Spending time together is a gift.
Do you want to give a unique gift, or provide a different experience for your family? Experience gifts do just that. They provide family time using different experiences for everyone. Some of these are in person and other experiences are virtual. Overall the objective is to provide your family with a fun time doing something new while being together. The best part of experience gifts is the memories that are made. These memories are worth way more than any money could buy in just one physical gift.
IFLY Indoor skydiving
Yes, you read correctly. Indoor skydiving is available at IFly. A special clear tunnel is constructed to lift you off the ground as if you have just jumped out of a plane. As stated in their advertisement Flying is for Everyone is true. It is for everyone from 3 to over 100 years of age. It will provide memories that will last a lifetime. You can be a beginner or someone that has done this before and is advanced. You select your location. Then they ask you questions about yourself and interests to determine what is a good fit. It is a unique experience for everyone.
There are many options for what your family would be interested in doing along with safety measures to keep everyone comfortable to fly. What a great way to spend time with family and have stories to tell for a lifetime.
ESCAPE ROOM
Escape rooms provide families with emotional excitement, physical challenges, and intellectual stimulation. There are many to choose from. Online virtual escape rooms are also available for families that either cannot meet in person or live in other states.
Escape rooms are an experience where your group is locked into a room and challenged with finding the clues to unlock the door. There is always someone monitoring your room for safely and sometimes to provide clues when you get stuck. Escape rooms are a unique way to have fun with your family.
Escape rooms are experiences for families that want to do something challenging and fun together. More importantly they provide memories for all family members and are great for sharing stories.
HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE
Have you ever thought about taking a hot air balloon ride after seeing one above your head? It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It provides time spent as a family with an incredible adventure. It can spark a lot of conversation just by observing the scenery below.
You could even create a scavenger hunt while up in the balloon. Have specific animals or types of vegetation to look for while together in the balloon. This would keep children engaged in the ride and be able to relive the experience in the future. Not to mention the learning that would go one just with being there to set up the hot air balloon and take it down. There are activities for set up and take down. Give it a try!
GEOCACHING
Geocaching is an adventure for everyone. It consists of finding different objects hidden all over the world. It is the world’s largest treasure hunt. There are three easy steps to start the adventure:
- create an account
- Find a geocache
- Share your experience
This adventure is for all family members. Some of the benefits include:
1. Learn facts about the Planet Earth
2. It challenges you both physically and mentally
3. Go to and learn more about your community
4. Gets everyone outside
5. Creates memories and stories for a lifetime.
More importantly it teaches problem solving skills. In order to be successful the team must communicate with one another, which benefits everyone. These lifelong skills and real world experiences provide all family members with critical thinking.
BOWLING
Almost every town or nearby town has some type of bowling alley so why not try it? It is something that all ages can partake in throughout the year with little cost. Some bowling alleys have an arcade or restaurant connected to them. There are many options of when to bowl also, Some families would prefer to do it in the morning while others like the midnight bowl time. It all depends on what will work for your family.
The beauty of bowling is that there are also many accommodations that can be made. Some have bumpers for less experienced and younger family members. They also have a tool where the ball sits on and rolls off based on where it is placed. Shoe rental is available so no need to bring special bowling shoes. No need to have your own bowling ball either. They are provided at the bowling alley. Nowadays the score is kept electronically, but you could bring a notepad and pencil for children to do some math during that time too. It is very flexible.
STATE PARK EXPERIENCES
There are many experience gifts at parks located all over the world. For example, Kicksledding is one that has become very popular. It involves family members pushing a sled with a younger family member on the sled. Another one is exploring tunnels of a cave. There are so many different activities that a family could participate in at a state park near or far. Some other options are:
- Biking
- Kayaking
- Hiking
- Snowshoeing
- Fishing
- Cross- country skiing
- Horseback riding
- And many more
Some of these have a cost associated with them and many others are free. Your family gets to choose which one they would want to try out. The best part is that you can google state parks and find out which ones are nearby your home or where you are vacationing at the time. There is also a virtual option for many parks. This is time well spent with family where stories will be shared for a lifetime.
EXPERIENCES ARE MEMORIES
Why not choose experience gifts for a family outing or special occasion. By choosing this type of gift or experience a family spends more quality time together. It also creates memories and stories to be told for a lifetime. Time spent with family is the number one gift we can give as parents. Your children will appreciate these experiences for an entire lifetime versus a physical gift that may provide entertainment for a day or month.