30 Wonderful Minimalist Gift Ideas Kids Will Love

When it comes to buying gifts for the kids in our lives, it can be difficult to know what to buy. What can we buy that they will love, but won’t make a huge mess or add unnecessary clutter to a minimalist’s home? The best way to shop for kids is to look to their current interests and needs first. In this post, I will give you some minimalist gift ideas for kids that will be cherished without cluttering the home.

What is a Minimalist?

Minimalists want to keep clutter to a minimum so that they can better enjoy their lives. They know that if their home and schedule are cluttered with things they don’t love and need, they are sacrificing space and time for the things they do love and need.

People who practice minimalism are often looking for ways to simplify their lives. 

Simple living and minimalism often go hand-in-hand. They may want to replace some of the items in their homes with things that will serve their needs better. And they want to be surrounded by things that they absolutely love…ONLY what they absolutely love.

But this looks different for each minimalist!

For minimalists with kids, keeping clutter to a minimum is a little more tricky. They have to be extra intentional about handling all that comes into their homes on a daily basis.

And, they are probably working hard to nurture a love for minimal living in their kids. That means teaching their kids to appreciate what they have, keep more of what they love, and have less of what they don’t love.

Are All Minimalists Opposed to Receiving Physical Gifts for Their Kids?

Minimalists aren’t necessarily opposed to receiving more things for their home, but it’s best to ask. After all, minimalists definitely want to keep clutter to a minimum.

If they are currently decluttering, giving them physical gifts may not be a good idea. But if they have already decluttered the bulk of what needed to go, they may have a better idea of what kinds of things they would prefer to have.

(If they are in a place of not wanting ANYTHING new entering their home…there are a lot of clutter-free gifts you could give them instead.)

If you aren’t a minimalist, but you want to buy something for a friend or family member who is, you must consider their lifestyle and interests. Start by looking to their current interests and needs first.

By starting here, you can ensure that whatever you buy will be loved and not seen as clutter.

Minimalist Gift Ideas for Kids

There are so many great options out there for minimalist gift ideas for kids, but I’m going to share 30 with you today to give you some inspiration.

Remember, when you are buying gifts for kids of minimalists, you need to be intentional about what you buy. Gifts for minimalists shouldn’t cause clutter in their life.

That means the gift needs to be meaningful, line up with their priorities, and not cause added stress.

When it comes to they types of toys every kids should have, check out this post on decluttering toys down to the essential toys for kids.

Here are some minimalist gift ideas for kids to get the juices flowing for the kids in your life.

Preschool

Here are some minimalist gift ideas for kids who are 5 and under:

Small Fidget Toy

A small toy like this is perfect for small fingers that like to fidget.

Bath Crayons

These bath crayons are great for budding little artists! They get to draw on the sides of the tub, and it wipes right off when they’re done. The great thing about any art supply…they’re consumable so they don’t clutter your home.

Wood Building Blocks

Building blocks are essential for any minimalist toy collection. The possibilities are endless!

Bears for Sorting/Counting

These colorful bears and cups can be used for learning or play.

Bilibo Versatile Toy

Kids can use this in so many ways, but it’s extra fun for them to sit in and spin.

Kitchen Playset

A kitchen playset is great for imaginative play for preschool-aged children and even young kids.

Kid-Sized Umbrella

Kids love umbrellas and playing in the rain! Get one that’s just their size.

Foldable Dollhouse

A foldable dollhouse like this one is great because it doesn’t take up tons of space AND it’s easy for them to pack up and take with them wherever they go.

Young Kids

Here are some minimalist gift ideas for kids who are ages 5 to about 7 or 8:

Kinetic Sand

Kinetic sand is great for kids who love to play with their hands. This play sand sticks together, making cleanup much easier.

Tail Blankets

These blanket tails are just so fun and practical! They come in other colors as well.

Magnetic Building Tiles

My kids love these magnetic building tiles because they are so fun to build with, and I love them because they don’t take up a lot of space in our house!

Headphones

Some kid headphones are great because they’re comfortable and they don’t get too loud. These have a SharePort so that more than one person can be listening to the same thing.

Buildable Cars

Regular cars are great, but these are even better. These cars are buildable and the pieces are interchangeable so that they also nurture creativity.

Play Silks

This play silk can be whatever they want it to be: a cape, skirt, veil, belt, bag, hammock, or all of the above!

Crayola Twistable Crayons

For the artistic kid, give them this modern version of classic crayons.

Mental Blox

This building block set is great for young kids with its variety of shapes and attributes that make building with them a game of logic.

Older Kids

Here are some minimalist gift ideas for kids ages 8 to 15+:

Slime Kit

Slime is so fun to make, and this kit brings great variety and creativity to one of their favorite pastimes.

Snap Circuits Exploration Kit

These snap circuit exploration kits are tons of fun but are amazing learning tools as well. Give them hands-on experience building models of working electrical circuits.

K’NEX Building Set

A K’NEX building set can be used to build all kinds of things in all kinds of shapes. Like LEGO, this toy has stood the test of time.

LEGO Ideas Book

Speaking of LEGOs, for the child who has a multitude of them, give them this book that will give them ideas for things they can build that they maybe hadn’t thought of before.

LEGO Storage Bag and Play Mat

Pretty much the only frustrating thing about small building blocks is that they end up everywhere for us to step on them. This playmat is also a storage bag…just wrap it up and take your LEGOs with you.

Kitchen Science Kit

For the kids who love working with their hands and learning, a fun science kit like this one is the way to go. I love that it only requires ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen!

Microphone for Creating Videos

Do the children in your life have their own YouTube channel or wish they did? Get them this microphone to give them good sound quality for all of their fun video-making needs.

Comforter Set

For the older kid, a room makeover is always a great idea. Even just updating their comforter set can go a long way in making them feel like their room fits their pre-teen or teenage status.

Nail Polish Gift Set

For the girls on your list who love to paint their nails, a nail polish gift set like this one will be much appreciated.

Lip Balm Set

Some trendy lip balm like the ones in this Eos set will also be a huge hit!

Kids Chef Knife Set

For the budding chef, why not give them their own chef knife that’s actually made for kids?  This one comes with a knife and finger guard as well.

Beats Headphones

You can’t go wrong with these high-quality headphones that are high on every older kid’s wish list!

Water-Color Pencils

For the artistic older kid, some water-color pencils offer a fun option instead of the usual colored pencils.

Sketch Book

And of course, the artistic older kid needs a new sketchbook to keep all of their new drawings and doodles.

What About Gift Ideas that Aren’t Things?

If you are looking for some minimalist gift ideas for kids that aren’t physical things, there are so many options!  I’ve listed many ideas in another post: Gifts for Minimalists. Check it out to get unique ideas for both adults and children.

Here is a summary of the types of gifts I mention that are great for minimalists:

• Consumable gifts
• Activity-based gifts
• Service gifts
• Donations
• Subscriptions
• Gifts of quality time

Final Thoughts

When you are stumped about what to buy for the kids in your life, begin by evaluating their current interests and needs. As long as you are being intentional about what you buy, you can’t go wrong!

I hope you found some inspiration for the kids in your life from my minimalist gift ideas for kids. There are so many great possibilities, whether you are wanting to buy them toys or something else.

What minimalist gifts will you buy for the kids in your life? Share with us in the comments!