Non-Toy Gift Ideas for Kids 2022

Kids can accumulate a lot of toys over the years. They don't play with them all. Some are from a long-forgotten craze, now out-of-favor, others left in the toy box, ignored. Some are broken or have bits missing.

Over time, kids can seem to have too many toys, with the prospect of receiving even more at Christmas.

While most children enjoy receiving new toys - they do make fantastic presents - sometimes non-toy gifts for kids can have an impact that lasts long after the special occasion you gifted them.

They can be appreciated and enjoyed as much as toys. They can also add longer-lasting enjoyment to a child's world, and in some cases, help develop a skill or particular interest that grows into their adult years.

Non-toy gifts can be a way of getting kids away from looking at screens so much, at least for trivial activities. They also make good gifts for the child who has everything!

Now some of my gift suggestions may seem a bit toysy to a few of you, like the arts & crafts items, and puzzles, and I'll understand if that's what you think. Nevertheless, they are gifts that are creative, educational, and practical. They can bring enjoyment to a child's life, make them understand more about what goes on around them, and encourage them to learn and think more.

Another point. These are all ideas for physical gifts that kids can use on the day they are given and enjoyed on the special occasion.

Right, let's look at some great non-toy gift ideas for kids!

Arts & Crafts

Kids can get creative with so many variations of art & craft products. A giant art and craft supplies pack is an excellent place to start. Or a toolbox containing a range of craft items. You could always make up a selection of craft items and fill a DIY toolbox yourself.

If you know which arts & crafts areas they are more interested in - drawing, painting, pom-poms, scratch papers, embroidery, and so on - you can gift wrap a selection of items yourself.

Here are a few more Arts and Crafts gift ideas:

Back to School

Kids always need some items replaced when the holidays are over, and it's back to school time. A new backpack or duffle bag is a good place to start. You can fill the bags with gift-wrapped smaller items as an added surprise.

More Back to School goodies:

Books and Puzzles

Books

Books help kids in many ways. They can fuel their imaginations, show them how to do something, expand their vocabulary and also make them think. That's both fiction and non-fiction.

How about gifting them books about a particular interest they have.

Puzzles

Kids' puzzles are a lot more than entertaining. They help improve a child's cognitive function, the trial and error process, experimentation, logic, and a lot more.

Camping & Outdoor Gifts

Camping gifts are a natural choice for kids who enjoy the outdoors. Kids love sleepovers, whether away from home on a trip or in the backyard with a few friends. A three or four-person dome tent of the 'pop-up' kind is all that's needed to set the ball rolling for an interest in camping.

If they already have a tent, you can give them a sleeping bag, LED camping lantern, flashlight, or a folding chair or two.

A few other outdoor gift ideas:

Kids Furniture & Room Decor

Kids need somewhere they can call their own, and their bedroom or playroom are places where they can develop their identity and character. Consider giving gifts that can make them feel safer and comfortable, more grown-up and organized, as well as being fun, sometimes magical, and give them a place for quiet (relatively) relaxation.

A few other kids room gift ideas:

Musical Instruments

If your child enjoys music and wants to play tunes and not just create sounds (noise!), then learning a musical instrument could make them. A kid's interest in playing music should be encouraged. Time to let them get in the groove and bang out some tunes, whatever instrument they are interested in playing.

Learning to play guitar or keyboard is probably the best place to start - depending on their preferences.

Here are some more musical non-toy gift ideas.

Real Tools for Kids

When a child shows an interest in activities their parents do - like DIY and cooking, for example, giving them their own set of real tools enables them to become more involved and learn how to do things themselves. You can add to these tools if the child's interest develops and encourage them further.

DIY

Cooking

Gardening

More related to real tools:

Scientific Gifts

The sciences offer kids an enormous introduction to a vast array of knowledge and provide opportunities for gift buying that can provoke curiosity, encourage experimentation and create interests that will enhance a child's later character and personality.

A decent pair of binoculars help develop an interest in wildlife or bird watching.

Give your child a metal detector, and they will not only have a lot of fun, but they'll also get plenty of exercise searching for hidden treasure. They can use it almost anywhere - in the yard, in the countryside, at the beach.

The night sky is a fascinating domain for a child to enter, and a telescope gives them a key to the door. Don't waste your money on the cheapie models. They're not worth the money. Buy a decent telescope, and they can explore the heavens properly.

More non-toy science-related gift ideas.

Sports-related Gifts

There are plenty of non-toy gift ideas to give to children who are heavily into sports.

More sports related gift ideas:

Technology Gifts

Children have embraced technology probably a lot quicker than some of their parents. At an early age, they become accomplished at switching on devices, moving between apps, and playing games, and they've become used to smart technology in general.

More techie gift ideas: