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Experience Gift Ideas: East Texas

When it comes to buying gifts for kids, we tend to go straight to toys, right? But here’s something to consider – instead of adding another gadget to the toy pile, what if you gave them an experience? A trip to the zoo, a fun cooking class, or even a family adventure? Experience gifts aren’t just exciting in the moment – they create memories that stick around for years.

Here’s why experiences beat “stuff” every time:

 

1. You Get More Family Time
Experiences are meant to be shared. Whether it’s a day at the aquarium or trying something new together, these moments bring families closer. You’re not just giving a gift – you’re creating memories your child will treasure for years. Plus, it’s way more fun than watching toys collect dust.

 

2. They’re Learning Without Even Realizing It
A visit to a museum, a pottery class, or even a nature hike – all these experiences open your child’s eyes to new things. They get to explore, discover, and build new skills. It’s learning disguised as fun!

 

3. Say Goodbye to Toy Clutter
Let’s be real – toys pile up fast, and half the time, they’re forgotten a week later. Experience gifts don’t take up space in your house, and they don’t come with the dreaded clean-up. Instead, you get moments filled with joy and laughter that don’t end up under the couch.

 

4. Teaching Kids What Really Matters
One of the best things about experience gifts is that they teach kids the value of moments over material things. They start to understand that the best parts of life aren’t the things we own, but the memories we make with the people we love.

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Here are some experience gift ideas for families in East Texas.

MEMBERSHIPS

Zoo– 

Caldwell Zoo – as a member, you can access 50% off admissions to thousands of zoos and aquariums around the country. 

Children’s Museum-

Discovery Science Place– With a premium membership you can explore thousands of museums around the country, for FREE.

*in my opinion it is worth the extra price if you travel*

 

Museums like:

NASA in Houston

Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney

Longview World of Wonders in Longview

Mayborn Museum, Baylor University in Waco

Children’s Museum of Houston

Thinkery in Austin

and many many more!

Trampoline Park-

iJump

Urban Air

Amusement Park-

Six Flags Over Texas – 

Keep a lookout for their Black Friday deals, you can snag a year membership with free access to Hurricane Harbor. 

The Waterpark at the Villages

Splash Kingdom

GetOutPass– Unlock a year of adventure with the GetOutPass! Enjoy admission to amazing attractions and things to do near you! Activate anytime, then valid for a full 365 days!

Most of the places are located in the Dallas area, but the waterparks that are included are worth the price.

Watch for sales around holidays for huge discounts, (I snagged them for $10/person) then apply code HOOD5 so they know I sent you. 

Texas State Park Pass

Free access to all the State Parks in Texas.

There are about a 1/2 dozen within an hour of Tyler. 

Hike, fish, swim kayak/SUP/canoe

Movie Theater Package

Gift Card

Refillable Popcorn Bucket

Refillable Cup

Special Experiences

Animal Encounters – 

you can find a list of the local animal experiences HERE.

Arcade

Chuck-E-Cheese

Time Square Grand Slam

Family Arcade

Day at the Spa

Massage

Pedi/Mani

Facial

Coupon Books

Extra Dessert

Chore Pass

Pick Dinner

Go to Bed Late

Extra Screen Time

Classes

Art Classes

Drawing

Pottery

Painting

Gymnastics/Dance

Martial Arts

Cooking Class

Coding Class

Horseback Riding Class

Tickets

Baseball Game– 

Texas Rangers

Houston Astros

Rough Riders – a minor league team, but their field has a lazy river. 

Football-

Dallas Cowboys

College Football Games – pick your favorite team

Soccer-

FC Dallas

Circus- 

There are multiple shows that come through town throughout the year.

Concert Tickets

get tickets to their favor band or artist

Trips

Great Wolf Lodge

Grapevine/Dallas

Webster/Houston

*sign up for their free membership and get great deals

Family Cruise

Airplane pickets to visit an out-of-state friend

Snow/Ski Trip

High Adventure 

Gear

Starts a hobby together as a family

Swim Bag/water toys/goggles/snorkeling

Fishing 

Bikes

Stand-up Paddle Board (SUP) & Life Jacket

Subscription Box

Baking

Swim Bag/water toys/goggles/snorkeling

GAmes

Qwarkle

King of Tokyo

Sushi Go

Uno- No Mercy

Sorry

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