10+ Holiday Gift Ideas That DON'T Depend On The Supply Chain (as much)
It’s October 26th, 2021 and the holiday season is upon us! Halloween is only a few days away and then we’re into November and we’re moving into the grateful and giving season. But if you listen or watch any national news at all, you’ve heard about mounting delays in the global supply chain, oceangoing freighters waiting for weeks and months to be offloaded at US ports, worker shortages, and on and on. All of which could affect that pile of gifts under the tree or Hannukah lights.
In the SCP household, we’ve never been huge Christmas gifters. We spend within our means and try to choose gifts with potential for learning and broadening experiences. Not to mention, 6 or so gifts per kid x4 adds up to $$$$. So with all of this talk of shipping delays, I’m looking to pare down even more and focus on experiences that will continue to keep on giving throughout the year- memberships, subscriptions, tickets for fun events. Things that will hopefully be less effected by supply chain and do more to boost our local economy.
If you’re a parent, auntie or uncle, or grandparent, keep reading for a fantastic list of ideas that will delight your little one and give your family the gift of time together.
1. Backyard Play Cafe
First off, particularly if you have a toddler or preschooler, you NEED to know about Backyard Play Cafe in Dickinson, ND. It’s a clean, brightly-lit INDOOR PLAYGROUND that offers an amazing space for little ones to play and use their imaginations in freestyle play. Not only that, their coffee shop serves some of the best coffee in town, sourcing their beans from Twenty Below Coffee in Fargo. It’s an amazing option for parents and little ones, particularly during long North Dakota winters. You can pay for one playdate at a time, or get a monthly, 6-month, or annual membership that allows you to play as many times as you want + offering a discount on drinks, special events, and birthday parties. Seriously, this is one of Dickinson’s coolest places for families with young kids!
2. Dickinson Museum Center
Next up, we have the Dickinson Museum Center- which may sound a little dry and dusty, but it’s really not! This complex includes the Badlands Dinosaur Museum, with an impressive range of exhibits featuring locally-sourced dinosaur bones and fossils, as well as the Joachim Regional History Museum, Pioneer Machinery Hall, and Prairie Outpost Park. An annual family membership pass is only $50. In pre-Covid times, the Dinosaur Museum offered a popular weekly program for preschoolers and I hope to see that come back soon.
3. Theo Art School
In Bismarck, we have the incredible Theo Art School, a non-profit dedicated to empowering children and adults and fostering their sense of self through artistic expression. They offer a wide array of art classes, everything from Art & Wine events to Mommy & Me Hour, for littles 10 months to 3 years! If you’re local, you can gift the little artist in your life a Theo Art Box with 3 different art projects. Family events, private classes, birthday parties, after-school programs, and classes for homeschool groups, they do it all.
4. Sky Zone
Who doesn’t love a trampoline park? Plus pizza and coffee options? Sign me up! Obviously, this is probably a better option for slightly older kids, but Sky Zone Bismarck does offer a Toddler Zone, a special court just for little tykes 6 and under! A Basic Membership starts at $20/month. What a great winter activity!
5. Gateway To Science
Oh my goodness, if I lived in Bismarck, my kids would beg to be at Gateway To Science all the freaking time! Another non-profit, their mission is to inspire the discovery of science through hands-on experiences. From the Augmented Reality Table and the Robotic Arm exhibits, to STEM camps and coding programs, this is a place that will keep your little scientist wanting to visit again and again. Not to mention, they’ll be moving into a new facility soon! For the youngest scientists, they also offer programs for preschoolers.
6. Dakota Zoo
Of course, we can’t forget about Dakota Zoo in Bismarck! Who doesn’t love a zoo?! This is such a great year-round option for families with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Annual family memberships start at $85 and include free admission, 10 train tickets, and a lot more.
7. West River Community Center
If you’re in or near Dickinson, it’s unlikely that you’ve never heard of West River Community Center. I mean, with the indoor and outdoor pool, sports programs, fitness classes, climbing wall, and a huge variety of events throughout the year, WRCC is a happening place. But for young families in particular, a WRCC membership is a worthwhile gift option just for their Kids Fit program and Mommy & Me fitness classes.
8. Infant Swimming Resource (ISR)
Piggybacking on WRCC, ISR lessons for the little one (and their parents!) in your life would be such an amazing, LIFELONG (potentially life-saving) gift. ISR lessons are offered at WRCC by a certified ISR instructor and we’re so lucky to have this resource in our community!
9. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
For the nature-loving family, an annual park pass to TRNP is a great gift idea, giving access to North and South Units of the park for an entire year. If you’re a fan of TRNP, you know what a beautiful and dynamic landscape it is, changing with the time of day and the time of year. For little ones, there are several easy hikes for little ones, as well as so much wildlife to spot from the car. A fun afternoon can start with ice cream at Hatlee & Brae, followed by an hour or so of play at the gigantic wooden playground in Medora, and then a hopefully quiet afternoon drive (because those babies will be napping after all that playing) through the park.
10. Raging Rivers Water Park
Whoohoo! Ok, your kids might not be chill with waiting a whole 6 months to enjoy their Christmas present, but when it comes to local experiences, Raging Rivers is right up there on the excitement scale because you can’t really beat waterslides and a lazy river. Buy tickets or a season pass and DONE. 😂
If you’re still looking for gifts to wrap, here’s a couple of really unique local retailers:
Rattle & Roll Baby Boutique, downtown Dickinson, ND. Newborn, baby, toddler, and kid clothes, toys, books, feeding + eating supplies, breastfeeding supplies, cloth diapers, herbal teas and remedies, essential oils, Rattle & Roll is a treasure trove of fun and unique gifts and essentials for anyone under the age of 12! They also offer online shopping and shipping!
Out Of Town, Bismarck and Dickinson, ND locations. Contemporary, upscale fashion and accessories for babies, kids, and women.
Lily Valley Baby, Bismarck, ND. Modern infant basics and gear.
Hiccups, Bismarck, ND. The focus here is FUN! Toys, books, and clothes for your little one.
The ARC, Dickinson, ND. Let’s not forget about perhaps the most eco-friendly option for toys: THRIFTING! At the ARC, I’m always impressed by their selection of clean, well-packaged toys, practically as good as new, with so much life and play left in them! You save money and space at the landfill!
Dejavu Tots This is a great, locally-owned consignment shop in Dickinson, ND! Check them out for gently-worn clothes, toys, and costumes.
Once Upon A Child, Bismarck, ND. Another incredible consignment store with a huge selection of gently-used clothing for kids and babies, books, toys, name-brand diaper bags, baby carriers, SO MUCH.
Ok, and last, but not least, a few suggestions for the mom on your list.
This is probably my favorite suggestion on this portion of the list. Happy Rock Farm is located near Gladstone, ND, where they raise alpacas and flowers. They run a flower CSA (community supported agriculture) that is one of the best things I’ve gifted myself in the past few years. Seriously, this is THE gift for any flower-loving person in your house. Buy the CSA share during the cold of winter and all summer long, every other week or so, the most gorgeous fresh-cut flower bouquet will show up at your door!
Their farm store also offers cozy alpaca wool products.
Salt Kitchen Co., downtown Dickinson, ND. Y’all. Dickinson sometimes looks just like any other small oilfield city, dusty and muddy, but you’d never know it when you step into Salt Kitchen Co. Gorgeous, high-end kitchen supplies and ingredients. Fancy meats and smelly cheeses. Infused vinegars and oils. Cooking classes. Just do yourself the favor of walking in and taking a deep whiff.
Stanza D’Amore, downtown Dickinson, ND. Again, big city sophistication and sensuality with small town heart and values, this isn’t the elegant lingerie shop you expect to find in an oilfield town. But it’s right here, providing a taste of the finer, sensuous side of life.
Holy buckets, did I forget anything? Are you ready to tackle that shopping list yet? I think I might be.
Don’t forget about all of the other non-material gift ideas for the pregnant folks in your life, that support the small business owners and makers in your life:
massage
mani/pedis
babysitting
birth and postpartum doula services
birth prep classes
photography!