We know that toys, tech gadgets, and other "stuff" top your children's wish list this year. We also know that many of those items once received will likely be quickly forgotten and pushed aside.
Think back to your own childhood. You may remember a toy or two (a Pound Puppy stuffed animal stands out for me), but most of your memories are likely centered on experiences; time spent together as a family, a special adventure, or learning something new. Down the road, experiences like these will be what your children remember most as well.
As you stare down the toy aisles and await a sale for those big ticket items this holiday season, consider breaking away from the usual material gifts and consider gifting your children an experience. In addition to supporting our local community, you'll be creating memories they can cherish for years to come.
Need some experience gift ideas for kids that can be found in Bloomington - Normal? We've got you covered! And because we know opening a wrapped gift is part of the holiday fun, we included suggestions for small and relatively low-cost bow-worthy items to go along with the experience.
For the artist:
A gift certificate for art classes, pottery to paint, or art camp. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: paintbrushes, colored pencils, or paints
For the dancer:
A gift certificate for lessons. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a leotard, ballet slippers, or a tote bag for carrying things needed for class
- All About Dance
- BCAI Cultural Arts & Humanities
- Dance Factory
- McLean County Dance Association
- The Next Step Dance Studio
- Twin Cities School of Dance
- USA Ballet Youth Ensemble & Academy
- Uptown Dance
For the performing arts enthusiast:
Tickets to see an upcoming performance. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a nice sweater to wear to the show
For the child with boundless energy:
A gift certificate to a local trampoline park, bouldering gym, paintball facility, or ninja gym. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: location-specific socks or a ninja headband
- Altitude Trampoline Park
- The Proving Ground
- Upper Limits - Bloomington
- Urban Warfare
- Iron Coyote Challenge Park
For the mini-chef:
A gift certificate for a kid-friendly class. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a kid-sized apron or a kid-friendly recipe book
For the little learners:
A membership to our local children's museum or a gift certificate for classes. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: an age-appropriate book or finger paints
For the sports fan:
A gift certificate for the driving range, fun park, bowling, tennis lessons, or tickets to see a ball game. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a reusable water bottle, a hat or shirt featuring their favorite team, or sweatbands
- BloNo Pizza Co.
- Grady's Family Fun Park
- Pheasant Lanes Family Fun Center
- Twin City Lanes
- CornBelters
- Bloomington Tennis & Turf
- Game Time Gym
For the movie buff:
A gift certificate for movie tickets. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestion: popcorn (check out Donny B's for a fun selection of flavors)
For the friend to animals:
Membership to our local zoo, or passes to a nearby animal park. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a bracelet with a charm of their favorite animal or an animal sticker book
For the gamer:
Tokens or a "Play Card" ready for games, a gift certificate for virtual reality fun, or a family "staycation" at a local rental house. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: an "I paused my game to be here" t-shirt or socks (find then on Amazon)
- Chuck E. Cheese
- Arcadia: America's Playable Arcade Museum
- Mass VR - Bloomington
- House of Arcade, Bloomington
For the skater kid:
A gift certificate for ice skating or roller skating. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: Knee pads or other safety gear, or gloves and a matching hat to stay warm
For the musically-inclined
A gift certificate for music classes or lessons. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: for little ones, age-appropriate music makers such as shakers or kid-friendly tambourines; for older kids, sheet music of their favorite song or earbuds
- Developing Melodies Music Therapy Center
- Hip Cat Music School
- Miss Laura's Music Class
- Music Connections Foundation presents KINDERMUSIK, Bloomington, IL
For fun in the sun seekers:
Think ahead to warmer days and gift a season pass to our local pools. Please note that these are not available for purchase now, but consider getting creative and making your own "certificate" promising the passes come summertime. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a beach towel, goggles, or small pool toys (that can double as bath toys until summer)
For kids with a sweet tooth:
A gift certificate for yummy ice cream, cookies, or a chocolatey treat. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a dessert recipe book or grocery store bought cake or cookie mix (with a promise to help them prepare them!)
- Theo's Microcreamery
- Carl's Ice Cream Factory
- Insomnia Cookies
- Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy Store
- Orange Leaf
- The Chocolatier, Inc.
- Cookies by Design
- Ivy Lane Bakery
- Sugar Mama Bakery
- Grove Street Bakery
For the kids that are always asking questions:
A gift certificate for classes or camp at a local school. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a fun notebook and pen set or an age-appropriate book on a topic that interests them
For the ones who like some pampering:
A gift certificate for a manicure or pedicure. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestion: nail polish in their favorite color
For the future equestrians:
Riding lessons would be a dream come true for any child interested in horses. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: riding boots or a shirt featuring... you guessed it... a horse!
For the martial artists:
A gift certificate for martial arts lessons. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a tote for carrying things to and from class or a reusable water bottle
- Coffrin's ATA Martial Arts - Bloomington
- Frequency Martial Arts
- Fusion Martial Arts Bloomington
- Infinity Martial Arts
- Powerhouse Martial Arts Academy
- Walker's Tae Kwon Do
For the gymnasts:
A gift certificate for gymnastics lessons or open gym time. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a leotard or other class-ready clothing, or a reusable water bottle
For the coffee and boba drinkers:
A gift card to their favorite local spot. Bow-worthy accompanying gift suggestions: a cool mug, a book to read while sipping their fave drink, or a hot drink thermos
Happy gift-giving from Bloomington-Normal Macaroni Kid!
Macaroni KID Bloomington - Normal is a FREE weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the Bloomington - Normal community. We gather together all the details you need on local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-friendly businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, schools, camps, and more. Subscribe for free at bloomington-normal.macaronikid.com/subscribe.
