5 Earth-Friendly Children’s Gift Ideas
Gift-giving is a joyful experience. It is a time when we celebrate our loved ones and show them our gratitude for being a part of our lives. However, this experience may at times be a stressful one when we are unsure of what the recipient might like or find useful. Ever since my family and I began our minimalist journey, we have become mindful of not only what we give to others but also of our requests for gifts. We focus more on experience-based gifts and/or those that serve the needs of the less fortunate in our communities. The idea is to cherish the memories from these experiences. When we do decide on ‘product-based’ gifts, we look at supporting local businesses, a ‘need’ that requires to be fulfilled, the versatility of the item and/or if they are sustainably produced.
That being said, even if a gift we receive doesn’t necessarily “spark joy” to us, showing gratitude to the people who love and think of us when they gift us something is important. Our children will also learn from us to give relationships far more significance than to worry about what enters our homes.
I have compiled 5 categories of gifts below that are sure to be loved by children of all age groups and are earth-friendly as well! Leave me a comment if you have more to add to the list :)
Gifts That Serve
Volunteer at Beach cleanup drives organised by environmental groups such as Green Nudge and Trash Hero Singapore; help organisations such as Willing Hearts, Food Bank and TOUCH Community Services that pack food for & deliver them to vulnerable groups in the community.
Donate to charities like Gift-It-Forward, Giving.sg and SPCA .
Indoor Experience-based Gifts
Workshops conducted by Soaprise where you can make candles, soap bars & slime. The experience is sensorial and the products you create during the workshops can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Art Jamming Sessions at Splat Paint House where the whole family can get “messy” while creating a masterpiece!
Sewing Course by Sew Into It (In-person) or by Sewing Camp (online). We are personally members of Sewing Camp and love the flexibility of learning from the comfort of our home.
Tickets to watch a play, movie or for indoor activities like rock climbing.
Classes to learn a skill or just for fun! (music, sports, dance, art, baking/cooking etc).
Outdoor Experience-based Gifts
Tickets to parks or outdoor adventures (Forest Adventure, Beach activities).
Forest Adventure
Vouchers or Gift Cards
Handmade vouchers for a playdate with friends or 1-1 outing with a parent.
Gift cards to purchase books at Thryft (pre-loved) or clothes at Mini Lama (pre-loved).
Vouchers to purchase school books, bags, stationery.
Product-based Gifts
Gifts that are edible (package-free chocolates or favourite snacks from bulk stores; organic fruit subscription from Shiok Farm).
Consumables like soaps and body lotions from low-waste , package-free, bulk stores.
Reusables like a good quality water bottle, snack box/bag, bamboo straw, unpaper towels or even bug repellant from two of my personal favourite stores The Sustainability Project and Trove of Gaia (gift cards & e-vouchers available too!).
Products from recipients’ wish lists that they need (this is our personal favourite to send to grandparents and extended family. Google e-wish list to create one!)
Plant-able stationery from Left Hand Design.
Educational material from stores like Noah’s Toys & Games (their products support small businesses & artisans, are open-ended and made from sustainable material) and Indigrow Kids (products are made from recycled material, printed with safe ink and have upcycling messages on them to encourage kids to be sustainable from a young age).
Plant saplings from local nurseries.
Noah’s Toys and Games
Indigrow Kids
Trove of Gaia
As Marie Kondo recommends, when choosing gifts for a loved one:
Think about the recipient’s lifestyle. Be specific!
Imagine them using the gift.
Let go of the end results.
I hope you found the above list useful! If you’d like more gift ideas, I highly recommend you check out these articles from susGain here & here (Singapore’s first rewards app where you earn cashback, support sustainable local businesses and help a local charity of your choice). The articles feature gift ideas from verified sustainable local brands for family, friends, colleagues and of course kids!