If you love seeing the joy on a child’s face as they open a present, there’s a way to get a whole day worth of that joy: give the gift of experiences.

Spending a day learning about how lightning is created, playing with animals, or jumping around together is one of the best gifts for toddlers that money can buy. It’s also the kind of gift that will create memories for far longer than anything you can put in a box. The next time you’re looking for gift ideas for kids, here are a few ways to give the little ones in your life a special day to remember.

Give the gift of animals...

...at the petting zoo. Animals are the celebrities of the kid world, and seeing them up close is one of those special gifts that’s even more fun than reading about them. For little ones, there’s nothing quite like looking straight into a baby goat’s eyes or feeding a sheep to create dinner-table conversation for weeks.

...at the aquarium. This outing trades fuzzy feels for a splashing good time, especially if your local aquarium has a live dolphin or whale show. You can even perfect your sea lion calls on the way home.

Give the gift of the outdoors...

...at the botanical garden. The scratch ‘n’ sniff of real life, a botanical garden invites kids to smell flowers, learn about the roles of all those creepy crawlies, and take home inspiration for future crafts. Your wee ones might even make up a plant species and name it after you. How does Uncleus Awesommus sound?

...on a boat ride. Among the more adventurous gift ideas for kids, young ones can apply their expertise in pirate adventure or point out familiar objects on a boat tour of local waterways. You can make those memories during a paddleboat or canoe rental, too (no eyepatch required).

Give the gift of exhilaration...

...at an activity center. Whether the kids in your life love bouncing on trampolines or tumbling around an indoor play center, this kind of time spent running around is often so memorable that it probably won’t be your last such adventure together.

...at a museum. Never underestimate the wonder that overcomes children as they learn about science and other topics in a hands-on way. At many kid-specific museums, youngsters are further empowered: they can turn lights on, make train sets run, and even cause chemical reactions—none of which you’ll have to clean up afterward.