Alternatives to toys?

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I'd like to get DS (6) some gifts other than toys for Christmas this year. As others on here have already said, you can spend a fortune on toys that are rarely played with. It's made worse by the fact that his birthday is in November, so we have used up most of the ideas for the things he really wants by Christmas.

I was wondering about tickets for days out, a magazine subscription, things like that. Any ideas, or anyone had success with things like this? Do DCs find it disappointing when there's fewer 'proper parcels' to open? Any advice to avoid spending a fortune on an ever-growing mountain of plastic tat would be great!

You can get year passes to the zoo for an astoundingly good price and providing you have transport can use them all across the country.

Wrapped up with some zoo animal toys /camera/scrapbook

Swimming lessons? My mil dis this for my nieces, complete with a swimming pool part for their birthday

Tickets for legoland? You could wrap up a little box of lego, along with a brochure for lego land and a note explaining the trip.

Books? Ones to read with him now that he can pick up himself in a year or two - ds loved the faraway tree at that age

Presents to open but not necessarily tat:

Bath towel (my DDs like Disney, and Octonauts went down well last year)
Bedding - Octonaut duvet cover was big hit last year. Minnie Mouse cotbed quilt this year for little one.
Swim bags - characters again.
New lunch boxes and/or insulated bags.
Gear for their hobbies - gymnastics/swimming
Hat/scarf/gloves set
Roll on coloured soap from avon (my 2 are going to love this )
Character slippers/dressing gown/pjs
dressing up clothes
Big square beanbag, bright colours
Selection of DVDs (normally the £2.99 ones in Home Bargains)

A branded duvet cover or something practical in the design of his favourite tv show and that you would normally only buy as plain/cheap.

Swimming lessons - accompanied by a gift of a new swimming bag/ or personalised towel/ or new swimming shorts

Cinema tickets - accompanied by a bag of sweets or popcorn

Print some handmade vouchers for days out (park/zoo/beach/bike ride/forest walk/museum), accompanied by new wellies / or hat and scarf / or bucket and spade etc

Thanks all- there's some brilliant ideas here. Legoland is a great idea (he was gutted that it's shut on his birthday) as are the zoo passes. Also things like cinema vouchers so he can choose what to go and see. I'm definitely also going to look into adopting an animal, that would be lovely.
I always buy lots of books - they never feel like a waste of money do they? The usborne 'lift the flap' ones on space, science, history etc are real winners. Like the idea of the bargain magazine subscriptions too, if you buy a few issues you can see what goes down well.
Right. Got my work cut out googling all this stuff.
Thanks everyone.

I've bought my DD tickets to see the snowman at sadlers wells and am wrapping her up the snowman book with the tickets inside. (which I shall whisk away quickly so they don't get lost).

You could do similar with a trip to the theatre and wrap up a book or small toy themed to the show. I know there are lots of childrens stuff at the theatre these days and DD loves it.

My mum bought DS (7) a really decent backpack last year, lots of pockets and zips. Went down well.

I always add some "non-toy" things into the parcels or stocking - on Christmas eve DS gets to open his Christmas pajamas, Christmas slippers and a shortish Christmas themed book for us to all read together before bed.

To be honest he is just excited to start opening some presents and it's become a nice tradition before bath, mince pies and carrots and bed.

We put in a Christmas DVD to add to the family collection.

As well as this we have/will put in:

A tee shirt to wear on Christmas day
Non slip socks or Novelty socks
Toothbrush
Books
Torch
Binoculars
New pencil/pens set
Quiz books/colouring books/notepads
Jigsaws
Family board game

Which have long term use? So far anyway!

A mini hamper. I do one for my DS with hot chocolate, bag of marshmallows, mug, chocolate spoons in it. A cinema hamper is good too- popcorn, tickets to a film ( or DVD ) , chocolate.

Dd is adopting a panda this year - comes with toy oanda, certificate, magazine, info. Also quarterly updates from zoo.

Ds will get tickets to football match (sellotaped to a football)

We've wrapped up vouchers (home made) for a meal at a restaurant of their choice / day out of their choice / midnight feast / sleepover. We like the 'experience' type gifts - a day hiring a canoe with just Daddy (without his 2 sisters!), weekend camping (with little survival kit wrapped up), a PJ & dvd afternoon!

At 5.8, my DD would certainly not "get" adopting an animal, sadly. Unless it was under the tree too
In addition to the duvet cover mentioned upthread (Father Christmas even managed to put it on DD's bed when he visited, so it was the first thing she saw!), pyjamas, pants, socks, slippers, dressing gowns all seem to be exciting

What about plate/cup sets if he needs any? DD got a nice Minnie Mouse one last year; the Gruffalo one is good quality, but maybe a bit young for him now.

Would he/you like a trip to a pantomime? That could be done quite soon after Christmas, so he doesn't have to wait too long for the treat.... I can imagine with Legoland/zoo etc promises he will be wanting to go straight away! Though I guess the cinema would be similar if panto isn't your thing

DD 5.8 is on half term this week, and is currently happily and quietly working her way through "1000 stickers for Girls". A mixture of colouring, sticking, matching things etc.
The boys version is here

Could be good for the Christmas holidays!

Does he follow a football team? Most do holiday courses for young ones.
A subscription to the RSPB comes with a couple of gifts eg bird book you could wrap as well as the quarterly magazines.
A cushion for their bed (DS has large orange Puffle sp?)
Alarm clock
DS also received a canoe session for his 7th birthday.

We do the wwf adopt an animal each christmas and the boys really love it.

I'm givng my friends ds who will be four soon a baking 'kit' that I've put together.
Bun cases
A liitle wooden spoon
Flour
Butter
Sugar
Eggs
Icing sugar
And food colouring all packed into a big plastic mixing bowl.

Planning to get a mechanical/electronic pencil sharpener

Hand held labeller.

I think my girls will enjoy them.

3bunnies - a lot of kids like "proper" stationery e.g. from the Dudley catalogue. DS likes stamps and ink pads, post it notes, white boards and globes etc.

They last better than the kids versions too.

There is a group of magazines called Story Box or Adventure Box or Discovery Box. They are fabulous magazines. You can use Tesco vouchers. Sadly for me DS didn't like them but I think they are great.

Yes planning to get adult stationery so that I can use them too oh and post-it notes in stockings.