By TMoM Team Member Laura Dydek

My son just turned one! The saying “The days are long, but the years are short” has never felt truer. The first year of his life flew by and it gets more fun each day. His birthday fell right in the middle of COVID-19, so there was no big party to be had but that did not stop friends and family from showering that little boy with ALL the gifts he could imagine.

Before I say anything else, know that I am so incredibly thankful for each and every gift he received. Everything came from the heart and I know everyone wants the best for my son. With that being said, this kid now has more toys than he will ever know what to do with! He is one. His attention span last, at most, a few minutes and then we are off to the next activity. Most of the time, he finds the most entertainment from brooms, our dogs, or toilet paper rolls.

Our recent toy explosion got me thinking about alternatives to toy gifts for kids! There are so many options that are lasting and appreciated in place of physical toys! These ideas are mostly geared towards toddlers, but many would be appreciated by older children as well. Also, please keep in mind that some of these gifts will have to wait until the world gets back to “normal.”

Here is a list of 30 gift ideas for children that are NOT toys!

1. Children’s Museum/Zoo/Aquarium Membership
2. Tickets to an event
3. Dinner for the family
4. Offering to Babysit- we could ALL use a break
5. Music Class Membership
6. Clothing- while it’s not the most glamorous gift, the child has probably outgrown all of their “baby shower” gifted clothes and could use a new wardrobe that fits!
7. Diapers, diaper cream, bath supplies- again, not exciting, but absolutely necessary and it would be nice to not have to buy them. You could always pair it with a cute pair of pajamas or a stuffed animal to make it a little more “fun.”
8. Savings Account/ Disney Stock
9. Photo Album
10. Cute/Personalized Toddler Bath Towels
11. Arts and Craft supplies
12. Books
13. Subscription Activity Box
14. Puzzles
15. Fun bedding
16. Their own special chair/seat
17. Shoes
18. Personalized Stool
19. Swimming Lessons
20. Photography Sessions
21. Magazine Subscription
22. World Map
23. Personalized Blanket
24. Letters/Notes for them to open when they are older
25. Family Member Matching Picture Game
26. A date at the trampoline/bounce park with YOU
27. Bird feeder with bird seed
28. Make a donation in their name to a meaningful charity
29. Sprinkler
30. Personalized Luggage

These are just a few ideas that I feel our son would enjoy at his age and help create memories to last a lifetime. What ideas do you have that could add to this list?

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