Tickets to sporting events or other happenings at the Assembly Hall can be a great gift for anyone on your list. (Photo by edcrowie on flickr)
It’s that time of year when many aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends are stuck for gift ideas. What to give to the child who already has every building block or video game ever made? Or the girly girl who already has dolls galore? Or the sports fanatic who has Illini gear from head to toe? Here’s an option: give the gift of an experience.
Instead of another toy, or clothing article, or other material object, consider an alternative. Why not give the child the opportunity to take a class, go to a movie or a sporting event? Or how about tickets to a musical or theatrical performance, or entrance to the indoor pool?
Many people will resist, saying they don’t want to give something to a child, especially a young child, that they can’t unwrap. My suggestion is to give that child a small, inexpensive item that relates to the “experience” gift. For example: say you want to give tickets to a sporting event. Give the child a token gift that relates to the team they will be watching, such as a ball. If you want to give a punch card to the local pool — wrap up a pool toy. If you give movie tickets, there are plenty of inexpensive DVDs to be had these days.
Here are a few local ideas:
- Give a family a Go Illini Card ($50). This card allows a family of four to get into Illini sporting events (other than men’s basketball and football) all year long. Our family attends a lot of women’s basketball games, and this is a big savings.
- Get a punch card to the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center, and your sharks and fishies can swim all winter long. A five-pass card is $23; 10 punches are $46. This is significant savings off the regular $6-per-entry fee.
- You can purchase gift certificates to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in any domination. Called CenterChecks, these gift certificates never expire and can be used at the Intermezzo (the cafe), the Promenade gift shop (which has kids’ toys), and the Ticket Office.
- Pick up some movie gift cards at the Savoy 16; they are sold in $10 increments and can be used for movies and/or concessions.
- Buy a membership to the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum in downtown Champaign. Contact the museum for details.
What are your tips for giving alternatives to toys?
Related posts:
