Present ideas that aren't toys!

[wallpaperaddict]

My DC have plenty of lovely toys, there's not really anything more they need as things have been bought for the eldest and past on down to the youngest who is now getting hours of enjoyment! I am looking for ideas of non toy presents that I can suggest to family, as they always ask me what to buy and I never know what to say. So far I've thought of books or stationary and perhaps cinema gift voucher for my eldest. Any other ideas would be brilliant!

A years pass to a local attraction?

Good idea, thanks!

How about these:
PJs
Bike accessories (lights, horns, etc)
Magazine subscription
Sea monkeys
Music or story CDs
Clip on book light
Watch

In the past ive suggested swimming kit, personalised towel/bag/diving toys etc.

Nightwear, dressing gown, slippers, pj's

Money towards extra curricular activities

A family pass for a local theme park or similar

My dd has had those workbooks with stickers in, you know like phonics, ks1 maths etc. shes also had wipeable flashcards that were good for learning etc.

A piece of jewellery? My dd wants a big girls necklace to keep when shes 5!

Yy to a years pass. Swimming lessons. Will watch with interest as we are in the same position.

DS and DD both have autumn birthdays, we have this problem all the time! In the past, non-toy presents have been

Course of swimming lessons
Family out at a later date
Small present + money to DH&I towards a new bike for DS in the summer
Trip to a climbing wall

Activity vouchers - local ski slope, ice rink or white water centre?

I've bought tickets to take DD1 to a show. She will be over the moon when she opens them.

For other members of the family, I've bought panto tickets this year to treat them all to a family outing. (I took Dad last year and he loved it, and am taking him as well as my sisters and their families too.)

It was a big bill when buying the tickets, but it's nice to know I only have to buy one or two Christmas presents now as everyone else is sorted - and will be every year. :)

Butterfly hatching kit (need to be done in the summer)
A 'voucher' they make themselves for a dinner or a day out etc
A pet (sick insects, fish, frog, ants)
Craft stuff
Magazine subscription

Everything everyone has said so far.

Magazine subscriptions - CBeebies comic or The National Geographic one for children?

my parents always buy merlin passes for us for my dd's birthday, that way we get to go to chessington, legoland and other places all year round without having to pay. obviously they are only any good if you live near the right attractions and they are expensive, you could ask people to put x amount towards them. my dd has got more pleasure from the days out we have had than she would have got from any toy

2cats I had to google sea monkeys, DH knew what they were are said that's a fab idea!
All these ideas are great! Thanks everyone! Going to research mag subscriptions, and see what local attractions have annual passes.

Bedding/ stuff for bedroom (fairy lights, pictures etc)

Puddlesuits/wellies/umbrella

Paint your own mug/plate

We already have enough toys and so mine are getting nicer versions of stuff they already have, for example, they have cheap plastic food for their kitchen that my ds chews. So they are getting one nice wooden food sets (with the velcro that you can cut) for their birthday, both in october, and I am chucking the crappy broken food away.

^^That looks awful now I've written it down... the crappy food is from an enormous 100 piece box my mother bought when I had in fact asked her for a nice small set to go with the kitchen so my house wasn't covered in plastic food which it now is

Yy to the butterfly hatching kit I buy them in sainsburys around xmas but they are made by national trust. We did ours a few weeks ago and for 3 year old dd and she thought it was just magical

newton my mum does the same! You suggest a 10 pack of colouring pencils for example, she buys a 100 piece art set!

I like the idea of a voucher. DD (nearly 9) would love one to design the sort of day out she would like, probably cinema, lunch out etc. I'll add that to the list, thanks!

lots of great ides here, that I'm about to google! My contribution:

vouchers for teenagers:
Costa/Starbucks (where every they hang out with their mates), Wetherspoons (friday lunch ritual with school mates),
iTunes
Odeon
Any pizza place or restaurant near cinema

For the littlies:

ceramic breakfast sets (moving on from melamine)
duvet sets (that santa puts on in the night and they wake up to)
Novelty wellies (like green frog ones etc)
Novelty brolly
Sledge
Theatre tickets/vouchers (check for upcoming kids shows at your local)
money towards trailer seat for the bike (aka center parks)
winter wear (hat/scarf/gloves or coat or boots)

For the family:

National Trust family annual membership
Panto/Theatre tickets/vouchers

Sorry, I repeated some of Newton's ideas . Only cos I'm doing them for my littlies and they were in my head!

My dcs would love a humongous collection of new pens, coloured pencils etc. the sort of thing that disappear during the course of the year. I think Father Christmas will be bringing such stuff this year.

Glad I started this thread as there are so many great ideas here! I'm going to do a craft box for DD as I've been through all of our stuff today and it could well do with a refresh! Also found a lovely melamine crockery set which means I could get rid of the stuff we have which has seen better days. DS is 10 and stuff for him is a bit trickier. I did wonder if a kindle or similar might work, he's always got his head in a book and has filled 5 shelves with books this year, either from booksales, charity shops, friends or gifts! He likes to keep them all and at least a kindle would save space!

Oh definetly a Kindle! I have the basic.one and love it.

Books! Not enough people give books any more.

A nice outfit of clothes - not nice for parties - nice jeans and top set maybe that they'd wear at weekends for being nicely dressed but not uncomfortable.

PJs, dressing gowns, wellies, rain gear etc.

Sports equipment and/or clothes, or good gear bags. (A bicycle??)

Books - fiction and/or reference (nice atlas or dictionary) or other non fiction (travel, recipes, science etc).

Globe

Science stuff - telescope, microscope, DIY kits

Real equipment for baking, tools for DIY etc - including any necessary safety or "anti-mess" equipment (goggles, helmets, gloves, aprons etc).

Craft things - either things that get used up like paint, glue, papers, stickers, foam sheets etc - or equipment - easel, scissors, brushes, ....

Nice bedroom sets - sheets and duvet covers - in their favourite characters or colours. Their own swimming towels.

I've probably repeated loads of ideas - just thinking off the top of my head.

Have you asked the DCs if there is anything they want/need/would really love in their dreams?