50+ Best Experience Gift Ideas for Kids (2023)

Updated October 2023

If you're trying to limit the number of toys you bring into your home this holiday season, here are the best experience gifts to give your kids!

Listen. I have nothing against toys. Toys are what keep my kids occupied while I try to get chores or a little blogging work done. Blocks, Magnatiles, LEGOS, Kinetic Sand, toy cars, and Little People all encourage my kids to use their imagination and create.

But at some point, there’s just no need to stuff your home with MORE toys. At least for us. We’ve always been renters, and the homes we’ve rented haven’t come with very much storage space. Plus, I want my kids to actually PLAY with the toys they have. Our home and my children’s attention spans are about at capacity right now, so I’ve been on the hunt for experience gifts for my kids instead of more toys.

As a parent trying to raise curious and thoughtful kids, I love the idea of experience gifts. These are gifts that will promote family bonding, create memories, grow their interests, and improve their skills.

While I don’t think experience gifts need to be the ONLY gifts my kids receive (it’s always fun for them to have something to play with on Christmas Day), I do think it’s a great option and an alternative for many of the thoughtless filler gifts that I tend to turn to at the last minute when I’m afraid I haven’t given my child enough (insert eye roll here).

Experience gifts can come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes they even involve giving a physical gift to accompany or enhance the experience. So for those who love wrapping presents and watching your kids open them, there are plenty of options on this list for you!

Here are 50+ experience gift ideas for parents who want to give their kids experiences instead of things this Christmas.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Gifts for Creating Experiences at Home

I think we often picture only memberships and tickets to concerts or big trips when we imagine giving our kids experiences instead of things.

But in my opinion, we can create experiences within the 4 walls of our home with just the right supplies.

Some gifts (the latest toy, usually) will be opened with excitement on Christmas morning, only to be discarded and forgotten about within 2 weeks.

I believe the gifts listed here, though they are still physical items, will be used, cherished, and useful for creating family memories.

ART SUPPLIES - Kids can create the coolest things with just a little imagination and some drawing pads, crayons, and stickers. Lately, my kids and I have been doing drawing videos together on YouTube, and it’s been a fun way to bond and hone a skill together. We never seem to have enough paper or coloring materials around, so giving a box of fresh new supplies will be a hit with kids. Consumable art supplies make a great gift, and we restock them every year!
SUBSCRIPTION BOX - A monthly subscription box with educational toys or activities will never grow old! It’s truly an experience for kids to get their packages in the mail and do the activities inside. Kiwi Crate and Little Passports are two wonderful options that both encourage curiosity and learning. Mail is always a great idea, and subscriptions make the best gifts because they keep on giving throughout the year!
MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION - This is another fun thing for kids to look forward to receiving in the mail. Choose something that aligns with their interests, and get them a yearly subscription to a corresponding children’s magazine. Think Sports Illustrated for Kids, Highlights, or National Geographic for Kids. Also, did you know you can sign up for a free subscription to the quarterly LEGO magazine for kids?
DRESS-UP STATION - This can be as simple as a box of dress-up clothes, or as elaborate as a garment rack filled with new dress-up outfits (check post-Halloween sales for costumes on markdown). Melissa and Doug has some awesome dress-up clothes for both boys and girls, and we’ve also gifted the kids these capes and masks.
INVEST IN THEIR HOBBIES - Whether they’re getting into hockey, jewelry making, rock painting, science experiments, or snowshoeing, buying them special gear for their hobby sends a message that you see them and you support the things they’re passionate about.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT - Learning how to play a musical instrument is a great way to develop a child’s brain. You can start small with a keyboard or a ukulele, or be brave and get them that drum set they’ve always wanted. Either way, having their very own instrument to play will be a skill and memory that sticks with them for the rest of their lives.
COOKBOOK FOR KIDS - a few months ago I read the book “French Kids Eat Everything,” and it inspired me to start adding more variety to our weekly meal plan. I found this cookbook for kids at the library and immediately ordered it from Amazon so we could have a copy in our house. My daughter and I have already cooked and baked several meals together, and we love paging through the recipes and creating shopping lists!
ONLINE COURSES - As your child grows and develops an interest in different subjects, you might want to help them learn, but the subject is over your head. If you don’t live in a large city it might be difficult to find the type of class they need to excel. The internet is an amazing place full of online courses for every subject. Find a class suitable for their interest and maybe even learn right alongside them! Try Skillshare or Udemy- they have some kids' courses for photography, coding, drawing, and more!
FAMILY GAME KIT - A great way to bond as a family is to play games together! Buy a game the whole family can enjoy like Apples to Apples, Spot It!, or Scattergories, then put together a fun gift basket with the essentials for a family game night: candy, popcorn, hot chocolate, personalized scorecards, and maybe even a puzzle the whole family can work on together.
COUPON BOOK - Is there something your child always bugs you to do with them, but you just really never feel like doing it? Painting nails, jumping in puddles, reading a super long and boring book? Put those items in a coupon book for the kids to redeem at any time throughout the year.
AUDIBLE SUBSCRIPTION - This is awesome if you’re always going on road trips, or if your child has trouble falling asleep at night. Audiobooks are a great way to keep a child occupied for long stretches of time.
A BOOK SERIES YOU LOVED AS A CHILD - I recently started reading the Harry Potter series to my 6-year-old (LOVE this illustrated version for kids!), and it has been the best bonding experience for the 2 of us. Harry Potter is one of my all-time favorite series, and I still enjoy re-reading those books. If you had a series or specific book that had a huge impact on you as a kid, try gifting it to your child with the intention of reading through it together. Ideas: Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children, Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, Narnia, any Roald Dahl books. My kids think Roald Dahl is hilarious!
SAVE, SPEND, SHARE PIGGY BANK - It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about finance! We gifted our daughter a Moonjar piggy bank when she turned six and started giving her a few dollars each month as an allowance. We talk about how to decide which category to put it in, who to share it with (church offering, charity, etc), and why it’s important to save up for something you really want instead of buying a lot of junk right away. Take it a step further by gifting them a kit to help them learn about money.
A DECK OF CARDS & A CARD GAME BOOK - If you have elementary or high school-aged kids, learning a card game together and having a standing match each week can be a great way to bond together. The best part is you can do it anywhere! At home on the weekends, on road trips, on airplanes, etc.
STATIONARY & FANCY PENS - Ever since my 6-year-old learned to write, she has loved sending letters to family and friends. She has since used up all my cards and envelopes, so I thought getting her her own set of stationery, pens, envelopes, and even stamps would ensure she’s able to keep up with her correspondences on her own. Writing to loved ones and getting letters back in the mail is an experience kids will treasure.
BIKES & SCOOTERS - Almost nothing is better for a kid than getting outside in the fresh air. Learning to ride a bike or scooter will not only encourage them to spend time outdoors but also teach them gross motor skills along the way. Don’t forget to include helmets!
OUTDOOR GEAR - Getting outside can include a variety of activities from drawing with sidewalk chalk to playing on a new jungle gym playground. Teeball sets, baseball gloves, toddler riding toys, yard games, and water tables are great outside gift ideas.

Experience Your Community

Getting involved in your community and exploring your area is just as important as travel! Many parents love ideas like this for Christmas gifts, especially when grandparents, aunts, and uncles are looking for gift ideas but you’re wary about bringing more clutter into the house.

Here are some ideas for annual memberships and experiences in your local community to gift your children.

Related: Be a Tourist in Your Own City

ZOO MEMBERSHIP - Do you have a local zoo or aquarium? Buying yearly membership passes will give your family tons of quality time together. A lot of passes will even let you take a guest for free, so kids will love bringing along extended family members or friends!
MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP - Is your child really into science or art? What about the local children’s museum? If you have a museum nearby that sparks the interest of your child, getting a membership will allow them to explore and learn at their own pace. (Update in 2023) We loved having an annual pass to our local children's museum, especially during the winter months now that we live in Wisconsin.
LOCAL PASSES (PARK, POOL, TRAMPOLINE PARK, ETC) - Each city or town has different activities available to the community. Pick something your kids are always begging to do and buy passes for a season or a year. Maybe you live somewhere with long winters and there’s an indoor playground, open gym, or trampoline park that will help your kids get their wiggles out. If you live near cool state or national parks, maybe buy a yearly pass so your family can get out and explore more together.
SPORTING EVENT - Do you have a die-hard sports fan in your family? Make their day by getting them tickets to a sporting event and making a special date out of it. Take them out to eat or tailgate before the big game, buy special snacks, and make sure to take lots of pictures when you’re there. Going to a game together is always so much fun.
CONCERT TICKETS - If your kids have a favorite singer or performer, surprise them with concert tickets!
THEATER TICKETS - Introduce your child to a bit of culture with tickets to a play (whether that’s a community theater or a Broadway play), a ballet, or an orchestra.
ART/MUSIC CLASSES - Maybe one of your kids has a flair for drawing or great rhythm. See if your community or their school offers classes or lessons to help develop their talent. Even better, maybe there's a local summer camp that offers more in-depth lessons!
FRISBEE GOLFING - Does your community have a frisbee golf course? Buy your child a frisbee golf set and learn the game together!
GEOCACHING - this is a fun activity you can do as a whole family. All you need to do is set up a free account on the Geocaching app and find a cache nearby to hunt for “treasure.” The Geocaching website has all kinds of kits you could gift your kids to get them started.
BOWLING - give kids a gift certificate good for one night of bowling family fun! Alternatively, if you’ve gone bowling before and your child shows an aptitude for it, get them their own shoes or ball.
DANCE LESSONS - has your little one been begging for dance classes? Instead of a big expensive toy this year, maybe you can gift them a year’s worth of dance lessons! As a former dancer myself, I can attest to the fact that dance lessons improved my kinesthetic awareness and work ethic. My performance in sports improved because of dance, and I learned to enjoy performing on stage, even as an introvert.
GET THEM IN A SPORT OR SPORTING CAMPS - if there’s a sport your kids are obsessed with, why not gift them a year of being on a sports team? It can be simply a community league, or it could be an expensive club sports experience that you previously didn’t let them do. If that’s too much, maybe start by giving them a week at a sports camp this summer that they’ve always wanted to participate in.
GIFT CARDS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES - This is a really fun idea that can work for toddlers all the way to teens. You can give young kids their very own gift card to any establishment, ranging from the local ice cream parlor (imagine your child getting to choose WHATEVER he or she wants) to Target to a hobby shop they love. Even $5 or $10 will go a long way for them, and they’ll learn a little bit about money and self-control in the process (you can’t spend more than the gift card is worth unless you bring your own money). For older kids or teens, think about what fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, or stores they like to frequent. My mom still does this for us as adults, and I can’t say I don’t look forward to it every year!
PARENT/CHILD DATE COUPONS - I have 5 sisters, so quality time with my parents was at a premium as a child. Each year for Christmas, my dad would give each of us girls a coupon for one breakfast date with him, redeemable at a time of our choosing. Those were some of our best memories, getting to sit down over pancakes and discussing school, sports, our dreams, and plans with my dad. You could do breakfast dates, too, or be creative and come up with your own version. Ice cream dates, batting cage dates, a hiking date (bonus: free), a fancy dinner date, etc.
MOVIE TICKETS - Now that we have kids, going to the movies as a family can cost an arm and a leg, so we rarely go. Getting the whole family tickets to see a movie complete with popcorn and candy will be a real treat for most kids! Bonus if you go right away over Christmas break.
ESCAPE ROOM - Most cities these days offer an escape room. See if you can find one that's kid-friendly!
SPA DAY - It doesn’t have to be a fancy spa to count as a spa day. Give gift cards to your favorite hairdresser and bring your child along for their very own fancy adult haircut (make sure your hairdresser is okay with cutting a child’s hair). Have Dad bring his son(s) along to the barber. Go get manicures and pedicures. Your child will feel so grown up getting beauty treatments done with Mom or Dad.
UPGRADE NORMAL EXPERIENCES - Do you already have a zoo membership, and your child begs you EVERY TIME to go on the train but you always say no? Give them a coupon for one train ride at a time of their choosing. Do you go to the aquarium but never do the upgraded experiences (like snorkeling or feeding a sea creature)? Upgrade it, baby! Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be expensive. This could be something as simple as letting your kid get the banana split at the ice cream shop instead of just one scoop in a dish. Be creative!
HOMETOWN SCAVENGER HUNT - This will likely be a lot more work on your part, but the bonus is that it can be absolutely free if you want it to be. You can make the clues personal (next, go to the place where you lost your first tooth), or you can make the clues generic (next, go to the place with arches and french fries of gold). The point is that you’ll be spending quality time with your kids chauffeuring them around town while also becoming more familiar with your community. Bonus if you require them to take a picture at each location.

Give Travel as A Gift

This is the category I automatically think of when someone suggests experiences gifts instead of “things.” I mean, it makes sense. This IS a family travel blog after all!

While I dream about gifting my kids a lavish vacation (Italy, anyone?) for Christmas, that’s just not in the cards this year. (Update: we made the Italy trip happen in 2023!) But one thing I always preach about on my blog and Instagram is that travel isn’t limited to lavish vacations and adventures around the globe. Travel can be as simple as exploring what’s in your own backyard.

Here are some travel gift ideas that span every price range.

(And if you’re looking for gift ideas for kids who love to travel, check out this blog post!)

NIGHT OR WEEKEND AT A LOCAL HOTEL - Parents, I get it. Not everyone is in a position to pay for a Disney vacation or even a beach vacation. One thing you could do is arrange one night or a weekend at a hotel within an hour's drive from your house. The effect will be the same. You’ll get away from your everyday life, you’ll get to swim in a hotel pool, you can indulge in a continental breakfast, and MAYBE even order room service. This is a great way to start earning loyalty rewards points with a credit card or hotel loyalty program, bring you closer as a family, and start to train your kids to be good travelers. (Update in 2023) Now that we live in Wisconsin, it's a short trip to Wisconsin Dells, which is the Water Park Capital of the World! Many local hotels have indoor water parks, like the Great Wolf Lodge!
PASSPORTS - Are you hoping to take an international trip in the next few years? Maybe your child is getting to the age where they can go on immersion trips or mission trips to other countries. Give your family the gift of a passport. Just knowing everyone has a passport makes you much more likely to book an all-inclusive in Mexico or that adventure to Banff National Park in Canada (or even that European vacation you’ve always dreamed of).
SURPRISE KIDS WITH A BIG VACATION - How cool would it be for kids to discover on Christmas morning that you’re taking them to Disney World, Italy, Argentina, or wherever your family’s dream vacation destination is? You could give them clues like new luggage or a themed gift basket. Make sure you film their reactions!
TRAVEL JOURNAL - if you’re already a family that loves to travel, gift your child with their very own travel journal. I love looking back on my journal entries from my first trips. It brings the memories flooding back. I created this Travel Journal for Kids with space for 3 different trips!
TICKETS TO A THEME PARK (DISNEY, SIX FLAGS, ETC) - travel doesn’t always have to be backpacking through Europe or camping in a national park. Arrange a day (or a few days) at a local amusement park. I grew up near Milwaukee, so it was always a treat to go to Six Flags Great America in Illinois. Right now we live in Florida, so the obvious choices are Disney, Universal Orlando, Sea World, and Busch Gardens. See what’s nearby and plan a day trip or weekend around it!
NATIONAL PARKS PASS - if you live near several National Parks or you’re planning a road trip where your family will visit multiple National Parks, this is a wonderful family experience gift.
SUITCASES - my mom gave each of my young children their very own suitcase. Not only do the kids love helping pack for our trips, but they also play “travel” together. They imagine going to fun destinations (usually Disney or the grandparents’ houses) and pulling their suitcases around the house together.
START A TRAVEL FUND - Start a Capital One 360 savings account for travel. To symbolize what you’re doing and teach your kids the value of saving up for a trip, get a themed coin jar where everyone in the family can contribute to the cause. If you’re saving up for a specific trip or vacation, set a goal and create a goal chart (you know, like those giant thermometer drawings you fill in as you get closer to the goal) so the whole family can stay motivated to save more money.
BOOKS ABOUT THE PLACE YOU’RE GOING - Maybe your trip is not a big Christmas morning surprise. Maybe your family is already planning to travel somewhere. Get your kids books to get them excited about the destination. Lonely Planet has guidebooks just for kids, or find a novel set in the destination.
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE - If your child has always talked about doing something but you’ve avoided the subject because it’s expensive or a big hassle to arrange, Christmas might be the perfect time to do it. Ideas: swimming with dolphins, horseback riding, a hot air balloon ride, or a helicopter tour.

Give Memories As A Gift

Maybe you’re already doing tons of incredible things with your family, but you want to use Christmas as an opportunity to slow down and savor all the cool things you got to do together. Here are some ideas for preserving photo and video memories or physical memorabilia.

RELATED: How to Take Better Family Travel Photos

SHADOW BOX OF A MEMORABLE EVENT - perhaps your child recently experienced a cool milestone or your family went on a memorable vacation. Create a shadowbox with physical memorabilia from the event, such as ticket stubs, pamphlets, photos, postcards, seashells, small clothing items, etc.
DIGITAL CAMERA - are your kids always asking to use your phone or camera to stage photo shoots or take 57 selfies of just their forehead? Maybe they actually use your phone/camera for creative pursuits like close-ups of flowers or outfit-of-the-day shots. It might be time to buy them their own digital camera! Nowadays, you can find very affordable digital point-and-shoot cameras for beginners, and you can always upgrade in the future if your child continues to show an interest in photography. I’m checking out this one for my daughter and waiting to see if there are any Black Friday deals!
{Check out my review of the GoPro if you’re considering that as a Christmas gift for your child!}
PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES - kids are sponges. It’s amazing what they can do with a little bit of guidance. Let the experts show your child how to compose a shot, figure out the settings on their camera, and use natural lighting. Find a local photography class that allows kids, or search online for the perfect course for your child’s age level.
PHOTOBOOKS - another way to turn precious family memories into a Christmas gift is by preserving them in a photo book. Right now I’m putting together Chatbooks for each of my kids with photos that highlight each of their most memorable moments for the year. You could also gift your child a photobook of a memorable trip or as a summary at the end of a sports season/musical/dance season/(insert whatever activity they’re involved in) season. I also like to use Shutterfly, and I’ve heard Google Photos is easy, too, if you’re already using the app for photo storage.
VIDEO MEMORIES - are the videos on your phone taking up a ton of space, but just sitting there NOT being viewed in the archives? Put them together for a year-in-review video for your family to enjoy for years to come! It doesn’t have to be fancy or professional. I just use iMovie to upload my videos because it comes free with my MacBook Air. Most computers have a built-in video editor for free, too.
FRAMED PHOTO - Don’t underestimate how much a framed photo of a special memory will mean to your child. This is one of the cheapest and easiest gifts to put together and allows kids to relive their favorite family memories each time they enter the room.

As you can see, experience gifts come in all different shapes, sizes, and price ranges. Every family can benefit from thinking outside the traditional gift box and incorporating gifts that encourage togetherness and creativity.

If you’ve come up with an experience gift for your child that wasn’t listed here, feel free to leave it in the comments below! I’ll try to update this post each year with new ideas.