what you know.

Offer to teach a skill you have. The skill you teach could be a foreign language, how to play an instrument, or the secret to baking a mean cheesecake.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free
• How to Wrap It: Whip up a “coupon” that says something like, “This coupon is good for guitar lessons from me every Sunday afternoon in January!” To save time, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

7. Get them on the roster.

Kids’ brains are like sponges, so think of a class they might enjoy and sign them up! Even better, sign up both of you together so it’s an experience you’ll share.

As another option, my kids are huge fans of Outschool, where they can browse the online classes available and pick what they want to learn about, from ASL to raising chickens to video game design – pretty much everything you can think of! Classes are small groups of students who meet via video chat regularly, and teachers are experts on the topic they’re teaching about.

For older kids and teens, you can also check MasterClass to see if they have a class with an expert that might be a good fit. For example, they can get tennis lessons from Serena Williams or learn about songwriting from John Legend.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on the class
• How to Wrap It: Print a flyer about the class and wrap that. To take it one step further, if they’ll need any basic supplies before class starts, pick those up for the child and wrap them. Here are a few examples of classes as well as supplies that pair nicely with the experience gift of the class:
  • Archery
  • Art or painting
  • Baking
  • Calligraphy
  • Coding
  • Cooking—Raddish Kids is an online cooking club for kids with a monthly kit you receive in the mail
  • Creative writing—pair this experience gift with these erasable pens and a special journal for kids
  • Dance lessons—if they’re interested in ballet, you can include a tutu or other dancewear with this gift
  • Filmmaking
  • Flower arranging
  • Fly fishing
  • Foraging
  • Foreign language
  • Gymnastics
  • Jewelry making
  • Knitting
  • Magic tricks
  • Martial arts
  • Music lessons for learning a new instrument or improving their skills
  • Photography—get them a fun camera strap like this pretty flower print
  • Pottery—if they don’t have a pottery studio nearby, Pottery Awesomeness will deliver at-home pottery painting kits
  • Rock climbing
  • Scrapbooking
  • Self-defense
  • Sewing
  • Sports—whatever sport they want to get better at, sign them up for one-on-one lessons with a coach
  • Surfing
  • Swimming
  • Theater or acting
  • Voice or singing
  • Weight lifting—this is a great option for teens who are interested in fitness; consider pairing with a gym membership
  • Wilderness survival
  • Woodworking
  • Yoga

8. Give them something to nurture.

Visit your local nursery or home improvement store and pick out a houseplant for the child. Or if you already have a houseplant you love, take cuttings and pot them yourself.

To take care of their new plant, they’ll need to research its sunlight, temperature, and water requirements. Not only will they learn about plant care, but you might also spark a lifelong love of greenery.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put a pretty ribbon on the plant, and you’re done!

9. Support their future.

For older kids and teens who are looking ahead to college, you can donate to their college fund or set up a savings account where they can save up for a special trip after high school graduation.

• Ages: Tween to teen
• Cost: No amount is too small—even $25 will add up over time
• How to Wrap It: Make a note that says you added to their college savings, then print that and wrap it. If you’d like a more physical component to this gift, you can get them a sweatshirt or t-shirt to their favorite college and include that as well. To save time on the note, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

Gifts for Creative Kids

For crafty and creative kids, these experience gifts are the perfect fit.

1. Fill a basket.

Find a fun kids’ activity, craft, or art project, then fill a basket with all the supplies the child will need.

• Ages: Toddler to tween
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put together a basket with everything they’ll need, plus the instructions printed out. Or you can gather random supplies you already have around the house, like washi tape, festive stickers, and colorful Sharpies, and throw in a brand new sketchbook like this mixed media journal. (Check out this former art teacher’s recommendations for what every art gift basket needs!)

2. Give them some dough.

Make a play dough gift set using the instructions here. You’ll just need homemade dough and accessories like toothpicks and buttons. If my zero-craftiness self can make homemade dough, you totally can! But if you’re tight on time and/or patience, you can grab a ready-made 10-pack of play dough.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Can be free if you use supplies you already have lying around
• How to Wrap It: Find a spare basket or box and fill it with the play dough and assorted goodies. If you don’t have any accessories to throw in, you can get a set of fun play dough tools like this set. My toddler and preschooler use this set every time we bust out the play dough. (If you’re looking for a set that includes the dough and the dough tools, this is a great starting place.)

3. Book a studio.

Reserve a time slot for them in an art studio, dance studio, or pottery studio so they can block out the world and just create.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

4. Wow them.

Cover the membership fee at an art museum so they can visit throughout the year anytime they want to feel inspired by great art.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print the membership certificate from the museum and wrap that.

5. Show off their work.

Curate some favorite art pieces they’ve made, then scan them and have them bound in a book by Shutterfly.

As another option, you can get a couple of their art pieces framed to hang in their home, or simply place their art in a portfolio like this. Ask them to decorate the cover, and keep it in a place of pride like the coffee table.

• Ages: Preschooler to teen
• Cost: Varies but a custom 11×14 photo book typically runs less than $25
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the book of art, and you’re done!

6. Commission a piece.

Ask the child to create an art piece for a specific area in your home, then give them the funds they’ll need for supplies so they can pick out whatever they want and need. If you’re feeling brave, give them a whole wall they can paint a mural on.

For a playful alternative, tell them you want to design a family t-shirt, and you’re hiring them as the designer. Ask them to come up with three designs the family will vote on, then get the winning design printed.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put together an invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

7. Get them published.

If the child like to write stories, take one of the stories they’ve shared with you, design a cover in a free tool like Canva with their name on the cover, and get it printed and bound into a book at Shutterfly.

• Ages: Elementary to tween
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: When you get the finished book, wrap that.

8. Match them with a mentor.

Whatever the child is passionate about, find them a mentor or a one-on-one tutor to support their growth and learning. For example, if they love drawing, you can get them one-on-one lessons with an art teacher. Or if they’re into creative writing, you can find a published author who tutors young writers and sign them up for a session.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put together a gift certificate, then print that and wrap it. To save time, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids

Some kids love to spend time outdoors and crave adventure. Here are the best experience gifts for those outdoorsy kids.

1. Enjoy nature together.

Invite the child on a hike somewhere special. For younger kids, turn it into a nature walk scavenger hunt for added fun.

To round out this experience gift, you can gift them a pair of kid-sized binoculars, a magnifying glass, or a bug-catching kit.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Free unless you’re also providing supplies for exploring
• How to Wrap It: Put together a hike invitation, then print that and wrap it. Or you can print a scavenger hunt map, add a note explaining that you’ll take the child exploring, and wrap it up.

2. Give them an excuse to play in the dirt.

Ourdoorsy kids love playing in the dirt, so you might as well get some veggies out of the deal and give them everything they need to start a garden.

• Ages: Toddler to tween
• Cost: Varies but typically under $25 for seeds or a garden kit
• How to Wrap It: Give the child a few packets of seeds (like this collection that’s perfect for young kids or this set that’s great for older kids and teens) so they can start a family garden, along with a kid-friendly set of garden tools. If you like this idea but you have a black thumb (hello, that’s me!), do what we did and use an all-in-one garden kit like this—or skip the plant aspect and try a butterfly-growing kit.

3. Plan a camping trip.

Even if it’s just camping in your backyard, the fresh air and quality time (and s’mores) will be an experience the Charlieild will remember. If they don’t have a tent yet, here’s the 4-person tent we got for our living room and backyard camping adventures—it’s affordable and has great reviews.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Can be free depending on which supplies you already have
• How to Wrap It: Fill a box with everything they’ll need for their camping adventure, from a portable camp light to all the fixings for s’mores like these marshmallow roasting sticks.

4. Visit an impressive park.

Figure out which area park has the best playground and take them there, even if it’s a bit of a drive. Or for older kids, bring along a couple high-quality kites so you can fly kites together at the park.

• Ages: Toddler to tween
• Cost: Free
• How to Wrap It: Put together an invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

5. Admire a garden.

Cover a gift membership to a nature center, botanical garden, or butterfly garden. For kids who love the outdoors, they’ll appreciate being able to visit throughout the year anytime they’re craving time outside.

• Ages: Toddler to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print the membership certificate from the center and wrap that.

6. Design an obstacle course.

Set up an obstacle course in your yard, whether it’s a ready-made set or DIY. If you go the DIY route, you can cobble together your own design with components you know the child will love, like a slackline, climbing dome, rope swing, zipline, or surfer swing.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Install at least one component of your obstacle course, then take the child outside to show them.

7. Give them a sanctuary.

Install a hammock or a treehouse to add to their enjoyment of the outdoors.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies but a simple hammock chair is typically around $30
• How to Wrap It: Set up the hammock or treehouse, then take the child outside to show them.

8. Hook them up with new wheels.

Kids outgrow bikes fast, so if the child loves cycling, get them a new or gently used bike that’s the right size for them right now. You’ll be giving the gift of exercise and fresh air for another year!

To round out this experience gift, include a new helmet because they’ve probably outgrown that, too.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Stick a bow on the bike, and you’re done!

Gifts for Foodie Kids

For a child who loves cooking or baking, these experience gifts will delight their little foodie heart.

1. Make something together.

Print one of your favorite recipes, or find a new recipe with great reviews to try. Round up all the necessary supplies including ingredients and any special kitchen utensils, then work together to make something yummy.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Can be free depending on what you add to the box
• How to Wrap It: Print the recipe and put that in a box with the necessary ingredients, along with any new kitchen utensils they’ll need.

2. Compile a cookbook.

Reach out to everyone in the family to get their favorite recipes—the ones they’ve passed down again and again over the years. Compile all those recipes into a family cookbook and get it printed and bound into a book at Shutterfly.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies but a custom 11×14 book typically runs less than $25
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the cookbook, and you’re done!

3. Deliver the best.

Browse Goldbelly for the child’s favorite food and check reviews to see who’s doing it best, then have it delivered straight to their door. For example, you could get the best black-and-white cookie from New York City, world-famous pizza from Chicago, or the tastiest brisket from Texas.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: When you check out, add a special gift message to the child so that when they open the package, they’ll know it’s from you.

4. Arrange a tour.

Reach out to your child’s favorite local restaurant or bakery and arrange for them to get a behind-the-scenes tour of where the magic happens.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Typically free, but to repay the restaurant for their hospitality, you can make a reservation to eat a meal at the restaurant before or after your tour
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

5. Help them branch out.

Help the child try their hand at a new challenge in the kitchen. For example, if they’ve never made ice cream, get them the supplies to make a homemade batch. Or if they want to try cake decorating, candy-making, or fudge, hook them up with everything they’ll need.

To take this gift to the next level, you can sign the child up for a related class on Outschool. Classes are small groups of students who meet via video chat regularly, and teachers are experts on the topic they’re teaching about. At the time I sat down to write this post, I found classes on cake decorating, French macarons, cake pops, bread, candy, and more.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies depending on the project and whether you have the supplies on hand
• How to Wrap It: Fill a basket or box with the supplies they’ll need, including any special ingredients or kitchen utensils. To save time, you can pick up a ready-made kit like this bread-making kit or this ice cream kit, which both teach kids about the science behind the process.

6. Chase the best.

What’s the child’s favorite food in the whole world? If it’s steak, research the absolute best restaurant for steak within a 50-mile radius and take them there. Whether they love barbecue, ice cream, or blueberry pie, find out who makes it the best, and take them on an adventure to try it out.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Whatever it typically costs for your family to eat out at a restaurant
• How to Wrap It: Print a map to the restaurant with a big red X to mark the spot.

7. Bake your way through the book.

Find a cookbook already on your shelves, then make a pledge to bake or cook your way through the book together. For example, you could get together with the child once a week to pick one recipe from the book to make. Or if you don’t live in the same city as the child, you can meet up on Zoom and bake in tandem.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Free if you use an existing cookbook
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. If you don’t already have a cookbook that seems like a good fit, you can include a new cookbook with this gift. Here are a few favorite kid-friendly cookbooks from my own foodie kid, who’s checked out every kids’ cookbook from the library:
  • The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs for kids who love baking—this is from America’s Test Kitchen, so it’s higher quality than your average kids’ cookbook
  • The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs for more variety—another one from America’s Test Kitchen
  • Milk Bar: Kids Only

Gifts for Kids Who Love Animals

If the child loves animals, here are a few experience gifts for kids that are tailor-made for them.

1. Attract new friends.

Gift the child a sturdy bird feeder along with high-quality bird seed, a butterfly habitat, or a squirrel feeder shaped like a miniature picnic table. They’ll have a blast watching the wildlife come to visit! To round out this gift, consider including a pair of kid-sized binoculars and a bird-watching guide or a guide to local native wildlife they can keep an eye out for.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Varies, but you can typically pick up a sturdy feeder for under $30
• How to Wrap It: Wrap the wildlife feeder along with any extra supplies you’re gifting the child.

2. Arrange a meet-and-greet.

Some zoos and nature reserves offer special animal encounters just for animal-loving kids. Check with your local spots on whether they have age restrictions and what’s involved with reserving an encounter.

• Ages: Elementary to teen
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Put together an event invitation, then print that and wrap it. To save time on the invitation, use a gift certificate template as explained in the But First: How Do You Wrap an Experience? section above.

3. Sponsor their favorite.

Make a donation to sponsor the child’s favorite animal. Most local zoos, aquariums, and animal sanctuaries allow you to donate in this way. Then you can plan a visit to the zoo and pretend to find the animal you sponsored. You can talk about how your donation went towards feeding the animal, getting medicine for when it’s sick, or cleaning the poo out of its enclosure. When it comes to experience gifts for kids, sponsoring a zoo animal is a gift that will keep on giving.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Some zoos will send you a certificate about the animal you sponsored, or you can make one yourself. As another idea, you can give the child a miniature stuffed animal along with the certificate, like this cute owl, lion, giraffe, or elephant.

4. Make them a regular.

Cover the membership fee or annual passes for a zoo, aquarium, farm, or petting zoo so the child can visit throughout the year anytime they want.

• Ages: Toddler to elementary
• Cost: Varies
• How to Wrap It: Print the membership certificate from the zoo or other attraction and wrap that.

Want More?

For experience gift ideas for everyone on your list, head to The Ultimate (Most Epic!) List of the Best Experience Gift Ideas.

Your Turn

What are your favorite experience gifts for kids? Share in a comment below!

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