The Ultimate Guide to Mindful & Sustainable Holiday Gifts for Kids
Before I even continue, I first want to address two things!
I realize not everyone celebrates Christmas or other winter holidays with a gift-giving focus; however, for our readers that do, I wanted to provide some cool finds and intriguing ideas for the kids in your life. I hope anyone could still find value in this list for any holiday you do celebrate where giving gifts in the norm. I have chosen to publish at this time of year because it is likely that people will be searching and our article will be found.
To that end, I also realize that gift-giving is not necessary if you do celebrate Christmas! Because of this, I have curated this guide to be in line with our overall mission of helping kids & teens retain a love of learning, explore and discover, and build their social-emotional skills. I also try my best to consider reusing, recycling, and repurposing, and/or purchasing items that have either been made sustainably or at the least, can be shared among siblings/live a long life.
Lastly, download our printable (and beautiful) guide here with a shopping list! You can print it or read on your tablet!
The Ultimate Guide to Mindful & Sustainable Holiday Gifts for Kids
This guide is written in list form with links and in categories for easier reading (hopefully). Some links might earn us a couple cents commission should you choose to purchase from them; however, all recommendations are personally vetted and used by me!
Educational Toys & Games
Science tools. I love scouting science tools across the web or scoring some off other teachers/homeschoolers. These include telescopes, microscopes, beakers, chemistry sets, goggles, etc.
Board games. Some of my favorites are classics like Candyland for younger kids, science games like Evolution, Virulence, and Cytosis for middle schoolers, and Role-Playing Games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering. A bonus with the RPGs is that you can pair the game with your local game store gift cards so they can begin a new hobby and make new friends.
Gem/rock kits. Who doesn’t love pretty rocks? Kids of all ages love geodes and rock-polishing kits. You can dig up your local or semi-local gem fair to purchase directly from miners or look on places like Etsy.
Puzzles. Puzzles are a great quiet-time activity. They are relatively easy to find second-hand (granted you might risk missing pieces); however, they are more sustainable if you take good care of yourself and pass them between family.
Manipulatives. Materials such as base 10 blocks, Cuisenaire rods, and tangrams aren’t just for structured learning, they can be fantastic gifts for educational play.
Books & Media
Record player/vintage records. Another easily obtained gift is a record player and vintage records for the music lover. Flea markets, garage sales, and even stores like 2nd & Charles are great for scoring one.
Digital magazines. I am a magazine lover but I don’t love the clutter nor all the paper (that said, they make wonderful art projects so I kind of miss that!). Anyway, digital magazines are a great choice for kids who like interactive elements in their reading. My picks? National Geographic Kids, Highlights, Birds & Blooms. Read this list!
Alexa/Google. Yeah, I know, but there is so much you can do with smart speakers, from listening to stories to checking the forecast. I would be remiss not to mention them.
Retro Gameboys and Walkmen. Maybe not everyone’s cup of tea but if you have a tech-loving teen, they might just appreciate your treasured 90’s gear!
Experiences & Adventures
Vacation tickets and packages! Been dreaming of that Disney visit or that National Park road trip? In lieu of gifts, start planning a vacation instead. Core memories can be made with experiences!
Zoo/Museums. If you have a local zoo or aquarium, getting tickets or a membership to them are awesome things to “unwrap” as gifts. They often have specials around the holidays and grandparents are usually super willing to contribute.
Ballet/Orchestra. Along those lines, the cultured kid would love a visit to the orchestra or ballet, especially a teen who has a friend or peer who performs. Usually, art schools and city convention centers will have a production at least once a year if your city doesn’t have a dedicated facility.
Movies/Theater. Let’s face it-the movies are a whole experience nowadays. They require more money and planning so it can feel special to get a few tickets as a gift. Check out the latest Marvel movie together.
Tours. These are very often overlooked as a fun, weekend thing to do in your town. Most locales usually have some kind of guided tour where they detail the history. So take a boat tour or guided hike in your town or the next town over.
Subscriptions & Activities
Outschool. You can never go wrong with online classes and Outschool has a large network of teachers to choose from, teaching classes that are affordable.
Memberships! Memberships to various virtual reality communities, and gyms, as well as online learn-at-your-own-pace such DIY, and Reading Eggs make great gifts.
KiwiCo doesn’t just have Tinkercrate and engineering boxes, they also have one of my favorites (personally), called the Yummy Crate. I LOVE this one so much because I am learning how to cook with my kids since I didn’t know how. We learn history, science, and chemistry. It includes a cooking tool as well as games and crafts. OBsessed. There are other boxes such as Little Global Citizens and Lovevery as well. Lastly, the boxes can be reused and recycled.
Music/Tv/Nintendo. Been wanting to try Disney+ or have a kid begging for money on their favorite videogame service? I usually stuff our stockings with a few bucks in Playstation and Nintendo credit for the kids.
Gardening materials! Little horticulturalists will love their very own curated gardening kit, plus they’ll be learning all about how to create a sustainable meal for themselves. I really like this one for younger kids and this one for teens/adults.
Cooking materials. Things like dutch ovens, crock pots, and kettles are often appreciated by culinary teens. For younger ones, fun gadgets like cookie cutters and Zoodler/spiralizers are great first-teaching tools.
Physical Activity & Fitness
Skate gear. Skateboarding and rollerskating haven’t rolled away no matter what anyone says! Skateboards, surfboards, and rollerblades make great gifts and honestly, don’t require wrapping.
Passes to play at places like Parkour gyms, Urban Air/Get Air, etc. are fantastic rainy-day fun that kids and teens appreciate. It gets them moving and playing all at the same time, and some kids even pursue more training because of it.
Classes such as ballet, karate, and kids yoga ;) Often, those places will give a pretty gift certificate that you can wrap or stuff. Ask what kinds of exercise classes they might be interested in and go from there.
Just Dance and other active video games can be great for those on a budget and for kids who may be more difficult to coax into moving.
Crash pad. These are great for kids who have sensory needs and lots of energy. You can find a great selection on Lakeshore Learning and Amazon as well. Bonus? They double as a comfy movie or reading spot.
Trampoline. I won’t advocate for outdoor trampolines due to the risk of functional injury but, indoor ones are great! They don’t pose the same inherent risk (although there is still some) and they still allow your child to get their heart pumping. Many now fit right under a bed or couch.
Mindfulness & Relaxation
Oil diffuser. I love having light aromatherapy around the house to evoke certain emotions or to ground/energize/calm us. I prefer essential oils just because you can dilute them to be as strong or weak as you prefer. The diffusers themselves make pretty lamps that many a tween will love just as we loved our lava lamps.
Kids yoga kit! Need I say more? It has everything in it to start a yoga practice together.
Downloads right here on our store. We have everything from breathing cards, to journal prompts, to free guided mediations on our “podcast” page.
Yoga mat. Some kids like superthick mats, some like grippy, and some don’t have a preference as long as they are cute. We have a mat that is especially drawn to help kids slow down, breathe, and move more carefully. It even features our special character, YoYo.
Sleep apps/guided meditations. Some are free and some are not but some popular choices are Moshi and Calm.
Hammock. How can relaxation be any better than a comfy hammock outside where the troubles just melt away? Kids love to suspend and because they provide that snuggly squeeze, can be very relaxing for kids. If you don’t have outdoor space, try a “hammock chair” inside!
Imaginative Play & Abstract
Thrifted vintage clothes! Thrifting is one of my favorite personal hobbies and I have found so many awesome clothes, knick-knacks, and more that are perfect for imaginative play, historical learning, sewing, etc. Utilize your local “buy nothing” groups as well as thrift stores.
Old playhouse to redo together (or gifted as a surprise). My husband routinely finds quality lumber that isn’t being used but he’s also found actual older play structures that he’s spiffed up. This can be a great way to gift a “big” present that is sustainable, affordable, and that is custom to your child’s interests!
Science table (older); water table (younger). If you have a patio, backyard, or extra space, consider DIYing or finding an old play table to vamp up. You could include (or find) a table with storage, different levels, and other extras. For older kids, keeping it more open-ended will allow the table to continue to grow while younger kiddos might appreciate a table with buckets for water and sand play.
Video camera/camera for filmmaking. This one can be pricier, but again, often this time of year people are offloading their older models, which in my experience, are still relatively new! If you have a creative kid or teen, a camera can really be a great tool to encourage their exploration.
Animation materials. Whether is a tablet with animation apps or software and clay for stop motion, animation is a fun creative medium and the prices range from less than $30 to more than a few hundred. In addition, there are a plethora of classes online now for kids to explore this artform.
Art & Creativity
Sewing materials. Sewing is such a valuable skill. I remember thinking that it was for old fogeys back in the day, but the field is filled with endless possibilities and infinitely creative people. Finding material is still incredibly easy as people (ahem, people who buy material as the hobby) usually purge their stash frequently. Sewing machines tend to be easy to find as well, especially around the holidays.
Paints. Who could go wrong with paints? I love gifting all the paints to my budding artists. There are watercolors, acrylics, gauche, and alcohol inks…all are different and can feel like a luxurious gift. Don’t forget the canvas/paper and paintbrushes!
Laser cut builds. Just started exploring DIYing? Small kits are a great place to start and there are so many small businesses on Etsy to support. They will sell pre-cut kits of a structure that you can easily assemble with instructions. For example, you might be able to find something like a “Christmas village bakery” and the pieces of small wood (sometimes other material) are already cut. You simply put them together and customize them. It’s a great hands-on activity that blends engineering and art.
Clay/pottery/play-doh. You can get as elaborate as you’d like here. But even if you don’t necessarily have the space at home for full pottery-making, many localities will have a studio so you can pair the materials with a gift card. Not quite ready for the big leagues? Never underestimate the power of Play-doh for the littlest of potters and polymer clay for the more intermediate sculptors!
Music instruments. Again, these can be pricey, but on this list, pre-loved music instruments have always been a reliable find for me on Facebook marketplace and even music stores. Sometimes music schools will have a lending program until your young musician figures out what they really want to play too. Music instruments plus lessons make an amazing gift!
I hope this guide has been helpful for you. If you found this valuable, may I ask that you share this with the parents in your life and consider a donation (no donation is too small!) to help us continue our growth nationally. You can find our mission and link to donate below. Don’t forget to download your guide and list!