Holiday Gift Ideas Kids Will Actually Play With (For More Than Five Minutes)

Every year, we all do it.

We ask kids what they want for Christmas, they point to the flashiest thing in the flyer or ask for the latest thing they saw in an advertisement, and we dutifully wrap it up and put it under the tree. And then… by December 28, it’s buried under the couch because the novelty has worn off.

As an educator and mother, I’ve watched this pattern play out again and again — both in classrooms and at home. Kids think they want toys that light up, make sounds, or do something exciting on their own. But what they actually want to play with — for a longer amount of time— are the things that let them be the ones in control of the play (i.e. where they generate ideas, decide what materials to use, test out theories, experiment, design, and create).

That’s where loose parts come in.

Loose parts are open-ended materials that children can move, arrange, combine, stack, and transform into anything they imagine. They fuel creativity, problem-solving, storytelling, and experimentation in a way that single-purpose toys simply can't. When a toy tells a child how to play, the fun fades fast. But when the materials are open-ended? The possibilities are endless.

This holiday season, I want to challenge families to rethink what goes under the tree. Not because toys are bad — toys are wonderful! — but because a little shift in what we choose can lead to deeper, richer, longer-lasting play.

Here are some simple gift swaps that result in gifts kids will come back to again and again:

1. Swap colouring books and craft kits for open-ended art supplies

Colouring books and craft kits often come with very specific instructions: “Colour inside the lines,” “Make it look like the picture on the box,” “Use these exact pieces this exact way.” Kids enjoy them… until the activity is finished. Open-ended art supplies keep the creativity going.

Try giving the artist in your life things like:

• Blank paper or canvases

• Paints

• Pipe cleaners

• Pom poms

• String

• Pinecones

• Sequins

• Glitter (yes, even glitter!)

  
  

When there’s no “right” outcome, kids naturally explore their own ideas while discovering new interests, talents and possibilities. Plus, they’ll revisit these materials because every interaction they have with them produces something new.

2. If you’re gifting a play kitchen, skip the plastic food

Play kitchens are amazing for pretend play (and popular Christmas gifts), but the accessories are where the fun really happens.

Instead of a set of cute plastic food and tiny dishes, try:

• Real pots and pans

• Wooden spoons

• Melamine plates

• Pom Poms

• Large buttons

• Cut rope

• Smooth stones

• Pieces of Driftwood

• Beaded necklaces

  
  

Small but real dishes and cookware feel authentic, and loose parts invite kids to invent endless recipes. Now instead of their minds being limited to hamburgers and pizza, they suddenly start making foods that are meaningful to their lived experiences. For example, the cut rope becomes spaghetti with pom pom meatballs, and the stones represent the sushi they tried last night.

3. For kids who love building, skip the instructions

Kids adore building toys. The challenge is that many of the popular sets only let them build what's on the box — once.

Instead, give them an open-ended building toy:

• Lego classic creative bricks

• Magnetix

• Wooden blocks

• Make-do kit

  
  

No instructions. No required final design. Just materials that grow with them and encourage true creative building. The difference in play time is huge. When kids aren’t trying to copy a model, they’re engineering their own worlds, structures, and contraptions — and they will keep modifying and rebuilding for years.

4. Make loose parts feel like a complete gift

Loose parts don’t have to look random. With a little presentation, they can feel just as exciting and intentional as any store-bought toy.

Try filling a small tackle box or organizer with compartments and add things like:

• Beads

• Buttons

• Ribbon

• Pom poms

• Shells

• Wood slices

• Sticks

• Pinecones

Pair it with a blank canvas or a wooden board, and suddenly you’ve created a complete Loose Parts Art Starter Kit — a gift that sparks imagination the moment it’s opened. Complete your gift with a copy of Amelia’s Loose Part Art.

When you give kids gifts like these, you provide opportunities for them to discover their creative potential. Skip the flashy toys this Christmas. I promise, the kids won't miss them.