Not sure what to get the kids in your life for gifts this year? Or maybe you’re just tired of all the toys? Give the gift of an experience instead! Kids are sure to appreciate something fun to do. And, bonus for grandparents, aunts, uncles and other loved ones: Parents LOVE when their kids receive gifts of experience! It’s a chance to make memories, there’s less clutter, and it provides a greater appreciation of the gift itself.

Here are our Top “Experience” Gifts for Kids:

MEMBERSHIPS

1. Goldfish Swim School

Give the kids the GOLDEN experience of swimming this year at Goldfish Swim School! Turn their wish list into a fish list with a holiday swim package* that may include two months of prepaid lessons, Family Swim passes, and possible items like a Goldfish winter hat, a Goldfish water bottle and a Goldfish knit hat. Goldfish Swim School offers Mini classes and more for ages 4 months and older (yes, babies younger than 1 year old can learn to swim!).

*Offers vary by location. Check with your local Goldfish to find out more about their gift package specifics.

2. The local zoo

Zoos are fantastic all year long and it’ll be like the gift that keeps on giving every time the kids check out the animals. Not only are zoos fun, but they provide a sneaky educational value – and your membership supports the efforts of the zoo to rescue and take care of animals.

3. The nearby aquarium

For the child interested in underwater life (and what kid isn’t, really?), a membership to an aquarium provides a year of something cool to do – especially in the winter. We love fish, and we love when kids get to experience them in all their glory.

4. A children’s museum

A great way to introduce kids to the love of culture and museums is to start going when they are young, and the most enjoyable museum of all is the children’s museum! Here, kids are usually allowed – and encouraged – to touch objects to learn about them. No local children’s museums? You can always gift a day pass at one a little farther away and make it into a day trip for the family!

TICKETS

1. A theatrical performance

Whether it’s a local production or a Broadway performance, there are plenty of stage plays, ballets and musicals to excite kids of all ages! Kids already enrolled in dance classes enjoy watching everyone on stage doing the moves they are learning – and you may even inspire the kids to join a new dance or theatre class while you’re at it!

2. A sporting event

Whether college or professional sports are the thing in your area, tickets to a big sporting event make a great gift. Even if the sport of choice doesn’t have any games right now, that’s OK. Tickets to a game in the future give you time to build up the excitement even more! And if tickets aren’t even being sold yet (for baseball games, for instance), you can always make your own IOU that you’ll buy tickets to a certain game.

3. A concert

Going to a concert is one of those gifts that turns into a lifelong memory. You can either look up a favorite band or singer to find out when a nearby show is, or check out a popular local venue to check out the upcoming lineup. Imagine the sheer joy you’ll see when the kids open up those special concert tickets!

AN ACTIVITY

1. A trampoline park

Kids have so much energy, which is definitely something to celebrate, so let them bounce away at a trampoline park! Bonus points for the parents (or grandparents) who jump along too! It’s great exercise and your kids will be sure to love seeing you participate.

2. A play land

Depending on what town the kids are in, there may be some sort of age-appropriate play place they would love to visit. Many metropolitan areas have at least one or two indoor play places. Scour local websites (Macaroni Kid is a good site!) to find out and then purchase a daily ticket or monthly pass for the kids to enjoy.

LESSONS

There may be a local specialty place that offers one type of lesson, or you may find something that is an enrichment-type class instead. Many communities offer shorter types of classes through the city or town, or even the local school district, and their list of classes can usually be found online or by calling. Some popular favorites include:

  • Dance
  • Cooking
  • Theatre
  • Sports
  • Gymnastics
  • Karate
  • Computer classes
  • Workshops (robot-building, sewing, and more)

Goldfish Swim School

If you’ve read our Gift-Giving Guide: Top “Experience” Gifts for Kids and decided to gift some swim lessons from our instructors (who all use integrity, compassion and trust to evoke extraordinary results during each lesson), now is the perfect time! Find a location near you and check out the WOW! customer service and all the benefits Goldfish Swim School has to offer!