Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays, but the amount of “stuff” that accumulates can be overwhelming. Enter: Experience Gifts. Experience gifts include all of the fun of opening a present without all of the clutter. Big has received a few different experience gifts over the years, which has been a fun opportunity to get to places we might not usually visit. Experience gifts help make our holiday fun last a little longer since we can spread out visits to different destinations throughout the year.
We will be breaking down our Kid-Friendly Experience Gift Guides into different categories to share with you over the next couple of weeks. We will share inspiration for places to play, create, be active, go wild, and places that make great day trips.
Up first:
Play Experiences
You have probably heard the famous quote “Play is the work of the child” before, and as someone who has worked in the field of child development and elementary education, I can tell you this is true! We’re sharing some places that inspire play of all kinds. Tickets or memberships to these places would make great experience gifts – some of them even for kids from 0-99 years 🙂
Jaxon’s Playhouse
https://www.jaxonsplayhouse.com/
Jaxon’s Playhouse provides children with a safe indoor play space. Featuring an indoor play structure, a pretend play village, and an assortment of drinks, food, and concessions, this would make a great experience gift for toddlers, preschoolers, and above! Jaxon’s Playhouse offers single-day admission tickets and one-year memberships. Check out their website for more details!
Bowling
What kid doesn’t love a trip to the bowling alley? Grab the whole family and head to the lanes to create some lifetime memories. And hey – go ahead and splurge on the bumpers “for the kids.” *wink wink*
These two places are sure to get the ball bowling:
http://www.suburbanlanesofjackson.com/
https://jax60.com/
Axe Play
https://www.axeplayjackson.com/
This summer, during the Bright Walls scavenger hunt, Big was invited inside Axe Play to try it out, and seeing the excitement on his face is exactly why Axe Play makes the perfect experience gift! Axe Play notes they have had kids as young as seven be successful, but anyone under seventeen must have a paying parent or guardian throwing with them (and no one under 18 is allowed in after 9:00 p.m.). Whether you hit the bullseye or not, ax throwing is a fun experience for young and old. Hint: Prices are lower if you make a reservation online – visit the website above to secure your spot.
EpIQ Escapes
https://www.epiqescapes.com/
Escape rooms have become increasingly popular the past few years, so what better way to get those brains working after a big holiday meal than being locked in a room with your family? Ha! We kid. EpIQ Escapes offers four different escape room challenges, all of which are kid-friendly for people as young as six. This is a great way to get the kiddos off of screens, and get their brains working during the holiday break. As always, we recommend checking out the website above for all of the requirements and details!
Tilted Arcade Bar
https://www.facebook.com/igottilted/
Wrap up a few rolls of quarters, and start doing some hand stretches – an experience gift to Tilted Arcade is sure to earn you some bonus points! Tilted Arcade Bar features old-school arcade games, pinball, pool, and foosball. They also feature kid-friendly hours before 9 p.m. (adult supervision is required). Who knows – maybe your kid is the next pinball wizard?
Editor’s note: This post is not sponsored by any of the locations included. The opinions are our own, and we think these would make amazing experience gifts should you want to leave one in our stocking!