Buying for Kids this Holiday Season? Give Experiences, Not Things
If you’re a parent, I know you’re already dreading the onslaught of blocks and characters and cars and oversized teddy bears that December will bring. I’m here with one simple mantra for this holiday season: give experiences, not things.
You know your kids don’t need another set of Batman pajamas or another effing Hatchimal, (and you certainly don’t need another toy mysteriously making spooky cat meow sounds in the middle of the night so you think that a cat is living under your house, but no, it’s just that damn light-sensitive puzzle meowing whenever a car goes by. …oh, just me?) …well, anyway don’t give the same to another parent. So, what is the best way to spend money on kids this December? Always opt for an experience, rather than toys or clothes.
Museum memberships, art classes, robotics camps… anything that doesn’t require an “unboxing” video on YouTube and you’re probably on the right track. Last year in my family, the only wrapped gifts we gave were directly related to the experience gifts. My Ninja Turtle-obsessed son got a letter from Santa along with karate lessons, and the one physical thing to go with it: a new gi.
The Science Behind It All
Don’t take my word for it though, there’s science behind this #ExperiencesNotThings mantra. In a study by Cornell University, researchers Tom Gilovich and Travis Carter found that when people bought experiences, they reported more long-term enjoyment than buying material possessions. The study boiled down to one finding: ultimately, our memories are more valuable than our purchases.
If you haven’t read it, you’ve no doubt heard of (or at least read an Amazon review or two of) The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up — spoiler alert: the gist of it is we have too much stuff. A recent LA Times article reported the average American home has over 300,000 items in it, and if your house is anything like mine, 200,000 of those are parts to toys with the other parts missing.
Likely, you’ve heard the whopping stat from a UCLA study stating 3.1% of the world’s children live in America, but they own 40% of the toys consumed globally. That’s ridic. And it’s time to do something about it. Give experiences, not things.
It’s the Ethically and Eco-Friendly Option
Look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend my daughter isn’t head-to-toe in Cat & Jack some days, but let’s face it — we have too many clothes. The average family spends $1,700 on clothes annually while giving or throwing away over 200 pounds of clothes per year.
It’s not just clothes either; plastic toys account for about 90 percent of the toy market, and are pretty much impossible to recycle. The thing about plastic toys that separates them from your run of the mill plastic bottle is they are pretty much guaranteed for the landfill since there are very few toys that are good candidates for recycling.
Getting Your Friends and Family On Board
So, you’re on board, but how do you get Aunt Helen to stop going overboard with her “awesome” dollar store finds for the kids? Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Lead by example. Start by giving experiences as gifts to other family members and friends with kids.
- Explain your reason for choosing experiences for your kids (heck, even share this blog post or share a photo of your overloaded playroom) and encourage your extended family to give experiences too.
It’s going to be a busy December, as always. Spend less time at the store and more time with your family. Give experiences, not things.
What to Buy
Consider this your Experiences, Not Things Gift Guide. …and a bit of our #shamelessplug moment for kids’ activities on Galore. Perfect for those of you looking for ideas and for tired parents to share and not-so-subtly hint to grandma that enough is enough.
For the art-lover
We’ll start simple: art classes are amongst the easiest experiences for kids of all ages to find. From sensory experiences for the under-one set to next-level instruction for older kids, an art class is a sure-winner for nearly every kid.
For the new parent
We all know babies especially don’t need toys or another cardigan that will fit them for about two weeks until they grow out of it. How about a parent & baby class for the new mom or dad? Carmel Blue in SF has just the thing.
For the future filmmaker
Stop motion animation classes from Art School SF Bay will be perfect for your little Spielberg.
For the Legomaniac
Make that kiddo think outside of the box with Brickz 4 Kidz classes or an after-school STEAM program.
For the fashionista
Camp Couture, Hello Stitch, and Ricochet Wearable Art are just a few of the Bay Area providers hooking it up for the tiny tailors in your life with patterning camps and sewing lessons.
For the writer
There are tons of writing camps that would be perfect for any budding Oscar Wilde. One that especially stands out is Building on the Best’s Words in the Wild series that invites kids to explore words in their natural habitats (poems, books, student writing, etc.) and to take their literacy skills into the urban wild (school yards, neighborhood trees, and nearby gardens).
For the scientist
May we suggest a robotics class for the science-loving kiddo in your life? Robotics for Fun has it covered with hands-on learning and robot-building sure to please eager makers.
For the future foodie
Give the gift of cooking camp to a kiddo and they’ll forever be thankful as they don an apron and learn everything from baking to pickling with Culinary Artistas.
Galore gift cards for everyone
If none of these suggestions have piqued your interest, check out Galore, which has thousands of kids’ classes and activities to choose from, or just give a handy-dandy gift card and the parent can choose what’s best for them.
