It’s November and we’re (almost) done putting away Halloween decorations. Now we can talk about all the Christmas things without anyone giving us the side eye or grumbling that we’re being “seasonally inappropriate.” I can share my Ultimate List of Non-Toy Gift Ideas for School-Aged Kids with you without feeling like I’m forcing Christmas on you too early. Non-toy gift guide
If you’re like me “what to get the kids for Christmas” is something that starts entering your mind in late summer. We are not super extravagant gift givers and honestly? I prefer to give experiences over gifts but it’s not that much fun to open museum tickets on Christmas morning, at least not when you are seven.
Here’s a list of non-toy gift ideas that are appropriate for school-aged kids. Most of them are at least somewhat educational and all of them are unplugged kind of toys. Trust me, we like electronic entertainment just as the next family, but this list is made up of toys and games that will exercise brain power and/or creativity, along with a few book recommendations.
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Housekeeping:
This list contains shoppable. Some of them are affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission from the seller on your sale. Here’s the fancy, schmancy legalese required by Amazon:
Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Some of the items on this list are included in my give-a-way. If the entry has a Gift Guide Giveaway Participant tag at the end, they are included. If it’s not included, they’re not. I like to keep things simple like that.
I will choose the winner on December 4th and will turn the name and address of said winner over to the vendors immediately. The prizes will be shipped to the winner by the vendor. One winner will take all the items listed plus a $25.00 Visa gift card from Ripped Jeans and Bifocals.
Even if you’re reading this after the give-a-way period has ended, there’s still plenty of time to buy. Unless you’re reading this at 3:00 p.m. on December 24th. Then you might be SOL.
The Ultimate List of Non-Toy Gift Ideas for School-Aged Kids
Books
1. MVP Kids Books
The Real MVP Kids is a series of books that celebrate life’s everyday moments and differences. I love everything about these books from their great lessons in diversity to their durability.
While these books are marketed to the preschool audience, I’ve found they are good books for emerging readers also. The books can be purchased individually or as part of a bundle of three, at a discount.The Real MVP Kids books will make a thoughtful gift for any young reader or for a preschool or Kindergarten teacher who is trying to stock her library.
My give-a-way includes the Holiday Bundle of three books. If you would like to purchase these books at a discount, go to THIS WEBSITE and use the code RIPPEDJEANS to get a dollar off each book/pack in the shop.
Gift Guide Giveaway Participant
2. Pete the Cat’s Groovy Box of Books
Pete the Cat’s Groovy Box of Books comes with six hard-cover books. My kids are in second grade and they love Pete the Cat. We have this very set and the books are really fun!
3.The Everything Kids Easy Science Experiment Book
The Everything Kids Easy Science experiment Book has activities that answer questions like “What makes a balloon float?” Kids will have so much fun they won’t realize they’re learning!
4. Construction Paper Crafts for Kids
Construction Paper Crafts for Kids has step-by-step pictures and early reader instructions that allow kids to make these paper creations with minimal assistance from adults. Buy it with my link here!
Games
1. Word Spiel
Word Spiel is a family letters/matching game designed for ages 8 to adult.
Gift Guide Giveaway Participant
2. Melissa and Doug Suspend Family Game
Suspend is a new take on Pick Up Sticks. If you regularly do a family game night and want to try something new, this is a good one to put on your list. It’s inexpensive, so it could also make a good gift exchange gift or a gift for your child’s friend.
3. Quick Cups
Quick Cups is a beat-the-clock matching game that can improve hand-eye coordination.
4. Ninja Squirrels
Ninja Squirrels is just all kinds of awesome and is our new favorite. It’s sort of like Hungry, Hungry Hippos but instead of your Hippos gobbling the marbles, you’re in a race with (up to three) other players to grab acorns. It gets a little…intense but it’s super fun.
Gift Guide Giveaway Participant
5. Rooster Race
Rooster Race is one of those games that’s educational without letting on that it’s teaching your kids. It’s competitive, fast-paced and fun and hones skills like counting and hand-eye coordination. The object of the game is to collect as much corn as possible and if you’re not paying attention, you lose out.
Art Supplies & Such
1. Wikki Stix
Wikki Stix are just all kinds of awesome. These are fun, bendy sticks that your child can bend and shape into…well, into whatever. Think pipe cleaners that stick together. Wikki Stix are made of yarn enhanced with a microcrystalline, food-grade non-toxic wax… the kind used in bubble gum and lipstick. And that’s it. (Psst…it’s that touch of wax that allows them to stick!) They’re also not messy or noisy so that’s a win in my book!
Wikki Stix make great stocking stuffers or gifts for children who travel frequently. There are several packages at various price points available, so if your child needs a gift exchange gift, this could be a good one.
2. Sew Cool Felt Sewing Machine
Sew Cool Felt Sewing Machine is a fun way to get your young person a little taste of sewing. See also a way to introduce sewing when you yourself can’t sew. My boys haven’t yet expressed an interest in sewing, although my husband actually knows how to use a sewing machine. I would probably sew my fingers to the material, so this doesn’t look too daunting.
3. Big Eye Emoji Craft Kids Sewing Kit
The Big Eye Emoji Craft Kids Sewing Kit is for those of you who do want to experiment (and teach your child!) needle and thread basics. The kit contains supplies and instructions to make an emoji pillow and we all know how popular emojis are with school-aged kids.
4. Light Up Terrarium for Kids
This Light Up Terrarium for Kids has an LED light on the lid. You can create your own customized mini-garden in a jar and it doubles as a night light.
5. Play Dough
If you’re looking for something inexpensive for gift exchange gifts or stocking stuffers, Play Dough is a good standby. I think Play Dough and Silly Putty get a bad rap. Yes, it’s going to get stuck in the carpet and kids are going to leave the lids off and let it dry out but the mess is pretty low-threat to clean up. If you really want to give a…er…unique gift, you can also check out Flarp Noise Putty. My kids love this stuff and I’ve just given up and laugh along with them. At least it smells better than it sounds.
6. Emoji bracelet bead kit
Nothing says “I wish to seek revenge on your parents” like a bead craft kit, amiright? This emoji bracelet kit is inexpensive and makes a good gift exchange gift. There’s also this cute alphabet bead set. If you’re interested in getting that gift that will make the parents clench, Amazon has tons of bead craft kits.
Miscellaneous
1. Zuru Tangle
Maybe this is technically a toy, but I see it more as a sensory tool. Whatever you call it, the Zuru Tangle is very popular with kids!
Zuru Tangle is a fidget type toy provides sensory and motor stimulation that has been found to help stimulate and maintain attention. It’s also a great tool as a means to relieve stress and anxiety. The shape, color, texture and visual impact of Tangle stimulates the brain and makes Tangle a fun and functional toy for children and adults alike. Get multiple Tangles and connect them to create longer and more colorful Tangles! For under $5, it’s an affordable and collectible toy for everyone. ZURU’s Tangle is available at Walmart and Toys “R” Us.
My kids love these and this price point makes it a great gift for them to give to their friends.
Gift Guide Giveaway Participant
2. The Force Awakens Dinnerware
If you want to give a cool yet still practical gift, check out this Star Wars themed dinnerware pack. You get a cup, plate, bowl, cutlery plus a water bottle. If Star Wars isn’t your thing, Zak! Designs has a ton of stuff.
3. pBuzz Trombone
Do you have that person on your list that you don’t really like? As in “bead craft kits aren’t enough” don’t like? Do you want to get revenge on that relative who gave your kid that drum set a few Christmases back? And hey…that’s totally fair.
I’ve got you covered. The pBuzz Trombone is every parent’s nightmare. It’s a plastic trombone…I probably don’t need to elaborate, right? The pBuzz is made of hard plastic. In my house, it doubles as a weapon.
It comes with absolutely no instructions other than to go to the website. There is a tutorial, along with some little red trombone “people” that were kind of creepy. pBuzz is available on Amazon. And, if the person who gave your kid that noisy gift a few Christmases back doesn’t have small humans of their own? For a small fee, I’ll make a recording of my kids playing theirs. Yes, we have two. The small fee isn’t because of their musical talent, it’s to bribe me into “finding” these two contraptions that are currently “lost.” No joke, people.
4. CHOMP!
Chomp! is an adorable plate that folds into a container. Sometimes, what the plate looks like is as important as the food on it. If your child doesn’t finish his or her food, you can fold the plate in half and seal – no need to search for another storage container. Chomp! is also a fun way to carry your snacks on the go.
Gift Guide Giveaway Participant
To enter the give-a-way, leave a comment on this blog post. You can tell me why you’d like to win, what you want for Christmas, or how you feel about people who give other people’s kids bead sets for Christmas. Any comment is fine.
By entering, you are agreeing to join my blog’s mailing list. My newsletters generally come out 1-2 times per month and include freebies or subscriber exclusive content. I pinky promise never to give or sell your email address to anyone else.
The prize is a Chomp! plate, three books, a Word Spiel game, a Zuru Tangle, a Ninja Squirrels Game and a $25 gift card (from moi.) A fun way to round out your gift list or contribute toward stocking stuffers, right? Good luck!
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I can attest that Suspend and Quick Cups are awesome games! We have two Suspends because I use them at our Youth Group occasionally. The kids love them! Also, Quick Cups was the game that got one of my kiddos who almost never participates playing the game and LAUGHING!!! Great fun, and a great Christmas present for all ages!
Why I’d like to win: Ummm … it’s FREE stuff. Hello! I can use the games for my youth group, 4-H, or Scout kiddos and pay forward anything that we can’t use. Plus, books … who doesn’t love books. I have an addiction.
What I want for Christmas: world peace? OK, since that won’t work … I do love gift cards because who doesn’t love the gift of shopping. My favs are Amazon gift cards because they have EVERYTHING! I also like McDonalds (mocha habbit), and Casey’s (gas for my mom bus). A gift card to my salon is fantastic too, because while I love the fancy shmancy shampoo and conditioner there, I’m poor. It’s a treat!
Bead sets for Christmas? OK, so I’m the oldest kid with the oldest set of nephews. I had to tolerate all that noisy, tiny, annoying crap forever. So now, payback is a 8itch! Just kidding. I would never dream of giving a loud toy or a toy with 5,634 small parts to my niece and nephew, especially since THAT sister never plagued me with such things. People should remember the golden rule: you get back 3-fold what you give out.
Hands down the felt sewing kit is the one my daughter would likely most want right now. But I hope most of all that we receive NO BEAD SETS THIS YEAR! We’re still working through the ones she got three years ago.
The vacuum does it’s job well.
My kiddos are *not quite* school age but I’m totally mining this list!! We already love Pete the Cat and everything Melissa and Doug.
We are always on the prowl for new (to us) games/books! 4 kids, 3 sports… we do a lot of sitting around trying to keep occupied without a tablet/phone …. try being the key word – haha!
My daughter is 10 and LOVES to read.
She’d love any of those books on your list, we’re always looking for new books to read.
My kids got a bead set for their birthday…. WORST GIFT EVER. Okay, unless they had gifted them glitter. That would be worse. These all look great!
These all look awesome. My girls have never been gifted presents that include beads (dodged that bullet) but, they have received the Rainbow Loom (2x!) to which I am finding rubber bands two years later!
If no one has given your girls the gift of beads, you must live right.
Wow so many great gift ideas! I’d like to win all of them! Thanks for the comprehensive list!
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I’d love someone to organize my disaster of a house … throw stuff away and put the good stuff in some orderly fashion with sensible homes.
But, I’ll settle for wine to get through the stressful holidays, if I’m being totally honest.
This would be such an awesome giveaway to win! I hate when people give my kids MESSY gifts or gifts with tiny pieces!
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These are all such fun ideas! I’m asking for someone to deep clean our home for Christmas this year – not even kidding.
But, I also love the CHOMP plates you listed here – they would be really fun to take and use for picnics with our kids!
What a wonderful list! I have a crafty kiddo who loves getting bead kits for Christmas so I don’t mind them. <3
These are all great ideas! The sewing kit sounds like my daughter’s jam! Beads do as well. I don’t mind them as long as they aren’t all over our floors, which is only about half the time.
Christmas is coming up, and my kid is expecting me to give her a gift this year. It’s great to know that there are non-toys that I can give to her so that she’ll be happy. I think I’ll buy her a plush shark pillow since that’s her favorite animal.
Sharks are certainly popular right now!