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Consumable Gifts for Kids: 30+ Awesome Clutter-Free Ideas!

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Are you looking for a kid’s gift, but don’t want to add to the clutter in the home? Try one of these consumable gifts for kids!

You don’t have to give up getting or receiving gifts if you are trying to live a clutter-free lifestyle or wish to have a more minimalistic home.

You can still receive (and give) gifts that won’t take up space in your home forever.

This is especially important for people with kids! I don’t know about you, but kids’ items seem to multiply rapidly in my house!

Consumable gifts are gifts that will eventually be used up (like food or other items), so they don’t clutter up your home or take up space for a long period of time.

(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)

Why Choose Clutter-Free Toys?

You might be wondering why people might want clutter-free gifts, especially if they have kids in the home.

Clutter-free or consumable gifts for kids are wonderful because they:

  • generally give less mess
  • don’t create long-lasting clutter or messes in your home
  • offer kids a chance to develop creativity and use their own imagination
  • teach the value of experiences (instead of merely accumulating more stuff to add to the pile)
  • don’t overwhelm kids (or you)
  • will eventually be used up and won’t have a permanent spot in your home

Consumable gifts are the best kind – because they will eventually be used up or let go of!

Consumable gifts also offer lovely benefits like:

  • new knowledge
  • fun experiences
  • long-lasting, fun memories

Once they are used, they’re gone!

Three children in brightly colored clothing are watching a giraffe at the zoo.

Consumable Gift Ideas for Kids

Still wondering what types of gifts count as consumable or clutter-free?

Check out this list of creative and fun consumables gifts for kids!

Experience Gifts

Some of my very favorite consumable gift ideas for kids are experience gifts!

What better way to give rich, long-lasting memories than providing kids with an opportunity to try new things (without adding clutter to your home!).

Here are some wonderful examples of experience gifts for kids:

1. Gift Cards

Give a gift card for a special experience – like a trip to the zoo or to the local ice cream shop or to Chuck-E-Cheese.

2. Movie Passes

Kids love going to the movies! My girls were gifted with movie passes and we 3 went and had a blast!

3. Memberships

Yearly membership subscriptions to the zoo, science center, or museums are such a fun (and educational) gift!

4. Lessons

Swimming, bowling, gymnastics, music, art – lots of different options for lessons for kids!

5. Tickets

Tickets to concerts, sports events, amusement parks, water parks, go-carting, etc. Be creative and think of something outside the box!

6. Gift of a “Yes Day!”

In all honesty, kids simply just want us to spend time with them doing what they love to do.

Why not offer them a super fun Yes Day!?

7. Gift or Subscription Boxes

eat2explore Cooking Boxes – This subscription is for recipes from different countries around the world (you can choose). My girls and I have tried several of these boxes and enjoyed them. Our favorites were the Christmas desserts and the Indian box (my girls are half Indian).

A lot of subscription boxes provide non-consumable items (like crafts), but your kids could always create the craft and give it away as a gift to a friend or family member.

Another fun idea is a gift subscription to a streaming service (like Netflix) or an Audible membership.

Do you want the recipient to be able to “open” up the experience gift? They still can!

You can gift a related item – like ballet shoes to go along with the dance lessons or a new swim suit to go with water park classes.

Do you want more experience gift ideas? Check out this long list of Creative Experience Gifts for Kids!

Need more ideas on how to “wrap” an experience gift? Here are some fun ways to do that: 12 Creative Ways to Wrap an Experience Gift

Food Gifts

Food gifts make great consumable gifts, because they are eventually eaten up!

Fun, edible treats are always a hit with my girls! Especially treats that they don’t get very often!

Here are some fun food gift ideas for kids:

  • Favorite baked goods
  • Hot cocoa jar with marshmallows
  • Cooking box subscription (like eat2explore)
  • Cupcake decorating items
  • Fruit baskets
  • Chocolate or other favorite candy or dessert items

You can always make a themed food/treat basket, like:

  • Movie night treats (popcorn, candy, hot cocoa)
  • Beach day treats (rice krispies, soda, beef jerky)
  • Saturday morning breakfast (pancake mix, syrup, sprinkles/chocolate chips)

There are a lot of different fun possibilities!

Outdoor Gifts

Although these are not really considered “consumable”, they are used outdoors and don’t take up tons of space in your house. Plus, they encourage kids to spend time outside in fresh air and nature (which is good for everyone).

Some fun outdoor gift ideas:

Financial gifts

Financial gifts are great consumable gifts because they will be used in the best way possible – by helping to providing a secure future for kids.

  • Greenlight account
  • Prepaid gift card (Visa)
  • Subscription to a learning app (for example, a language app like duolingo)
  • Contribute to a 529 for a college fund
  • Help working teens open a Roth IRA

Related: Financial Gifts for Kids

Useful or Needed Gifts

Ever practical, I really enjoy and appreciate useful gifts (my kids may have been overheard at the store saying, “but mom, this IS practical”).

Useful gifts are things that we actually need and are helpful, like:

  • New socks (can get some really fun ones like these cat socks my girls love!)
  • New winter jacket
  • Swimsuit
  • Shoes
  • Pajamas

You can spice it up by choosing fun pajamas or swimsuit with the kids favorite characters or animals.

Basically anything practical and useful that my kids would need, I very much welcome as a gift!

I always like useful, practical gifts!

More Consumable Gifts for Kids

Here are some other fun consumable gift ideas for kids:

  • Books – Get the Kindle or Audible version to minimize books piling up
  • Personal Care Items
    • Lotions
    • Lip balm
    • Bath items – bath bombs, bubble bath, body wash, bath tablets
    • Nail polish
  • Other – personalized stationery, address stamper
  • Movie Night Box
    • Digital movies + movie night box (filled with popcorn, flavorings, and other snacks, or even PJs)
  • Online Classes or Courses
  • Magazine Subscription
    • A magazine subscription to a kid’s magazine (like Highlights or Cricket) – you can recycle it when you’re finished.

Toys that are well loved and used often will certainly add value to your kids lives and their childhood. Toys only become “clutter” when you have too many taking up space in your home or the toys are not special enough to be used regularly.

Choose gifts that will be valued and keep your area clutter-free. If your kids don’t value them, then it’s probably time to donate all the gently used toys that are no longer played with.

Final Thoughts on Consumable Gifts for Kids

Most people love to give and receive gifts. If you think back on your life, I’m sure you won’t even begin to be able to count the number of gifts you have received. When thinking about gifting items to kids, why not choose gifts that are consumable and clutter-free?

What are your kids favorite consumable gifts? What other ideas would you add to this list?

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