Toys are a huge source of clutter in a family home. Kids tire of old toys, and companies constantly put out the next best thing.
It’s no wonder we trip over toys left and right in every room of the house!
If you’re trying to declutter your home – and actually keep it that way – it might be a good time to think about gifts and toys for your kids that don’t have much of a physical footprint in the home.
Start with these good gifts for boys who have enough toys for the upcoming holiday season!
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Our Top Gifts for Boys That Won’t Cause Extra Clutter
1. Subscription boxes
Subscription boxes are the gift that keeps on giving. What’s more fun than getting a new package in the mail for months in a row?
And best of all, there’s a subscription box for just about anything and everything depending on the boy and his age. It could be as simple as receiving new comic books each month or as interactive as getting a buildable lego set.
While these are actual physical gifts, they tend to be sent in small doses. Your child will also have time to use up or play with the box contents for an entire month before getting the next, making it super easy to get rid of before the next one is opened!
Here are a few great subscription boxes for boys check out:
- Bitsbox – Teaches your kids how to code in a fun way!
- Superpower Academy – “A STEM + Social & Emotional subscription that places kids as the hero in their own adventure story.”
Did you know you can shop for subscription boxes on Amazon? >>
2. Coloring books
If your boy is into coloring, definitely consider these as a gift that will both calm and excite the mind.
We love coloring books as a clutter-free gift because, once you’re done, the artwork can be photographed and recycled never to become clutter at all!
Check out more fun coloring books on Amazon >>
3. iTunes gift cards
If the boy you’re buying a gift for is of iTunes using age, gift cards are perfect and well-received! They can use these gift cards to buy music, apps, games, movies, books and more!
iTunes gift cards work great as stocking stuffers or inside greeting cards.
Taking up virtually no space, you don’t have to worry about decluttering much when they’re used up (and you won’t find yourself tripping over them in the living room either!).
Grab your iTunes gift cards off Amazon >>
4. Sneakers
What boy doesn’t love a new pair of sneakers?!
The best part about this gift is that it’s something they will wear and wear out (and grow out of) to the point where they have to be tossed before getting a new pair.
The sneakers will not become a huge source of clutter in the home, and they will also love looking cool in front of all their friends at school wearing new kicks. Win-win!
Shop for boys’ sneakers on Amazon >>
5. Movie tickets
On-demand might be convenient, but seeing a favorite action-packed movie at the theater still takes the cake. Getting movie tickets for a boy is an experience that they can share with the family or with friends!
If you want to spice up the gift, add it to a box of movie theater snacks!
Buy movie ticket gift cards on Amazon >>
6. Tickets to a professional sporting event
For the ultimate boys’ day out experience, tickets to a professional sporting event cannot be beat! There’s literally no clutter left behind from this type of gift.
What makes it even better is the fact that it’s so sensory-stimulating for your child. So, if they’re into baseball, basketball, or football – add these clutter-free gifts to the top of your must-buy list!
7. Sweets
Treats are such an easy win with kids. Chocolate, Smore’s fixings, cookies, etc. They get eaten and are therefore no longer something to clutter up the home.
If this is not a gift for your boy, you may want to keep in mind the amount of sugar you are giving to someone else’s child. They may not be thanking you when their child is bouncing off the walls!
8. Personalized photo books.
Creating a photo book takes just minutes with the Chatbooks app! It’s so easy and the results are impressive.
Kids love seeing their pictures in “real” books, and they literally take up a tiny space on a shelf.
9. Arts and crafts supplies for young artists.
Skip the gimmicks and stick to the basics (nice markers, chalk pastels, crayons, various papers, Sculpey). Maybe add some fun online art lessons for a well-rounded gift.
These items take up very little space, and once they are used up, they can be tossed or replaced.
Grab some great art supplies on Amazon >>
Related Read: Check out this post on how to KonMari Your Kids’ Artwork Like a Boss
10. “Mom” Coupons
Basically, this is a set of homemade tickets for things like staying up late, extra screen time, and a special outing with Mom or Dad. My kids adore “mom” coupons and ask for them every year.
You could also make “Auntie” or “Uncle” Coupons with special perks that can be enjoyed together. The options are endless!
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15 thoughts on “Gifts for boys who don’t need more clutter causing toys”
Thanks for the great list! I don’t usually think of outdoor toys for Christmas, but the sleds are a great idea. I am hoping to be able to get my kids a tire swing, too, but maybe this spring. My family is getting books and art supplies this Christmas, and no toys.
I love the tire swing idea!
This is a wonderful list! I have three little boys and we’re really trying to minimize our Christmas and stop buying meaningless junk just because it’s Christmas. A trampoline and a swing set are great ideas! I love your point that they were out there burning off energy instead of ruining your house. So true when you have boys!
Those boys need to run, don’t they? My 7 year old asked for a punching bag last year – he loves pummeling it on a regular basis 🙂
One of the ways we’ve kept the gifts under control is to give each child 3 presents. Jesus received 3 gifts from the wise men. If 3 was enough for Him, then it’s enough for us!
Yes – I love that strategy, Shecki! 3 presents is plenty, for kids and adults alike. It also helps to keep our focus off the gifts and on Him.
I love the idea of ‘Mom Coupons’. This year the boy in our home will receive a WiiU and a new headset for recording all those Minecraft videos. He may even get a LEGO Minecraft set. Whew! The younger years were so inexpensive.
At least you know he’ll get a lot of use out of those things! Have fun shopping 🙂
Oh I love this dome climber, I might have to add it to our list too, I agree our guy has too many toys….this is a great way to get him to play outside. I love Anna’s swing idea too, now that’s cool.
The more active, the better! Although it is so sweet to see them curled up with a good book, too…
The climber is a wonderful playhouse/tent/whatever, too. I sewed together a sort of huge patchwork of whatever cloth I had, leaving one part openable, and the kids loved it.
This is a great list! I have an active boy who just turned 8. To make things harder, he also has a December birthday! Other ideas we have used are roller blades, ice skates, street hockey equipment (sticks, nets, balls), basketball hoop and ball, new baseball gear (bat, batting helmet, bag), bucket of handballs. Also gift cards to places like local batting cage and mini golf, bowling, etc.
FYI toys are for everyone. Literally everything you listed are toys for either boys or girls. I understand you were talking about gifts for your children, but in that case you shouldn’t market this post as anything other than gifts your active children (who happen to be boys) would like.
I have purchased Hallmark recordable books for my younger great grandkids, and ‘read’ the story to them before sending it. My grandkids tell me they listen to them often, and sometimes they can hear my voice reading in their bedrooms. When I visit from out-of-state they recognize my voice. ❤️
Trampolines have a high rate of injury associated with them. So many swing sets are wooden now, and very expensive.