Make Memories this Holiday Season

Show of hands…whose kids LOVE getting gifts? And a second show of hands for those of you who love getting gifts yourselves! (Mine hand is in the air for both.)

My kids are starting to go nuts over the impending onslaught of gifts. And every year, as their excitement builds, I always wonder how much is too much? Immediately followed by the thought “do we need one more piece of brightly colored plastic in the house?”

Of course, when the kids were toddlers, our house was full of that plastic stuff. As they got a little older, we started giving fewer things, and giving more experiences. The kids love getting special time to hang out with mom and dad, and the gift gives them something to look forward to – even after the holidays are over. We get an assortment of tickets and passes, so we don’t use them all at once.

Some of our favorite memory making gifts, past and present:

PogoPassKC: This is my newest fave, since one pass allows you access into tons of different family fun spots around Kansas City. It’s a fast pass to visit places like Wonderscope, the Kansas City Zoo, and Paradise Park, to name a few. Take advantage of their current sale – just $34.98/PogoPass with promo code KCKIDSFUN18, now through Dec. 24!
UrbanAir: This is a treat for the kids and for me. When they get the wiggles during a particularly cold winter, we pull out their UrbanAir gift cards and wear everyone out at the trampoline park. Kids are happy, and so is mom when no one argues about going to bed that night. Plus, I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they jump.
A Kansas City Zoo membership typically pays for itself over the course of the year, and you can now get a cute stuffed polar bear to give along with it this holiday season. It’s like 2 gifts in 1!
Harlem Globetrotters tickets are another good option, especially if you have kids at various ages and stages. This is something everyone can enjoy, including mom, dad and grandparents. The Globetrotters are coming to KC in 2019 on Feb. 9 (Sprint Center) & Feb. 10 (Silverstein Eye Arena).

A few other unusual (but beneficial ideas):

Incorporate a “giving back” gift, where you volunteer at a special place of your choice. You can teach the kids how to give the gift of time and even money, if you choose to make a donation as well. We like making meals or snacks at Ronald McDonald House, since they welcome volunteers of all ages.
A homemade coupon book with redeemable pages for an ice cream outing with dad, time to bake cookies together, or an extra 5 minutes of reading time at bedtime. Pick the things you love doing together so it’s fun for everyone.
The gift of a skill: one kiddo started trombone lessons at Music House last December, and our youngest is going to get the gift of swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School this year, to make sure he’s ready for sleep-away camp

Get creative and make sure to include lots of times to spend with your little ones. I promise, everyone reaps the rewards of these memory-making holiday gifts!