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75 No Clutter Christmas Gifts for Kids

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With only 4 months away, this is the time of year that I really start to think about gifts for the holiday season and planning out who is going to receive what from us. I have to admit, that planning and shopping for gifts to give is one of my favourite things to do, honestly, I think I obsess over it, but it can get really frustrating when I run out of ideas.

I am all for “non toy” gifts, if you have ever visited my rec room, you would understand why. However, kids get bored with the same toys, so I do enjoy giving and having them receive a few toys.
(Yes mom, if you are reading this, you can still buy them toys too, this is not a subtle way of me asking you not to. You do your thing, you and the kids both love it!)

I myself, do not tend to give toy gifts to many kids on our list. Here is a list of gifts that I enjoy giving, love seeing my kids receive, and are some ideas that I have to share.

EXPERIENCES

Since Christmas is in the winter, I know many people would prefer to give gifts that can be used in the winter. However, as a mom, I would like to say that I appreciate the experiences given at christmas for the summer, just as much as I appreciate the ones given for winter. Don’t feel limited to the month the celebration is in. We need to keep kids busy 12 months of the year!
In no particular order, here are 50 ideas for around HRM that could be done up as a gift!
1: Unstuffed Build a Bears (Then the kids can experience the process, while the parents avoid that agony of the kid having to choose a bear)
2: Costco movie passes
3: Swimming passes
4: Skate sharpening passes and open skate passes
5: Bowling gift cards (Bowlarama)
6: Indoor playground passes (Amazing Land, Hop Skip Jump, Fun Factory, Ice Patch Hollow)
7: Trampoline Park passes (Get Air)
8: Natural History Museum
9: Discovery Centre
10: Clay Cafe
11: 4 cats art studio
12: Rock climbing (Seven Bays Bouldering, Ground Zero)
13: Kartbahn indoor go karting
14: Moosehead games tickets
15: Halifax Hurricane Basketball tickets
16: Putting Edge indoor mini putt
17: Pier 21
18: Atlantic Splash Adventures
19: Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
20: National Park Pass
21: Hatfield Farms (Careful with this one, I didn’t have great luck redeeming a gift card before)
22: Murphys on the water (Think Theodore, Silva, Harbour Hopper)
23: Martock Ski Hill
24: Wentworth Ski Hill
25: Woozles*
26: Tattletales*
*Support a local bookstore where visiting the shop is an experience on its own.
27: Scotia Speedworld tickets
28: Shubenacadie Wildlife Park (Their family season passes are quite reasonably priced)
29: Neptune tickets or gift card
30: Art Gallery
31: Comic book store gift card
32: Escape room
33: Arcade tokens
34: Outdoor mini putt or driving range
35: Campground gift card
36: Pay it forward challenge (Give a set amount of money with the challenge of completing so many random acts of kindness with it)
37: Kayak or Canoe rental (MEC)
38: SUP rental (Sup Monkey)
39: Surfboard rental or lessons (Halifax Surf School, East Coast Surf School)
40: Hotel Sleepover: Many hotels have great pools and slides that the kids love, and the novelty of staying in a hotel is pretty neat to many.
41: Register them for a kids running race (Run NS youth running series)
42: Oaklawn farm zoo
43: Kids Yoga Class (Grow a Lotus Yoga)
44: Sewing Classes (Atlantic Fabrics, Seam Work Dartmouth)
45: Sportball Class
46: Sherbrooke Village
47: Fundy Geological Museum
48: Tickets to Nordic Fest
49: Children’s Wish Princess and Superhero party tickets
50: Spa gift card

FOOD

I don’t know about your kid, but mine certainly love any type of food that I doesn't get made in my kitchen….. The more unique the venue, the more they seem to enjoy it as well.
Here are 10 Food related gift ideas to consider
51: Freak Lunch Box selection or gift card
52: Bike and Bean (Get a sweet treat to enjoy after a bike ride on the rails to trails)
53: Beaver tails (A treat for after a skate or bike ride on the Emera Oval)
54: Old School Donuts/Ice cream gift card
55: Boston pizza kids meal card ($5 for 5 kids meals throughout the year. The $5 goes to charity. Bonus if you get the parents a gift card to go too, better yet, you take their kids and leave the parents home)
56: Cows Ice cream, or really any ice cream place.
57: Their favorite restaurant: (One of my kids would say the truck one aka Truckside)
58: Grafton Street Dinner Theater (Doubles as an experience)
59: Two if by sea: What kid would say no to their chocolate croissant?
60: Cooking Class (Superstore, Sobeys, Souper Douper Soup) Again doubles as an experience

THINGS THAT ARE NOT TOYS

Sometimes it just feels right to put something together that will bring them joy, but won’t clog up the toy bins.
Here are 15 non toy, but still something, gift ideas to ponder
61: Spell it out cushion: https://www.facebook.com/spellitoutcushions/
62: Amiba Monsters: https://www.facebook.com/AmibaMonsters/
63: Swimming Kit: Beach towels, goggles and dive toys
64: Sports equipment (Basketballs, snowshoes, footballs, etc.)
65: Play outside kits: snow painting, snowman kit, sand buckets and shovels, etc.
66: Homemade fort kit: Sheets, rope, bungee cords, clothes pins, flashlight, etc.
67: Movie night at home kit: snacks, drinks, giftcard to rent the movie online (unless you know for sure they have a DVD player).
68: Cooking/ Baking kit: favourite or fun recipe with some non perishable ingredients, apron, chef hat, etc.
69: Magazine subscription (Chirp, Chickadee, Owl, Sports Illustrated for kids, National Geographic Little kids, etc.)
70: Photo Album
71: Photo Calendar
72: Craft Kits: Might I recommend a fairy door kit from Mayhews Concrete Creations. You could do the fairy door walk in Halifax for inspiration before painting. Voila, another experience! https://www.facebook.com/MayhewsConcreteCreations/
73: Little Passports subscription box
74: Exploring Senses kits: https://www.facebook.com/exploringsensesns/
75: Spa Day at home kit: Nail polish, foot masks, lotion, epsom salts, etc.

Now, yes I know a lot of the suggestions above are passes or gift cards, but there are LOTS of ways to gift those to a kid in a fun way. My usual go to is to buy a mason jar, put the gift card in the middle and surround the gift card with candy or popcorn, etc. You can even decorate the mason jar to look like santa or a snowman etc. if you’re feeling super creative!

When you combine my LOVE of Christmas with my obsession of planning, you can guarantee that means I have more fun Christmas blogs planned. Follow Bluenose Mommy on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out on my upcoming Grandparent gift lists and Shopping organizers.
Let me know if you found this post helpful or if you have any ideas to add to the list!

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