It was a cold Christmas morning, and our oldest daughter was sitting amidst a pile of crumpled paper, shredded cardboard, and new colorful lot of toys. She was only 4 at the time and her wide eyes were filled with overwhelm.
She looked around her at the sea of chaos and material things and said in her small voice, “…this is too much.”
In our eagerness to embrace the “magic” of Christmas, we overspent, overindulged, and overwhelmed our precious daughter.
This wasn’t a blessing to her. She wasn’t having fun.
That was before we became a minimalist family.
We have since pared back on the amount of gifts and the kinds of things we bring into our home. At first I was concerned that the kids would be sad about “missing out” but they actually enjoy the things they do receive so much more!
Let’s talk about the best gifts to give that are truly clutter-free. Don’t worry, there are tons of fun options!
In my previous post “how to give a thoughtful gift to anyone” I talked about finding a great gifts for anyone by thinking through a few categories. That is a great place to start, and I hope you’ll check that out.
But today we are going to talk about great gift ideas for kids that won’t just turn into clutter.
This will be helpful for finding clutter-free gifts for a Christmas gift, or any special occasion.
What’s wrong with clutter, anyway?
As more and more young families are realizing they have so much more peace in the home when the clutter is kept at bay, it’s always wise to be thoughtful when giving gifts to kids.
The last thing we want is our intentional gift getting tossed into the deep dark vortex of a clutter pit never to be seen again. No, we want our gift to be a blessing!
Kids get overwhelmed when there is too much clutter in their lives. They (usually) don’t know how to articulate it, but it’s our job to help them have a peaceful environment so they can flourish.
Homemakers taking dominion in the home
Experience gifts
The first and most obvious gift that is clutter-free is an experience gift.
Experiential gifts can be a little tricky, because the kids will have to “wait” for their actual gift until the day you plan your certain activity. (A good practice in patience, but definitely something to consider.)
Know your gift recipients, and when in doubt… ask their parents!
This would include anything along the lines of: movie tickets, a pass to one of the science centers in your area, tickets to a science museum, or a day pass for one of the amusement parks.
Depending on the potential fun factor of a road trip (as part of the gift) you could even include a little day trip to visit a new children’s museum or a pottery shop. Younger children may not enjoy traveling long distances.
Are there any historical sites in your area that you could take the kids to? Fun AND educational!
Taking the kids to a live event could also be a really fun activity. Just be sure you okay it with the parents first!
Live events could be anything from music concerts, symphony performances, ballet shows, broadway productions, circus, comedian, ventriloquist, etc.
Just take some time to consider what your specific area offers for entertainment and start there. Who knows, there may be “tourist” things in your home town that you’ve never been to!
If you’re not sure an experience gift is the best option, don’t worry, I have plenty more ideas.
Subscription boxes
This has been one of our favorite gifts our kids have ever received from us. We ordered “Outside the box creations” last Christmas and it’s been such a blessing for the whole family!
We especially like this particular subscription box, because it’s truly clutter free. The projects aren’t huge when they’re finished, and the whole thing is very educational.
Some other subscription boxes are a lot of fun but the projects can create a lot of clutter if you’re not careful.
Subscription boxes are also great because they will be receiving a new box with a monthly subscription… The gift that keeps on giving!
How we do art in our homeschool
The power of the gift card
Never underestimate the power of the gift card!
Honestly, I used to feel like giving someone a gift card was like admitting defeat. Like I couldn’t find the perfect gift.
BUT, when my kids (or myself) receive a gift card we always do a little happy dance. From a parent of little kids, let me tell you how the gift card (or cash gifts for that matter) are really fun to receive.
Think about it. When the schedule calms down after the special occasions have passed, they can take their gift card and have a little shopping date.
This is so much fun! They get to feel like their special time isn’t quite over. PLUS they get to be thinking about their sweet gift giver during their shopping time as they pick out their own special treat.
Family gifts
Group gifting is another great way to rethink gift giving. With family gifts, you find a gift for a whole family.
This could include board games, card games, or art supplies. Just think about what could be fun for all of the family members and go from there.
It might be really fun to gift them with some music lessons or dance lessons. Kids love creating lasting memories with the entire family!
A little more of a silly idea is matching pajamas for the entire family. If you do this, just make sure you get a picture of everyone decked out in their matching duds!
If you’re looking for ways to also save money this holiday season, then family gifts CAN be a way to pinch some pennies (when done thoughtfully).
When you find a thoughtful group gift, it’s usually something that lasts a bit longer than a smaller gift would, and it’s something that brings a group of people together to do something fun (which is a gift in itself!)
For a great gift idea
Please check out “Outside the box creation” for the FUN gift that keeps on giving. If you use my link you will receive $20 off.
As a family that has honestly enjoyed using these art boxes, I can tell you how much they have been a blessing to us.
Not just for homeschool families! These art boxes will work for any children in your life (young or old) that enjoy art and want to learn more.
You can do it!
Whether you’re thinking of great gifts for older kids or some great ideas for younger kids, there are so many fun clutter-free options. Sometimes our time is more precious than money.
If we just take a little time to consider some “outside the box” ideas, we can truly bless our loved ones!
God bless you.
Hi, I’m Stephanie! I’m a Christian wife, mom of 4, homeschooler, and a technically trained chef. I love creating a simple, beautiful life with our sweet family.
I’m so glad you’re here!
Leave a Reply