Luke has been blessed with more toys than we could ever ask for and we are grateful. But as I was cleaning out our closets, I realized that we actually had a lot of unopened boxes of toys (and they just keep piling up year after year!) Having a few wonderful toys are essential but there really is such a thing as having TOO MUCH toys. And I know I’m not alone in this!
So this year, I’m going to try something different. I’m taking on the challenge to prepare non-toy gifts for the kids on our own gift list and we’re sharing with you guys a non-toy gift guide for parents who wish to do the same!
Here are our top suggestions! Happy shopping and may the gifts you give this Christmas bring laughter and smiles to the kids you are giving them to.
1. Books
Considering I’ve already curated our books at home, we still have a LOT. And truth be told, I like it that way! I think many of you moms can relate because when I did the survey for this article, the #1 answer for your preferred non-toy gift was books!
And why not? Books can bring kids to places they’ve never been and gives them the opportunity to live the lives they dream of living. Not to mention the many memories that reading aloud with their parents can bring. Giving books is like giving them an adventure and possibly, special moments they will treasure for a lifetime!
Book suggestions to get you started. Click the links for the book list:
- For ages 0-3: Board books
- For ages 3-6: Beautifully designed, Gospel-centered books
- For ages 3-6: Must-have read aloud books
Wanna know what’s on our personal wishlist ? Here are the titles I’m hoping to get for my boys soon! Share with us yours if you have one!
2. Attraction Tickets
Truth be told, TIME is still the best gift you can give kids. Right? So why don’t you take that special little kid out for a day? Spend time together and you’ll be surprised at how memorable the experience will be for them. If for one reason or another you can’t join them, get them entrance tickets to these attractions so they can go with their family!
Suggestions for Attractions:
- Museums: Mind Museum, The Dessert Museum
- Zoos and Aquariums: Manila Zoo, Manila Ocean Park, Zoobic Safari
- Indoor Play Areas: Kidzoona, Kidzania, Dreamplay
- Amusement Parks: Enchanted Kingdom, Star City
- Farms: Hotel Kimberly’s Mini Farm, Greens & Patches at Nuvali
3. Arts & Crafts Materials
Are we the only ones always running out of art supplies? Kids are instinctively creative so why not encourage them to keep at it?
Suggestions:
- Washable Art Materials: Washable paint, markers, stampers and crayons. Best for younger kids.
- Paint Brushes: Sponge brushes or roller stamps (We get ours from Ma’am and Mom’s)
- Painting Accessories: Easel, canvas, artist’s apron
- Ready-to-Make Art Sets: For crafts like pottery, bead making, etc. (You can surprisingly find these at toy stores too)
4. Science and Lab Kit Activity Sets
I recently got Luke a kiddie microscope and we love it. I’m excited to use it more as we homeschool! Luke also recently picked out a human anatomy model (Yes, he picked it out on his own, go figure haha) Now I’m on the look-out for chemistry sets. I’m thinking of just buying beakers and test tubes individually but also open to buying a whole set already, if I can find one!
The opportunities to learn and explore using these instruments are endless.
Suggestions:
- Lab Equipment: Chemistry sets, a microscope, telescopes. Throw in protective goggles and a little lab coat too!
- Experiment Kits: I’ve seen a lot of great ones like crystal growing and slime making ones (Can also surprisingly be found in toy stores)
- Robot Making Kits: For older kids interested to develop their engineering and creative building skills
5. Classes or Workshops
Does the special little boy or girl in your life have special interests? Maybe a sport or a new hobby like cooking, painting or even calligraphy (for older ones, at least!) Try enrolling them in a class or a one-time workshop.
If you’re out in the know, maybe you can even find them special Christmas-themed classes this season, like gingerbread house decorating. That will definitely be a unique experience they’ll enjoy!
6. Subscription Boxes
How about giving something that will surprise, engage and be educational for the kids? Subscribe them to a subscription box of your choice!
If you’ve seen my Instagram, you’ll know that our favorite subscription box, Oli’s Boxship, has been a staple in our family for more than a year now (He even had them at his birthday party last year when he celebrated with kids at an orphanage!)
Oli’s Boxship is a book-based creative play subscription box based in the Philippines. The box always contains at least 2 craft activities and a book. Luke looks forward to his boxship’s arrival every month and insists on working on the activities together immediately!
You can order a box to give during Christmas but why not order a monthly subscription of 3, 6 or even 12 months for them to enjoy? The excitement of seeing the boxes arrive at your doorstep is part of its thrill! And besides, think about it. This way, you’ll always be in their mind months after Christmas is over too!
Use my code “SheenaLovesOli” to get 10% off when you order!
7. Show Tickets
If you were to gift my son Disney on Ice tickets, he will love you forever and never forget you! Haha. We surprised him with Disney on Ice tickets last year and he almost cried with joy when he looked outside the car and saw the signage. One year after, he’s still talking about that experience. Now that’s value for money for sure. Haha. 😉
For the kids in your life, why not gift them tickets to kid-friendly performances, plays or concerts? Give them an afternoon (or night) they’ll remember! There are usually a lot of shows going on during this season so you shouldn’t have a hard time choosing. Regularly check ticket sites online such as TicketWorld or TicketNet to see what they have available.
TIP: Don’t forget to consult with the parents for scheduling (and ask to make sure they haven’t purchased their own tickets yet!)
8. Plants
I recently shared about building our own mini vegetable garden at home and it was all thanks to Luke’s grandma who gifted us with everything we needed, such as the seeds and plants to start with! Giving kids plants will not only be a fun experience for them but will also teach them valuable life skills such as patience, responsibility and hard work.
Suggestions:
- Gardening Tool Set: Watering can, shovel, gloves
- Set of Easy-to-Grow Seeds/Plants: Monggo, Tomato, Kalamansi, Okra, Basil and other herbs
- Easy-to-Grow Kits: They come complete with the seeds, pot and fertilizer/potting mix. (Saw some available at local groceries)
9. Staycations
Everybody loves staycations! Giving those special kids an easy vacation option will not only make them happy, but also their well-deserving parents! This is perfect for busy families because by nature, staycations are short and easily accessible. Not a lot of planning (or packing) required!
Some of our favorites:
- Wonderful Weekends at Makati Shangri-La
- Shangri-La at the Fort
- Outside Manila: Seda Nuvali and Escala Tagaytay
Check out our own reviews about the different hotels we’ve had the privilege of having staycations in and see if you’d like to try any of them!
10. Trips
If you’re ready to spoil some kids, go all out and book them a trip! Whether it’s a daytrip to a nearby town or a 3-day stay at a beach resort, these kids will surely come home with lots of fun stories and precious memories to boot. And that’s something no kind of toy can replace!
Need some ideas? If you live near Manila like us, here are some suggestions for trips you can book them on that’s just a few hours drive away!
41 Comments
Diandra
September 26, 2018 at 6:02 pmI don’t have kids yet but i do have a lot of pamangkins! And i’m sure they would enjoy getting these awesome non-toy gifts for christmas. Thanks for the unique and awesome ideas!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
September 26, 2018 at 10:41 pmYes I’m sure they’d be happy to receive non-toy gifts this time!! Happy shopping! 😉
Jennifer
September 26, 2018 at 8:20 pmGreat ideas! I’ll keep these in mind for my cousins!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
September 26, 2018 at 10:41 pmThanks Jennifer, hope they like the gifts they’ll be getting this year! <3
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
September 27, 2018 at 1:20 amI love the idea of non-gift gifts. I feel like my kids have SO much stuff already and they’re getting past the ‘toys’ phase. Staycations, event tickets, vacations, etc. all sound great!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
September 27, 2018 at 2:53 pmYES! Same here. I wanna get rid of most of the toys that we have here. Haha.
Yvonne
September 28, 2018 at 4:36 pmWhat a great idea…non-toy gifts! Books are always a great option and show tickets, definitely!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
September 29, 2018 at 7:47 amThanks Yvonne, yes those are things my kid would love personally haha.
Jessica
September 29, 2018 at 2:48 pmGreat list dear. You can’t go wrong with books. And I say yes to science and lab kit activity sets. That surely sounds fun.
Sheena Sy Gonzales
September 29, 2018 at 9:39 pmYes, yes! Thanks Jess.
Nancy
September 30, 2018 at 12:02 pmLuke is so cute!!! Love that he’s learning so much at this age and he’s such a well-rounded boy. I like the idea of giving non-toys because experience and learning is more valuable to me. They can still have fun with arts and crafts, as much as toys! Thanks for the gift guide!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 1, 2018 at 9:32 amYes they actually have a lot more fun with the crafts sometimes! Haha.
Nikki Living Life
October 1, 2018 at 5:53 amSuch an awesome list Sheena. I love your creative suggestions. You can never go wrong with Art and Science materials. My nephew has hours of fun with his painting kits. Coming from a science background I would agree with your on the science kits too and YES, YES, to PLANTS!!!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 1, 2018 at 9:31 amThanks Nikki! Yes art and science materials will always be useful! <3
Cris Santos
October 1, 2018 at 4:36 pmFantastic ideas and the images are so gorgeous xoxo Cris
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 1, 2018 at 10:46 pmThanks Cris!
Sophie
October 1, 2018 at 11:11 pmThis is such a wonderful and unique twist on a gift guide! I love my god-daughter but refuse to buy her anymore toys because its such a waste and I’d rather get her something that will provide her more value. These are all wonderful ideas!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:14 pmYour god-daughter is blessed to have you Sophie!
Nicole Gramcko
October 1, 2018 at 11:35 pmSuch a good idea! My sister’s birthday is coming up and I definitely did not want to get her a toy that she won’t play with next year. This is so helpful!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:13 pmYes so true! Kids’ toys last for such a short time only huhu.
Caitlin | Beauty & Colour
October 2, 2018 at 3:52 amLove the idea of getting them books instead! And attractions are always fun!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:13 pmTwo of my favorite things in the world. Haha.
Kathrine Eldridge
October 2, 2018 at 5:09 amWhat amazing idea for kids for Christmas! Thanks for sharing.
Susie @ Mile High Dreamers
October 2, 2018 at 8:02 amI LOVE all of these ideas! I definitely think it’s easy too end up with too much ‘stuff’ and then we forget the actual value of these things. What I love most is that this list definitely applies to adults too! I think it’s so much more fun to give someone an ‘experience’ than a thing. And Luke just looks so happy on all of his adventures. Thank you for this inspiration Sheena!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:15 pmTrue! Better to give experiences because they last forever in their memories!
mercy
October 2, 2018 at 2:27 pmThese are amazing ideas! I wouldn’t mind receiving staycations and trips for my kids including me But I really agree,we also have lots of unopened boxes of toys. Books are great and so are clothes if I can add to the list.
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:14 pmHehe same here, Mercy!!
Radi
October 2, 2018 at 2:37 pmLove your suggestions. I think show tickets is a great one as you can enjoy it with the whole family and really make a great lasting memory.
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 2, 2018 at 4:14 pmYes that’s so true especially if they love the story or characters!
Samantha
October 4, 2018 at 2:56 amSo many great gifts! Love the idea of a trip or tickets. I always find experiences to be the best presents.
~Samantha
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 4, 2018 at 4:11 pmThat is so true. Couldn’t agree with you more!
Shuba Karthik
October 5, 2018 at 11:00 amThats a through write-up on how to make the rest of 2018 interesting for kids! Love it Ms. Sheena!
– Shuba Karthik
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 5, 2018 at 3:44 pmThanks Shuba!
Emily
October 8, 2018 at 8:09 amYes to this post! I love the idea of non-toy gifts. I am not a mom yet, but I have a serious phobia of clutter and having too much stuff. It freaks me out when I see parents giving their kids like 10-20 toys on Christmas day. Love the alternative suggestions!
Sheena Sy Gonzales
October 9, 2018 at 8:48 amThat freaks me out too hahaha. Thanks Emily!
tj malvar
October 15, 2018 at 2:31 pmHi! Great and very informative article Our daughter also has too many toys!
Michelle Villanueva
November 20, 2019 at 11:51 amMalaking tulong ‘to paglabas ng baby ko at habang lumalaki sya since ayoko sya iexpose masyado sa mga gadgets. Thanks po this is great and very informative.
Queenly Amparado
November 20, 2019 at 11:52 amWhen i still dont have children, my
go to Christmas gift to my nephews and nieces are books. since i really love to read. Now that i have my own children, when their godparents always ask me what kind of gifts my kids want to receive, i tell them anything but if can they give them books, much better.
Sheena Sy Gonzales
November 20, 2019 at 10:43 pmBook are THE BEST
Mama_telyamzon
November 29, 2019 at 8:56 pmThis is the perfect gift for the kids.. Instead of toys. Thankyou Mommy Sheena for the tips!
Clarasophic
December 8, 2019 at 6:14 amYes, books really are the best! They can keep them entertain for a longer time especially the arts and crafts. Great blog momma Sheena! ?