Unwrap Memories This Season: Unique Experience Gifts for Kids

We live in a culture of instant gratification — where it’s easy (and tempting) to accumulate more and more stuff. With a few clicks, we can fill the holidays with boxes of things we don’t really need. Sure, a mountain of presents might spark excitement in the moment, but chances are our kids will truly enjoy only a handful of what they unwrap. 

This year, why not try something new? Give your family a gift they’ll remember forever: a unique experience, whether they love the arts, animals or adventures. 

Encourage art and expression 

Free-flowing creativity is one of the most magical things about being a kid. Help your child unlock and nurture their creative side, whether they like to cook, express themselves with fashion or experiment with different art mediums. 

Gift a class 

My son is a total foodie; he has been since he was a toddler. Unique foods, different textures and new restaurants? As far as he’s concerned — bring it on! A gift I know will always be a hit with him is one related to something he can (eventually) eat. 

If your kids are like mine, a cooking class is a perfect gift for budding chefs (or kids who like to eat). FrogLegs Cooking School has classes for kids, teens and adults at four locations in Seattle and on the Eastside. Who knows? Maybe your kids will even take charge of cooking a few dinners with their newfound passion! 

Your kids may have gone to an art camp or class before, but have they ever come home with hand-forged armor or blown glass? Teens can take cool classes at Pratt Fine Arts Center, such as woodworking, using the college’s specially equipped studios. Classes range from individual afternoons to ongoing series that meet for several weeks. These classes and camps can be spendy, but tuition assistance is available for those who qualify. 

Wrap up a kid-friendly spa experience 

I’ve told my husband that a gift certificate to a spa is something I will always be thrilled to receive. Let your kids in on the joy of relaxing while engaging in a little self-care with their very own glam session. Head to woman-owned Urban Nail Box in Seattle’s Ballard or Fremont neighborhoods where you and your little ones can relax together. Urban Nail Box uses natural, organic products, and they are dedicated to offering a welcoming environment focused on wellness and creativity.

If you are looking for a more kid-centric experience, check out Brat Pack Salon in Redmond or Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids, with locations in Seattle, Bellevue, Maple Valley, Shoreline and Woodinville. Both offer kids manicures and cool hair style options (including sparkles, of course) for tweens and teens. 

Plant a gift 

For an experience that involves just a little waiting and a fun reward, consider a mushroom growing kit from Cascadia Mushrooms. With a little water, mushrooms will start to pop up in just a few weeks. Kits come with instructions and recipes for preparing your bounty. Some kits, such as the blue oyster mushroom kit, can be transplanted into your garden after a few months of growing them indoors. It’s a gift that will truly keep giving. 

Foster a love of animals 

Whether your kids like to sit back and observe animals, or let little critters climb all over them, these animal-focused experiences are sure to delight. 

Send them on a wild adventure 

Want to get up close with some of the Pacific Northwest’s coolest residents? Check out Northwest Trek Wildlife Park’s Keeper Adventure Tours where you might find yourself closer than you’ve ever been to a mountain goat or bison. Participants climb into a Jeep with one of the park’s keepers before setting off for an off-road, 90-minute adventure they’ll never forget. Kids must be 5 years old to participate and tours can be booked online. 

If the back of a Jeep still feels too far from the action, head to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium where your kids can get up close and personal during an exclusive animal experience. There are a few to choose from, so you can cater to your kids comfort level and interests. Pose for a photo and feed your new friends from your hand at the Groovy Goats experience. Help feed some of the animals in the Tidal Touch Zone on the Pacific Seas Aquarium Behind-the-Scenes Tour, or experience having the zoo to yourself in a morning Wild Zoo Tour. 

Feeling really brave? Then an Eye-to-Eye Shark Dive is for you. You’ll get 20 minutes of in-water time with sharks and tropical fish in the Outer Reef habitat. Staff will take a souvenir video of your dive, so your kids can prove their bravery to friends and family. Remember to review the requirements for this unforgettable experience before booking. 

Hatch a love of science 

If you want your animal encounter to happen in your living room, get yourself on the email list for an ooth this spring. What’s an ooth? It’s a praying mantis egg case, and locally owned Tiny Science’s Praying Mantis Hatching kit includes one ooth (it holds 50–200 eggs!) and everything else you need for a safe, indoor praying mantis hatching experience. 

Our family purchased a kit a few years ago, and I have to say it is one of the coolest things we have ever done. Just put the lidded container in an area that is protected from direct light and other heat, and wait. That’s it! 

Pro tip: Leave the lid on the cup! You never know when the eggs will hatch, and if you happen to take the lid off and the eggs happen to hatch, you may be scooping up and releasing hundreds of baby insects off your walls for a while (which, honestly, was also kind of fun). 

Seek out adventure 

If you’ve got an adrenaline junkie on your hands, give them an experience that will get their blood pumping. Soar through the air, use your wits to escape or experience an exciting local icon with these adventure-focused gifts. 

Skydive inside 

If jumping out of an actual plane is not on the agenda, an experience at iFly is the next best thing. Get suited up and climb into a wind tunnel that simulates skydiving! Kids ages 3 and older can fly, and they are in for a fun ride. You’ll jump into a wind tunnel and, with the help of an instructor, float around weightlessly. Consider adding a “high flight” onto your experience if you want to go zipping (again, with the help of an instructor) up, up, up! 

Saddle up for the season 

Hit the trails with your family at Lang’s Horse and Pony Farm in Mount Vernon. Pick a private ride for two or a group ride for up to 10 people and head out into the farm’s 300-acre forest with a knowledgeable guide. Kids ages 3–10 can enjoy a pony ride; trail rides are for adults and kids 8 and older. Rides are between 30 minutes and two hours, and while no experience is necessary, reservations are required. 

Plan an escape 

For kids (or adults) who love solving complex puzzles, following clues and competing against a timer, an escape room experience will make a great gift. The Escape Game at Westfield Southcenter has five rooms to choose from, with varying degrees of difficulty. Some rooms can take up to 12 players at once, and each room gives you one hour to solve all the puzzles and escape. This activity is great for families; it requires players to work together and put down their phones. 

The storefront is also home to the Great Big Game Show, another fun family adventure. 

Take to the skies 

Did you know that moving through the air slowly and silently can be exciting? Climb inside a basket under a huge hot air balloon and get ready for an experience of a lifetime. When you book a hot air balloon ride in Snohomish, you’ll glide into the sky and enjoy an amazing view, weather permitting of course. Pick a sunrise or sunset ride, each of which can hold 2–10 passengers. Kids must be at least 5 years old to ride in a hot air balloon, and keep in mind that the basket you’ll be standing in is 45 inches tall, so kids must be taller than that to see over the edge. 

Experience Seattle icons of the sky 

Be a tourist for a day and hit one — or all three, if you are feeling ambitious — of Seattle’s icons. I hope you don’t have a fear of heights, because all three of these options are going to take you above the skyline! 

The Space Needle is practically shorthand for Seattle, and a trip to the observation deck is a treat. The glass floor and slanting sides bring a new level of excitement to the experience. After the elevator ride down and your feet are firmly on the Earth again, head toward the waterfront and get ready for a spin on the Great Wheel. You can enjoy the new beautiful waterfront park and playground before or after your ride. And finally, head into the heart of downtown for a trip to the Columbia Tower’s Sky View Observatory, which is almost 300 feet taller than the Space Needle!