The Ultimate Kids Gift Guide

The latest toys and video games may be all the rage, but when it comes to finding perfect kids gifts, we believe in the value of setting up fond childhood memories to last a lifetime. This is why we’re firm advocates of family quality time spent experiencing new things. After all, what could be more fun than #MakingMemories and our Kids Gift Guide is a great starting place.

We’ve got a host of kids experiences tailored to children of all ages and personalities; from adrenaline-pumping adventures and wild animal encounters to arty workshops for young creatives. Not only do these things put a smile on the youngsters’ faces, there’s heaps of fun to be had by adults too!

Looking for some unique gift ideas? Read on and be inspired!

Gifts for Car Lovers

They might not quite be old enough to receive their own driving licence yet, but that doesn’t mean young car enthusiasts can’t experience the thrill of getting behind the wheel! Our junior driving experiences provide petrol heads in the making with the unique opportunity to hop into the driver’s seat of some of the world’s most outstanding motors. For those with a love of all things sleek and powerful, our junior supercar experiences can make young dreams come true! From Ferrari to Aston Martin, a world-class line-up of cars are simply waiting to be driven.

Is your little one a fan of the movie ‘Cars’? If so, they’ll be over the moon with this fantastic Lightning McQueen Junior Blast. Demonstrating an uncanny resemblance to the snazzy animated car, it’ll feel as though they’ve just stepped through the TV screen and straight into the movie! Known as Lightning McQueen, the cheeky character is based on the sleek Mazda MX-5 race car, which was specially-built to zip around a circuit!

Adventure Gifts

Kids are always on the hunt for adventures, so why not set them up with something new and exciting to get stuck into. For adrenaline junkies, hair-raising body flying experiences are guaranteed to give them the thrill they’re after! Taking place in the safety of a specially-designed simulator, body flying recreates the sensation of a freefall skydive, balancing in a powerful 120 mph wind tunnel. Prepare to be blown away!

Alternatively, provide them with the ultimate feeling of euphoria with a zip wire or zorbing experience. Head to the biggest zip zone in Europe (Titan Zip Wire in Wales) and watch them take on three incredible ziplines spanning more than 2 kilometres each. Aqua zorbing, on the other hand, is sure to leave them grinning ear to ear, as they splash around inside a giant sphere!

Sports Gifts for Kids

Lots of children are sports-mad! Introduce them to a brand new sport with one of our fantastic taster sessions. For water lovers, surfing or kayaking is sure to be right up their street stream! Watch them dive head-first into an introduction to surfing lesson with a qualified instructor and see them quickly pick up all the basics of the skilful water sport, from perfecting their positioning on the board to catching the wave and even standing up. Feel the pride as you watch them navigate the waves in no time!

A little less wet and wild, kids kayaking is still lots of fun and makes a cool gift for those who love being active. Let loose on the river in a one-person kayak, children make a splash as they power through the water with guidance on how to paddle and control the boat.

Those who’d prefer to stay on dry land will have barrels of fun in an introduction to polo class! Beginning with a comprehensive briefing on the basic rules and theory of polo, the kids are then schooled on how to ride a horse, as well as game techniques such as hitting the ball and hooking. Taking place at the world’s biggest polo training academy, it’s the perfect place to give the elite sport a go!

Creative Activities for Kids

Got a young artist on your hands? Let them release some creative juices with an awesome arty experience! The all-day drawing workshop is held within the inspirational surroundings of London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, where artists in the making can sketch away to their heart’s content, learning the fundamental skills of drawing such as shade, line, tone and scale.

Providing the ultimate treat for those with a sweet tooth, chocolate workshops and candy making classes are not only great fun, but they’re seriously yummy too! There is all sorts of excitement to be had, from beautifully decorating chocolate bars to mixing colours and flavours to creating vibrant multi-coloured lollipops.

Gifts for Animal Lovers

Children are inquisitive little people and animals provide an unbeatable source of excitement. See the little ‘uns light up as they come face-to-face with some of their favourite creaures as part of an awesome animal experience, such as the junior zoo keeper experience. They’re guaranteed a wild time getting their hands dirty as they help a real-life zoo keeper with their daily tasks, such as preparing food and feeding the animals. For those who love all things cute and fluffy, surprise them with the opportunity to meet the meerkats – the playful little rodents are simply adorable and love making new friends!

Know a child who’s mad about ponies? They’ll have a fantastic time horsing around on a cowboy adventure! The horse-riding trek takes the group on a two-hour trail through the stunning New Forest pastures, before tucking into a barbeque meal back at the ranch. There’ll be no long faces in sight!

Gifts for Aspiring Stars

Some children are simply born performers! Help those little superstars in the making follow their dreams with an inspiring kids gift experience that encourages them to reach their goals. Love singing? Make a chosen one feel like a real-life pop star for the day with an exciting kids recording studio experience, which they can share with up to nine of their friends! Budding musicians can be helped reach their full potential with an online music lesson hosted by one of the world’s greatest musicians. Having performed with the likes of Sam Smith, Prince, Michael Jackson and more, these elite musicians know exactly how to coach future talent!

If sports are more their thing, inspire them to get active with a tour of the London stadium. There’s no better motivation to start a new sport than visiting the home of the London 2012 Olympics, after all! You never know, maybe one day they’ll have a gold medal to their name!

Gifts for the Whole Family

Get out of the house and enjoy some family bonding time with a fantastic day out together in the capital! London has an abundance of attractions, many of which make great family gift ideas. Get the day off to a cracking start with a tasty meal together at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen. The Family Brunch and Pizza Making offers the best of both worlds, guaranteed to leave the whole family satisfied. Grown-ups savour mouth-watering brunch dishes and a glass of Ayala Brut Majeur Champagne and kids grab a slice of kitchen action as they happily make their very own pizzas. The whole family get a scrumptious dessert each – everyone’s a winner!

Whilst entertaining for the summer holidays, why not inspire youngsters to get cooking at home with these super tasty recipes from Tilly Ramsay’s new cookbook ‘Tilly’s Kitchen Takeover’? Or, they can try ‘Tilly’s Treats’ for themselves from the delicious kids’ menus at selected Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, where Kids Eat Free* all day, every day!

For something wholly different, let the kids take charge with a visit to KidZania at Westfield Shepherds Bush. The animated miniature city is ruled by kids and sees little monsters taking on tonnes of fun challenges and even trying their hands at potential future jobs, including firefighting and singing. Could it be the beginning of a blossoming career?

*Under 12, one complimentary child’s meal per adult meal ordered from the ALC menu.

Family Adventures

Adventures are best shared, so grab the whole family and get stuck into something new and exciting. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, put your bravest faces on and give a powerboat ride a blast! The Thames Rockets are capable of lightning speeds and are the best way to see the sights of London, at the same time as experiencing the exhilaration of unexpected twists and turns through the water. Another of the capital’s top attractions is The Slide at The ArcelorMittal Orbit – located at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the slide is the tallest and fastest tunnel slide in the world, passing through exciting dark and light sections which loop and weave around the iconic structure.

For something a little more leisurely (yet equally as fun), why not opt for a family hot air balloon ride? Soar to sensational heights and enjoy the tranquillity of gliding effortlessly through the air. The kids will love watching the world go by from up high!

Family Trips

What better way is there to spend some quality time together as a family, than a trip down memory lane? Create some fantastic memories to look back on with a fun-filled mini-break or a delightful day trip. Gather the troops and hop aboard an authentic steam train for a family railway trip at a choice of stunning locations across England. Chug away through the beautiful British countryside, getting off at various stops along the way the explore local sights. Now that’s what we call travelling in style!

If a spot of culture has more appeal than the countryside, venture to the capital and explore the city on a family bus tour of London aboard an iconic red double decker. Witness famous sights such as Changing the Guard ceremony at the Tower of London, as well as glimpsing Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

Escape the city and be at one with nature with a family treehouse experience! Located on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, stay high up among the canopy of the trees in a beautifully designed Swedish-inspired treehouse. With two nights in this unique accommodation, exploring all the park has to offer from watersports to stunning walking routes, you’ll all be swinging from the treetops with joy!

Looking for some gift inspiration for other occasions? Check out our selection of gift guides!

IMAGES: Pixabay and Red Letter Days