I don't know about you, but after being a mom for almost 10 years, I'm a little over all the toys! For most birthdays and holidays, I find myself purchasing and requesting more practical or non-toy gifts than anything else because my kids have plenty of toys and a lot of the toys out there are frankly just junk!
I came up with a list of 50+ quality non-toy gift ideas for kids of all ages for this Christmas season to hopefully spark some non-toy gift ideas for the kids in your life that they will use and love and that won't get added to the donation or trash piles in a month!
Note: This post is filled with Amazon affiliate links. Please know that even just reading this post means so much to us, but if you do shop through any of these links, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping support our family through your purchases.
- Heatless Hair Curler - great for pre-teens and teens so they can curl their hair while they sleep!
- Robe - If your kids don't have a robe or need to move up in size, this is a great time to buy one!
- Superhero Dress Up Set - Dress up clothes are great for imaginary play but aren't really toys that clutter up your home.
- Jewelry Box - If your child has a lot of jewelry, Christmas could be a time to buy them a nice piece to store all of it in!
- Watch - Watches are fun for boys and girls and help kids learn to tell time or keep track of time.
- Locket - Many girls would love to have a locket with a special photo inside!
- Dressy Boots - Dressy boots are a wonderful gift for the colder months when shoe choices become a lot more limited!
- Nail Polish - Throw out the old dried up nail polish and replace it with some fresh colors!
- Slippers - Slippers are the perfect gift during the cold weather months!
- Helmet - If your child has damaged or outgrown their helmet, buy them a really cool one for Christmas!
SOMETHING TO READ
I'm sure most homeschool families enjoy giving books for holidays, but I took this category a bit further and included reading-related items as well!
- Christian Heroes Book Set - A book series is a wonderful Christmas gift. If your child likes biographies, this set is a wonderful set for Christian families!
- Reading Pillow Holder - If your kids like reading in bed, a pillow holder could be a fun and appreciated gift!
- Yoto Player - Even for kids who know how to read, a Yoto player can allow them to fit in more reading through audiobooks while they are doing other things. We have loved ours for a few years now!
- Personalized Book Stamp - If you have a book lover in your family, you could get them a personalized book stamp!
- Book Light - For night time readers, a book light is the perfect gift.
- Timed Book Mark - If you have your children read for a certain amount of time every day, keep them accountable with a timed book mark.
- Cookbook - A cookbook is a fun way to get your kids up and active while still reading!
- Magazine Subscription - A magazine subscription can be a gift that keeps on giving all day long. There are lots to choose from but this one is a fun one for kids!
- Bible - If your child doesn't have a bible or could use a new one, this is the perfect time to get them one!
- Animals Sounds Book - We love these animal sounds books for the preschool aged kids!
SOMETHING TO DO
This is probably my favorite gift category! I love giving gifts that can be used to build skills in some way!
- Sewing Kit - Craft kits are a wonderful consumable gift that keeps your child active but doesn't take up space forever.
- Rock Tumbler - If you have a child who enjoys collecting rocks, this is a wonderful gift!
- Raddish Subscription Box - Any kind of craft, cooking, or other skills-based subscription box, like this cooking one, is a wonderful gift that can keep on giving for many months!
- Hidden Pictures Activity Book - We love these activity books for our church and restaurant bag! They are wonderful for long car rides as well.
- Roller Skates - My girls all got roller skates recently and while they won't be able to use them in the colder months here in MN, many states are warmer so they can make a great Christmas gift!
- How to Draw Book - If you have a child who enjoys drawing, a "how to draw" book is a wonderful gift.
- Sewing Basket - If your child wants to learn to sew or enjoys sewing, consider giving them their own sewing basket.
- Stationery Set - These sets are super fun and encourage kids to write and be generous with others.
- Sewing Machine - If you have a child ready for a sewing machine, this could make a wonderful gift.
- Paint-By-Sticker Book- We love paint-by-sticker books for keeping our kids entertained without a screen in a variety of situations.
SOMETHING YOU NEED
While many kids don't "need" anything per say, these are all more practical items you can give for Christmas that kids enjoy but also are useful and serve a purpose!
- Piggy Bank - These piggy banks help encourage kids to give, save, and spend - and if they get any money for Christmas it's the perfect time to start separating their money into the different categories.
- Personalized Tote - These totes are wonderful for church bags, piano bags, sports bags, or just a bag to have to bring along in any situation.
- Sleeping Bag - If you enjoy camping, a sleeping bag may be a fun gift.
- Bedding - If your child is ready for a room upgrade, some new bedding can make a fun gift.
- Desk - Buying new items for their rooms is very practical but still very fun for kids on Christmas morning.
- Luggage - If you are going on a trip or just have never purchase luggage, kids love having their own set!
- Tool Kit - For any child who is into building or woodworking, a tool set is the perfect gift.
- Personalized Blanket - Having a cozy personalized blanket to cuddle all winter long is a wonderful gift - and no more fighting over the blankets!
- Personalized Mug - Winter is the perfect time for warm, cozy drinks, so it's the perfect time for a special mug!
- Hiking Backpack - If your family enjoys the outdoors, a hiking backpack can make a wonderful gift.
- Wallet - If your child doesn't have a wallet, consider giving them one for Christmas when they might receive some cash to put inside!
JOINT GIFTS
We like to leave room in our Christmas budget for joint gifts for the whole family or for all our kids to share. They love receiving their own gifts, but we share a lot of the items in our home and their rooms can only hold so much. Joint gifts are wonderful for bigger-ticket items as well!
- Interactive Video Game Player - We aren't big video gamers but we may buy one like this that allows our whole family to join in and get up off the couch!
- Trampoline - My parents bought our girls a trampoline and it's been the best gift during the warmer months!
- Digital Microscope - This microscope is a huge hit in our home and would make the perfect gift for siblings to share!
- Disco Ball - My kids love to get out this inexpensive disco ball all winter long and have disco dance parties!
- Air Tent - These tents are so fun on long, cold dreary days and just require a box fan!
- Camera - My kids love these cameras that print black and white photos on inexpensive paper!
- Projector - This can be a super fun family gift to use all year long - either inside or outside as weather permits!
- Family Games - We love getting our kids family games to add to our collection at Christmas.
- Indoor Swing - An indoor swing is a wonderful addition to a home with kids if you have the space and ability to hang one!
- Sled - If you live in a cold climate, getting a sled or multiple is perfect at Christmas time!
- Karaoke Machine - My kids LOVE pulling out their karaoke machine and singing for hours (you may want to get yourself some ear plugs, though)!
I hope this list was helpful and sparked some ideas for non-toy gift ideas for the kids in your life! Merry Christmas!