23 Minimalist Gifts for Kids of Different Ages (Fun & Clutter-Free)

Take a look at our gift ideas for kids of different ages and choose the best minimalist gift for your child.

Minimalism and Kids

As a minimalist parent, one of the challenges you face is to get your child interested in a particular item and make them fall in love with it.

Most children quickly lose interest and become uninterested in their toys after they played with them several times, or if they got another toy that interests them more.

This makes it important for minimalist parents to be able to find minimalist gifts for kids that will keep their children interested as long as possible. 

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Celebrate a Minimalist Christmas (+ Decor Ideas)

How to Find Perfect Minimalist Gift for My Kid?

To find the perfect minimalist gift for your kid whether it be for Christmas, birthday, or other occasions, you need to listen carefully to the things your child talks about and pay attention to their interests. 

Usually, kids talk about new games they play with friends or express a desire to learn some new skills. 

If you know that playing the piano is one of your child’s dreams, then this would be the ultimate gift they will treasure for a long time.

How Much Should I Spend on a Gift as a Minimalist?

It depends on your budget. If you have a limited amount of money available, you can find nice gifts that cost $25 or less. 

If your gift budget is bigger, don’t hesitate to splurge on your children’s presents. However, don’t forget to keep in mind that quality beats quantity and focus on gifts that bring value to your kids’ life.

As a general rule, buy presents that fit within your budget and will serve a good purpose in your child’s life. 

No gift is too expensive if it teaches your kids new skills, makes them more active, or keeps them entertained for a long time. Just don’t fall into the trap of gift guilt and follow your instincts regardless of the budget. You know your kid the best.

Best Minimalist Gifts for Kids 

Are you still wondering what exactly should you give to your child as a minimalist?

We compiled a list of fun and smart minimalist gifts for kids of different age groups.

These non-clutter gifts promote creativity, learning, and active movement and will keep your child busy without looking at screens the whole day!

Take a look and let us know what you think.

Please note that this article contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

Find minimalist gift ideas for kids within different categories:

Sustainable Toys

When buying toys, read the labels and see what material they are made of because usually cheap toys break quickly, are not safe, or have small parts which may pose a choking hazard.

Take a look at our selection of toys made of eco-friendly materials for kids of different ages.

✅ Our TOP recommendation:

Wooden Wobble Balance Board (age 2+)

Budget-friendly gift ideas:

Montessori Toys Sensory Bin Toys (ages 1-3)

Toddler Toys Race Track Car (ages 1-3)

Trihorse Wooden Marble Run (age 1+)

Wooden Educational Xylophone (age 3+)

Play Sink with Running Water (age 3+)

Coogam Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game (ages 2-5)

Mini Wooden Play Tool Workbench Set (age 3+)

Classic Construction and Building Toy (age 3+)

Subscription Box

A subscription box is a good idea if you want to encourage your child to try different hobbies. It also means that each month they will receive a new gift (perfect way to avoid boredom)! 

Our recommendations:

Green Kid Crafts – 4-6 Activities in Every Box (ages 2-10+)

One Girl Inspired – Empowering Subscription Box for Teen Girls (ages 12-16)

Little Learners Busy Box – Build Preschool Skills (ages 2-4)

Books

Love for reading develops from an early age. Motivate your kids to read by giving them beautifully illustrated books with captivating storylines.

✅ Our TOP recommendation for girls:

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women (age 3+)

✅ Our TOP recommendation for boys:

Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different: True Tales of Amazing Boys Who Changed the World without Killing Dragons (age 3+)

Budget-friendly gift ideas:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (age 9+)

Harry Potter Books 1-7 by J. K. Rowling (ages 9+)

Sports Equipment

Encourage your kids to move and be active outdoors! So many kids today spend hours in front of screens while their motor skills become underdeveloped.

Kids should run around, play in the dirt, and come home exhausted from all the fun outdoor activities. Help them do that by providing them with sports equipment they will love to use.

✅ Our TOP recommendation for girls:

JOYSTAR Angel Girls Bike (ages 2-9)

✅ Our TOP recommendation for boys:

Schwinn Koen Boys Bike for Toddlers and Kids (ages 2-9)

Budget-friendly gift ideas:

Toddler Balance Bike (ages 1-4)

Skateboard for Beginners (age 10+)

Non-Clutter Minimalist Gifts for Kids

Kids, especially older ones, will appreciate the time spent together much more than any toy in the world. Let them know how much you love them by having fun times together and making new memories.

Non-materialistic gifts for kids are as minimalist as they can get, but in reality, they provide your kids with so much more than we are aware of.

Experiences

Plan a day of fun activities with your kids and DIY for them a colorful map of all the places you will visit that day. Tell them about all the super fun activities you will do and make them look forward to the future. 

This is a good idea for kids over 5 years who will understand that the map is not the only thing they received under the Christmas tree.

Pick a number of exciting activities that you know your kid would love and pack them into a memorable day of amazingness!

Family trip

If you have a bigger budget on hand it might be a great idea to plan a family trip.

Do you have a place your family would love to see and visit? Decide to organize a longer family trip and plan all the steps of this fun travel. Then present your child with the tickets and show them all the cool places they will see on the way. This will make them so excited for the future!

If you have the means it would also be a great idea to include your extended family on the trip. This will make your child even happier!

Family memories are the best way to show your kids how much you love them.

We recommend family trips, especially to more remote locations, for children over 5 years old. Any younger child won’t comprehend fully what’s going on and won’t be able to appreciate it.

Pet

We know that adopting a pet is not a light decision and we don’t want you to take our suggestion lightheartedly. First, you have to evaluate if your family is really ready to take on that responsibility.

But if you choose to get a pet to your child as a gift, whether it be a puppy or a kitty, that experience will teach them so many invaluable lessons. 

Kids that grow up with pets in their family develop compassion for other living beings, learn to take care of others’ needs, and build life-long friendships.

Check the local shelters before you decide to buy a pet, adopting is so much more rewarding and in general a better decision for you and your child.

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Conclusion

Whatever you decide to get for your child, make sure that it fits these three criteria:

• It’s something they expressed desire to have,
• will teach them something valuable,
• is going to keep them busy for a long time.

If you follow this formula, you won’t have any trouble finding the best minimalist gift for your toddlers and kids in the future.

What kind of gifts do your kids like the most?

Posted By: Rebecca · In: Minimalism