Holiday Experience Gift Ideas for Kids & Gifts for Parents
Now that the holidays are approaching, we’re exploring the best experience gifts for kids and other present ideas.
Give the gift of an experience this year—with less wrapping paper and clutter. Buy less stuff!
Experience gifts give more family time and bonding, along with forever memories. It can’t get much better than that.
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Give the Best Gifts for 2023
No matter what type of gift ideas you need this year, we’ve got ideas to help out.
Gift of Experiences: Experience Gifts & Ideas
Give the gift that keeps on giving…& is less mess!
To kick things off, we’ve got experience gift ideas to keep the magic of the holidays alive even after the New Year. You can also find Non-Toy Gift Ideas for additional gift ideas for kids. Here are some of our favorites:
Holiday Cooking Classes or Camps
This year, Taste Buds Kitchen is offering sessions to create your own Holiday Gingerbread House. These classes will sell out fast, so register now to guarantee your date and time.
Memberships to Local Attractions
Annual memberships give us the chance to spend time together as a family – it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Check out these local memberships & experience gift ideas:
Get unlimited access and lots of perks, depending on the membership type you choose. They start at only $10.99 per month! You can choose from Memberships to their Overland Park location or Lenexa location. The kids will remember and enjoy this gift all year long!
> Union Station Membership: Science City, Planetarium & More
Memberships include free admission to Science City for 12 months, discounted tickets to exhibits, one free visit to the planetarium then discounted tickets after the first visit, $1 popcorn at the Regnier Extreme Screen, and more.
> SkyZone Memberships
There are 2 different membership levels, starting at $19.99 per month.
Each SkyZone membership is individual, but allows the pass holder to jump whenever they want!
> Pogo Pass Kansas City
This activity pass gets you access to 20+ KC attractions for families – all for only $49.99!
> For the Pet Owners
Give pet owners something extra special this year. Give them gift cards to places like Dogtopia of North Overland Park to get your favorite pup a spa day, play session, or boarding certificate. Invisible Fence for personalized solutions to keep pets safe, and Zoom Room for customized dog training. Wayside Waifs also offers training classes too!
> Kansas City Zoo Membership Pass
Individual memberships start at $50 for Jackson/Clay County residents and $100 for non-residents.
You can get a family membership starting at $92 for Jackson/Clay County residents or $185 for non-residents.
>Deanna Rose Farmstead Annual Membership
The Friends of the Farmstead pass allows 2 adults and all minor children free admission to Deanna Rose for one calendar year. You can play all year long!
>Overland Park Arboretum Annual Membership
There are different membership levels, depending on the number of people on the pass. It gives the pass holders free admission to the Overland Park Arboretum for one year.
There are many great places that offer memberships throughout KC. Find more info on family memberships with the help of this guide!
Subscriptions
As adults, many of us enjoy subscription boxes that come once a month or once a quarter. Why not give subscription gifts for the kids?!
We all know how much kids love getting mail…at least ours do!
There are several great options for subscription services specifically designed for children. Many give you the flexibility of deciding how frequently you want to send the boxes (read: how much you’re willing to budget for).
We found subscription gift ideas that you might be interested in exploring as gifts for this year.
Gift Cards to a store or restaurant
** Many places are offering FREE gift cards with a purchase!
We know they aren’t the most personal gifts, but they can be thoughtful if you get them to their absolute favorite store! You can’t go wrong with providing options. Your kids can choose what they want! So much easier…
When you give a child a gift card, you’re giving them the freedom to explore, to discover what they really enjoy.
Tickets to see a Movie or Show
B&B Theaters has several locations in the KC metro, plus the new ScreenPLAY! an option that adds a twist to the typical movie. Or, grab tickets to another local movie theater!
Or if you’re looking for a live show, The Coterie Theater at Crown Center offers both classic and contemporary show options for all ages. You can also explore kid-friendly shows & concerts at Starlight Theater…
Sporting Events & Activities
If your children are into other sports, consider buying gift cards or tickets! If their favorite sport isn’t offering that this year, consider getting some merch! Or..
> Join the KC Chiefs Kids Club! This gives you access to exclusive family events at Arrowhead Stadium like movies on the field & trick-or-treating at the stadium.
>KC Watersports Camps & Classes
KC Watersports gift certificates will get your favorite mini-athlete excited! They can sign up for a summer camp, a Learn2Ride session, or have a birthday party on the water! They’ve got professionals and all the gear for learning to wakeboard, wakeskate and waterski too!
> Sports Leagues as Gifts
Sports leagues with i9 Sports are a great gift!
** SAVE $10 with code iFamKCRocks on any i9 Sports league for children.
> Cooking Classes as Gifts:
Kids can enjoy the experience of cooking classes at Taste Bud’s Kitchen in Leawood!
They’ll be able to cook your family dinner in no time…
> Educational Activities as Gifts
Give the gift of a visit to Wonderscope Children’s Museum or local history museum. You can explore all the best museums in Kansas City to find the perfect experience gift for kids…
>Tuition for a class, camp, or activity
Camps & activities continue to give as the year goes on. Plus, your children will grow while learning and trying new things! Almost all of our Summer Camps will provide the ability to give a camp as a gift this Christmas. Check out the list here.
> Art Classes as Gifts:
Kids can paint their own pottery at Ceramic Café and Paint Glaze and Fire in Overland Park.
> Music Lessons as Gifts:
Give a gift certificate for the “gift of music” to your favorite kid musician. Providing a class or program to Bach to Rock, where the kids can learn to DJ, play an instrument, and even be in a band. Their gift certificates can be used for music lessons, music camps, and music parties – or any other Bach to Rock program.
Bach to Rock Leawood offers a different approach to music education. In addition to private music lessons, they also encourage students to perform with peers, play at live events, and choose which types of songs and genres they play.
The result? Students become well-rounded musicians, have more fun learning music, and get to chart their own artistic journey!
Also, consider classic programs for piano lessons with Lori’s School of Music. Piano lessons, whether group lessons or one-on-one private lessons, truly provide a lifetime of music.
> Other Programs & Physical Activities
You have so many options! Choose from:
- Sports Programs with i9 Sports
- Horseback Riding Lessons
- Aerial Yoga & Fitness
- Skiing, sledding, and snowboarding at Snow Creek
- or any other physical activities your kiddos are into.
Play Centers, Activities & Indoor Parks
There are tons of KC experience gift ideas that get kids active! Kids can bounce around KC at Sky Zone, Urban Air, or SuperKidz Club.
Other fun play experience gifts include Field Station Dinosaurs and Aerial Yoga & Fitness, which are all great options.
For older kids, TopGolf and iFly Indoor Skydiving could be great experience options too.
Go Visit Alpacas!
This is a very unique experience to gift your children. The entire family will make some forever memories.
Our kids love animals, so this is right up their alley!
YaYa’s Alpaca Farm teaches your children about how the alpacas live and also lets you interact with them. 🙂
Donate to a Charity in Their Name
You can give a unique experience gift that teaches your child the value of giving back. We have a complete Guide to Giving Back
and Where to Volunteer in our community.
Take a Trip or Vacation
Going on a weekend road trip is perfect for students of all ages on winter break. Explore the 22 Best Road trips from Kansas City to find the perfect spot for your family!
Going somewhere new is always exciting, especially when it’s with people you love…
Give the Gift of Arts
Kansas City Young Audiences is offering Holiday Gift Certificates this year.
Gift Certificates are available in any amount and may be redeemed for a class or camp at the Community School of the Arts. View more information here.
Located at Johnson Co Community College, they now offer Gift Certificates for their amazing LIVE Shows such as the upcoming Alice: Dreaming of Wonderland, April 2024! The kids will absolutely love the experience of seeing a professional theatre production. Make some forever memories!
Gifts for Parents:
Less Cooking with Food Delivery from Nurture Life
** $15 OFF with code: iFamilyKC15
These healthy meal deliveries make any parent’s life EASIER! Choose from different options designed especially for different age groups: toddler meals (1 to 4 years old), kids meals (5 to 12 years old), Teen meals (13 to adult), and cold lunch meals that are perfect for school.
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Families who try these meals leave high ratings online, so you can be sure your kiddos will love the meals. Your family can eat healthy meals without having to do the cooking…
Babies Sleep Better in 3 Nights with Nested Bean
If you’re looking for gifts for newborn parents OR you are a parent, Nested Bean helps little ones sleep better in 1 to 3 nights!
Their zen clothing line mimics your touch to comfort your little one. Check it out:
Non-Toy Gift Ideas for Kids
If you don’t want to purchase more gifts for your kiddos, you can find the best gift ideas that aren’t toys…
Books
It’s always a good time for learning and I am a huge fan of gifting books for special occasions.
Reading provides children with the opportunity to use their imagination and dive deep into other worlds.
“A reader lives a thousand lifetimes…” -George R.R. Martin
With hundreds of thousands of different titles to select from, the possibilities are virtually endless when it comes to book gifts. If your child life has a Kindle, tablet, or e-reader, you could give them a gift card to purchase books they choose too.
Depending on the age and reading level of your recipient, a book series can provide hours and hours of entertainment.
Book suggestions include:
- Classic Children’s Books (all ages)
- Llama Llama Red Pajama Books (toddler)
- Pete The Cat Books (preschool)
- Ivy & Bean Books (school-aged)
- Judy Moody Books (school-aged)
- Harry Potter Series (preteen)
A “Yes” Day
I recently read an article that discussed how utterly exhausted (and beyond happy) actress Jennifer Garner was after successfully completing a “yes day” with her kids.
It’s a concept I’ve never heard of but is, apparently, based on the book Yes Day by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
The idea is simple – spend a day with your kids and let them take the reins in planning what they want to do. You set limits and rules for the day (budget, time, etc), then allow your kids to call the shots.
If it sounds as exciting to you as it does to me, check out the book from your local Mid-Continent Public Library branch and consider giving it to your child this Christmas.
Board Games
There’s nothing like sitting down with the family and playing an old-fashioned board game together!
Add in some popcorn and their favorite candy, and it won’t disappoint! Our Guide to Family Game Night has 48 ideas for you!
Instruments
A guitar, violin, flute, or any other musical instrument is a great gift for budding Mozarts.
Along with a few pieces of sheet music, the kiddos will have loads of fun that stimulates their mind!
Polaroid Camera
For the tween crowd, a Polaroid camera is a perfect option for memory makers!
They’ll be able to enjoy their photos immediately, too. Pose for a photo on Christmas morning!
Bonus: Tech Gifts & Electronics:
It seems like with every new month we discover a new gadget of some sort, but we’re here to help you keep up! This year give technology or give the gift of understanding technology…
Tech gifts for KIDS
Another tablet, yes. But, the Amazon Fire Kids edition gets you a two-year worry-free guarantee. If your little one breaks or damages it, Amazon will replace it for free for up to two years.
A huge trend last year, and another big trend for this year. The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid, portable home console. Your kids can play it on your HD TV at home or take it on the go to enjoy games on the built-in HD display.
Legos are all the rage and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Watch your kiddo build and assemble a fully functioning robot that is transformable into other fun objects as well.
Choose from music, science, electronics, engineering and more. So many examples to choose from. The music kit is one of our favorites. Kids can write and produce their own music with this all-in-one kit for any child who enjoys singing or dancing.
In collaboration with a Nintendo Switch, these kits allow kids to build things like a fully functional car, robot, guitar and more! The fun is in the building (learning while they aren’t realizing it) and then playing with their new creation!
Baby Alive Real As Can Be Baby
This baby is the real deal. Feed it, burp it, take care of it. Watch the baby doll suck on her bottle and even respond to your child’s voice and touch!
Tech gifts for HER
This activity tracker doubles as a beautiful piece of jewelry. With all the features of a Fitbit, your special lady can keep up with daily activities in style.
It seems like today you can purchase headphones of any type, color, or pattern from thousands of websites online. Do some digging and find the perfect ones for her. She’ll never take them off!
Fossil Q Harper Smart Hybrid Watch
No more bulky smartwatches for her! Flaunt a new hybrid watch that is fashionable and functional for everything she’ll need. With the sleek, stylish design, you’d never know all its abilities until you use it for yourself!
Tech gifts for HIM
DJI Phantom 3 Standard Drone with 2.7K HD Video Camera
Drones are what’s “in” right now, but the best ones are not cheap. The DJI Phantom is a great all-purpose drone that is more reasonably priced, especially for beginners.
DJI Spark Alpine White with Remote Control and Parrot Mambo Fly are also good options.
Samsung UHD TV Curved Screen Smart TV
Samsung is a trusted and reliable TV brand on the market. The Smart UHD TV is hard to beat – beautifully curved screens, built-in apps, and amazing picture quality. Perfect for watching the next big game!
Does someone in your life constantly need a phone charger, walking around most of the time with a dead phone? A portable charging stick is simple yet necessary! This one from Anker comes with all the accessories, too!
Tech Gifts for All Ages
We’ve mentioned the Fitbit Flex 2 is more tailored to women, but there are several other popular fitness trackers on the market too. Some of the latest is the Apple Watch and the Fitbit Versa. This article mentions a few others along with the product’s features.
Amazon’s products have made the list of popular gifts for techies for several years now. You can get a variety of versions from the Echo, the Dot, the Spot, the Look, and the Show. All of these great products can turn your home into a smart home.
Google’s version of the Amazon Echo, Google’s Home Smart Speaker can control the same smart home accessories as Amazon’s smart speaker, in addition to members of the Google Chromecast family. The bonus with this device is you have access to Google’s database for information.
Time to get rid of those messy cables and wireless headphones that constantly need to be charged. AirPods connect with any iPhone or iPad over Bluetooth and have become increasingly popular with the releases of Apple’s latest iPhones.
An Android-friendly, non-Apple alternative is the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless Headphones, which have been reported to produce high-quality sound as well.
Philips’ Hue bulbs are many people’s first smart home accessories. Since smart homes are becoming more common, there’s a good chance these bulbs will become harder to find than usual this season.
The Fire tablet is the ultimate choice for casual tablet users. You can use it to read eBooks, browse the web, watch Netflix, or play light games. It’s not the most powerful or capable tablet on the market, but it’s definitely the best choice under $50.
With the Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Protect smoke & carbon monoxide alarm, and Nest Cam security camera, Nest is creating a home that’s better than smart.
Ring Video Doorbell 2 is another similar product that has voice-activated features and security capabilities.
The Sonos One is an updated version of the audio company’s popular PLAY: 1 speaker. It sounds better and has the intelligence of Amazon’s Alexa baked into it, the One will also work with your current Sonos system without requiring a new app or hub.
So, what are you gifting this year?
An in-depth listing of resources available to your family this season in our Annual Holiday Guide.
We know that we’ve likely missed something, so we’d love to hear your BEST gift ideas! Leave us a comment below or let us know on social media what you’re getting for your loved ones this holiday season.
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From our family to yours, iFamilyKC.
