Encourage hobbies. Talk to the children to discover what they would like to do.
A class in martial arts, yoga, trapeze, gymnastics, music or hula dance might be a perfect gift.
Certificates for Time....Make time to spend with the children. Make colorful "coupons" they can redeem for a day spent with you. You can specify the activity or leave it to their imagination, within reason and the budget. An example would be a day baking cookies, a picnic in the park, a trip to the museum or zoo, a tea party, a matchbox race, or working in the garden. Children love it when adults take time to enjoy being with them and often the activity itself is not important.
Choose toys that have no real end point, or winners and losers. A box of scarves from a second-hand / thrift store, or irregular handmade building blocks, would be great. These are surprisingly satisfying to children.
Choose a toy you remember from your childhood-such as a hula-hoop, wooden aeroplane, or red wagon. A story about you as a child using that toy would be a great thrill for your children.
Give something really useful.
Age 1: small silverware set / stainless steel sippy bottle.
Age 2: flashlight.
Age 3: step stool.
Age 4: bowls + rolling pin + cookie cutters, baskets, sewing kit.
Age 5 and up: accessories to encourage your child's natural interests-swim goggles, a new basketball, eco friendly art supplies, gardening tools + organic seeds etc.
Give something alive. Bulbs in the winter, seeds in the spring, or a houseplant, cactus, or herb garden or terrarium anytime.
Make something-a hat, a kite, a checkers board or pottery. Children sense the difference when someone cares enough to make them something.
Pillowcases Are Individualized Gifts
You can choose material that you know they like. Or let the children come along and choose the material they like or recycle fabric. It doesn't take that much material and you don't need to purchase a pattern. You just sew up the sides and machine hem the bottom.
Puzzles and Dress-Up Clothes for Kids
Homemade puzzles are fun and can be adapted to any age. Use heavy backing such as the cardboard inserts from packaged sheets or heavy poster board. Find a colorful picture from a magazine or old book you don't mind tearing up, preferably something of interest to the child. Firmly glue the entire page to the cardboard. When it is dry, cut it into creative shapes. The number of pieces and degree of difficulty are up to you!
Dress-up clothes are always fun. These can be found at garage / yard sales and thrift stores. Often the best dress-up clothes are silky nightgowns that Grandma wore and her old shoes, purses and hats. Many things we consider out of date are a treasure to a little person.
Pictures in a Number of Places
Blow up a picture of the child glue it on cardboard then cut it up into pieces according to child's age. Large pieces for the very young child and smaller pieces for the older child. Then print a collage of smaller pictures in black and white to cover a coffee can for your puzzle. Also well received by adults. Also have glued pictures inside a clear plastic Christmas bulb. Every age likes to see themselves in pictures.
Various Gifts from Fleece
Fleece is a great gift. Look for sales and thrift stores. You can do a scarf pretty easily as well as a blanket, mittens, hat, stocking, and pillowcase. Fleece does not fray at the end, so you needn't worry about sewing the edging because it won't unravel. To make a nice finished edge, either do a yarn blanket stitch, which loops from one side to the other, hooking the last stitch as you go so there is a line going along the top. Experiment because it's easier than it sounds.
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Easier still is to cut in from the edge about three inches and 1/4 inch apart and you have a fringe. To get fancy, put two different fleece together, two solids or one pattern other solid color, sew them together or blanket stitch on the sides, then on the ends of the scarf cut the fringe. Take one fringe from each side and tie them together. It looks great!
Personalized Placemats
Placemats made from old calendars or magazines are easy. Just cut out the pictures and lay down on clear laminate. Then put a layer of laminate on top making sure to smooth it out to prevent air bubbles or wrinkles. The little ones will love seeing characters from their favourite magazines when they eat.
Honor the children with a donation to a nonprofit organization that addresses their concerns. Talk to them to find the best fit. Humane societies, environmental organizations, and food banks resonate with the concerns of many children. Even the very young understand the importance of giving.
Protect & preserve the remaining orangutan population and the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. For as little as Au $55 per year you could 'adopt' an orphan orangutan and contribute directly to the care of one of the many infants in need. You will recieve an adoption certificate, photos and regular updates. What a great gift with a difference!
Orangutan Foundation International
www.orangutan.org
Orangutan Foundation UK
www.orangutan.org.uk
Boneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation
www.savetheorangutan.co.uk
Australian Orangutan Project
www.orangutan.org.au
For your celebration parties, request that the guests bring a song in lieu of gifts, to sing after storytime or one cup and plate to make a tea-set, thrift shops are great for single small cups, or anything that is recycled. Thrift shops are also great for books. Put a request on your party invites for recycled pre-loved books to add to your child's library / for a book swap!
Natural Parenting 
Here are some great ideas for activiities and gifts that align with anti-consumerist values. Spend time together. Activities need not be exotic. A trip to the fire station, a performance, museum, art gallery, library, nature park, produce and local craft markets or a trip to an organic farm.
