Holiday Gift Guide 2024: The Gift of Time

Holiday gift guides are EVERYWHERE this time of year- every blogger I know and follow has multiple post filled with items to purchase for every relationship, personality, and interest possible. I have had some luck finding a few things for people on my list, and I am always especially happy when I see small businesses and creatives supported in these posts- I love to shop local as much as I can (but am also known to search Amazon, too).

However, I personally prefer to gift experiences that allow families and friends to enjoy the gift of time together. “The gift of time” is both one of my favorite phrases and one of my firmest beliefs; I truly believe that the one of the greatest gifts we can give someone is to spend time with them. So this week, we’re updating an old post offering suggestions of experience to gift your families and friends in the hopes you’ll be able to carve out time to spend together. #priceless.

Note:  Many of these ideas can be personalized based on the individual child’s age and interests, while also supporting local businesses and nonprofits.

Five Gifting Experience Ideas:

1. A family membership to a local children’s museum, zoo, or aquarium: There is a surely a children’s museum, zoo, or aquarium within a quick drive from your home. One time tickets are a great gift, but usually for a little bit more money, you can purchase a membership that allows the family to enjoy the attraction all year and take advantage of perks like special events, free parking, and discounts on food and souvenirs. One of the best ways to enjoy and explore multiple museums is to get the level of membership that includes reciprocity at other museums that are members of the Association of Children’s Museums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This is also an economical way to check out a bunch of different places and a great option when you’re in a new city or area and “need” a last minute activity. Check the website to see if nearby museums are members; if so, admission fees are heavily discounted.
Get inspired: Read out some of our favorite children’s museums in this index, aquariums in this index, and zoos in this index. 

2. An annual or lifetime pass to the National Parks: Over the past 12 years of road tripping every chance we get, our family has visited close to 100 National Parks sites throughout America. The National Park Service does offer free admission to active military personnel and 4th graders and their families) through the Every Kid Outdoors program), but many National Parks charge a vehicle admission fee. Find the full list of sites here and find out more about America the Beautiful pass here.
Get inspired: Check our this index of posts featuring dozens of National Park sites 

3. A subscription box: We loved gifting our children and various cousins and friends’ children a monthly subscription service when they were younger and they loved the anticipation of what would be in the next month’s box. There is a subscription for literally every age, interest, hobby, and talent, including adults! Cratejoy is a great starting place, as it allows visitors to narrow their search by age, interest, price point, and frequency (3, 6, or 12 months) and Lovevery offers beautifully, thoughtfully designed play kits up to age four. A great, travel themed subscription option is Womple Mail, an engaging way for children to learn about geography and new cultures. Each month, a new package arrives with letters from Roald the Womple about his adventures, stickers, and other materials like postcards for kids to write back to Roald (we hear he returns all correspondence!) and trivia sheets.

4. A magazine or monthly book subscription for their age or interest: Another thing my children love receiving in the mail is their monthly magazine subscriptions. Some of our favorites over the year include Highlights and National Geographic Zootles and Little Kids  (for younger kids) and  Sports Illustrated for Kids, Muse, and Cricket and upper elementary aged children. There are also monthly book subscription services like Literari and Bookroo that offer a lot of flexibility with ages, reading abilities, and frequency.

5. A cookbook, food tour, or hiking challenge: There are dozens of child appropriate cookbooks; here is a good list. Purchase one for your child and challenge them to make a recipe a week, together. You can even theme it by interest like a new cookie recipe each week, or exploring different cultures and ethnic foods. Try sticking to the same day, put it on the calendar, and make the time. With a quick google search, or by soliciting input from family, friends, and locals, find 10 local spots featuring your child’s favorite food. Some common themes include ice cream, hot dogs, or pizza. Create a calendar to organize a visit to a new spot each week. Then rank each location and declare a “Best of..” award. Alternatively, get out and enjoy nature!  Head to your state’s tourism website and search for State Parks- you can find Connecticut’s list here. Make sure to pack a backpack with water, snacks, charged phone, flashlight, and trail maps. Carve out a couple of hours to enjoy some the beauty of places in your backyard.” Borrow a book from your local library and search for various types of trees or flowers, or bring binoculars and look for birds and other wildlife.
Get inspired: See our index of food trails in Connecticut (fact check locations before going- these posts are a few years old) here and our index of hiking posts here (so many great options!) 

Bonus: Looking to plan an overnight adventure at a resort where the activities are already planned and so are the meals? Check out our index of family friendly resorts here. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and BlueSky.