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From Plastic to Playful Moments: Why More Aussie Families Are Choosing Experiences Over Toys

As we pass the halfway mark of 2024, families are settling into a groove, and with spring just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning your next family adventure. Australia’s capital cities are buzzing with exciting new attractions that promise unforgettable experiences for all ages.
CONTENTS
Queensland Queensland
0min read
From Plastic to Playful Moments: Why more Aussie families are choosing experiences over toys
For years, kids' birthdays and holidays in Australia meant new toys - bright, plastic-packed, often quickly forgotten. But a quieter revolution is underway. Families across the nation are now rethinking gifting. The new preference? Experiences. 
15 August 2025
Melissa Soutar
BLOG Image - Hunter Valley Horses
Australia's Shift Toward Experience Gifting
Experiences like zoo memberships, surf lessons, creative workshops, or STEM days are being embraced not only for reducing waste, but for nurturing connection, curiosity, and joy. And the statistics show it's more than just a trend.

  • Australians still spend heavily on gifting—almost $20 billion annually, with cash and gift cards increasingly preferred over physical items. 85% of Aussies say giving gifts makes them happier than receiving them 
  • A 2023 Inside Retail and Gift Flick survey revealed cost-of-living pressures are pushing Australians to seek more value and emotional connection in their gifts, with personalization gaining traction as a top priority.
  • The Australia Institute found that nearly 30% of Australians expect to receive Christmas gifts they’ll never use or wear—worth roughly AUD 980 million in total—and 45% of gift-givers would prefer not to receive unwanted items.
  • Meanwhile, toy libraries are accelerating - Toy Libraries Australia reported over 130,000 families participating in shared toy libraries, reducing waste and increasing toy reuse across the country.
Why experiences are gaining traction
✅ Less waste: Experiences don’t end up in cupboards gathering dust or in landfills.
✅ More lasting impact: Skills, memories, emotions—they stick long after a toy’s novelty fades.
✅ Closer connections: Time spent together—learning, exploring, playing—is the real gift.
✅ Value-conscious choices: Especially in tough economic times, families choose gifts that reflect their values and budgets.

In the words of Dr. Belinda Barton: “Spending money on experiences rather than material goods can significantly boost happiness. Experiences contribute to our identity and are less likely to cause social comparison”.

 

GIFT CARDS
Blog Image Mini Karting
Mini Karting Sydney
What experience gifts look like in Australia 
 

Experience Type

Examples

Why It Resonates

Nature & Adventure

Wildlife tours, beach days, bush school

Bonding with environment, excitement

Creative & Performing Arts

Music, painting, drama

Confidence, expression, imagination

STEM & Discovery

Robotics workshops, science camps, coding labs

Future skills, curiosity stimulation

Wellbeing & Play

Kids yoga, sensory play classes, mindfulness

Calming, emotional development

Travel & Day Outings

Zoo or aquarium passes, holiday parks, family hikes

Exploration + shared memories

Rather than “another plastic toy,” many gift-givers now think, “What unforgettable moment can I share with this child?” (christie – how can I meet them where they are, expose them to new environments and challenge them through new activities)

 

EXPERIENCES
CURRENT PROMOTIONS
Below are currently some of Spark Pop’s current promotions. Hurry you better book in quick!
Event Cinema
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Australia
EVENT Cinema Pass
Great for All Ages
Discover
FROM
$45
Legoland Building
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Melbourne
Melbourne Big Ticket
Great for Ages 3-12
Discover
View all Promotions
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Spark Pop is part of the movement

Spark Pop was founded in 2022 by Sunshine Coast mum Melissa, who was finding homes overwhelmed by unused toys and parents searching for sustainable alternatives. She created Australia’s first marketplace dedicated to curated experiences for kids and families, initially launching in Southeast Queensland and expanding across the east coast and Perth.

Their mission? To reduce toy clutter, support local play and learning providers, and funnel profits back into community causes, including The Smith Family and toy library initiatives. Spark Pop is all about helping families create memories—all while creating less waste. They’re not just selling experiences—they’re championing a different way to celebrate childhood.

GIFT MEMORIES

Kids won't remember the toy.. but they'll always remember the adventure.

The shift to experiential gifting in Australia is powered by real change in values and priorities. Between mounting waste from unused toys, budget-conscious giving, and a growing desire for gifts that mean something, experiences are becoming the gold standard.

And platforms like Spark Pop are making it easier than ever to gift joy, learning, and time instead of more stuff—showing that the future of gifting isn’t in what’s unwrapped, but what’s experienced.

👉 Explore Risky Play Experiences Across Australia

GET $10 OFF YOUR FIRST BOOKING
SIGN UP

 
Queensland

Here in Queensland this year will continue to be about captivating lands and worlds exciting and captivating children, parents and grandparents alike! These are those experiences that will create everlasting memories.

Experience the magic of the
Wizard of Oz at Movie World

Gold Coast
| December 2024

It’s been 85 years since the musical fairytale movie The Wizard of Oz made its mark on the silver screens and has never looked back!  Follow the Yellow Brick Road to the new Wizard of Oz precinct.

This spectacular new addition to Warner Bros. Movie World will hit those flashback buttons for parents and make little eyes light up! With 96cm and 4-year-old requirements, this one is perfect for our pre-primary and primary-aged kids who often miss out. The world-first Wizard of Oz precinct features two family-friendly coasters: The Flight of the Wicked Witch, a thrilling suspended family coaster with a 454-meter-long track and speeds up to 67 km/h, and Kansas Twister, a family boomerang racer with dual racing tracks and speeds up to 58 km/h.

Guests will get to immerse yourself in the magic of The Wizard of Oz with projection mapping, stunning sculptures, and facades as you follow The Yellow Brick Road to the Land of Oz. Designed with low height and age restrictions, these high-capacity attractions are set to provide a magical experience for all ages.

BOOK NOW
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The Wizard of Oz – Movie World on the Gold Coast
CURRENT
PROMOTIONS
Below are currently some of Spark Pop’s current promotions. Hurry you better book in quick!
Frame 756
Gold Coast

The Wizard of Oz at Movie World

Great for Ages 6-13.
Discover
From
$23.45
Frame 756
Gold Coast

The Wizard of Oz at Movie World

Great for Ages 6-13.
Discover
From
$23.45
Frame 756
Gold Coast

The Wizard of Oz at Movie World

Great for Ages 6-13.
Discover
From
$23.45
View all Promotions
Sydney

Here in Sydney this year will continue to be about captivating lands and worlds exciting and captivating children, parents and grandparents alike! These are those experiences that will create everlasting memories.

It’s Playtime at Immersive
Gamebox

Sydney
| Open Now

With 29 locations worldwide and over 1 million players, this new dimension of fun is taking off! Recently opened in Darling Harbour, Sydney, you’ll be among the first in Australia to experience the future of immersive social gaming. Ready for good times? Immersive Gamebox is the place for you.

In this unique social gaming experience, your body is the controller. With motion tracking, projection mapping, touch screens, and surround sound, each Gamebox is an interactive smart room designed to offer immersive experiences from popular games, such as Squid Games, Black Mirror Careers, Tetris 1991, Angry Birds, Paw Patrol, Ghostbusters and more.

Suitable for all ages and experience levels, this attraction is perfect for families looking to bond over innovative games and challenges.

BOOK NOW
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Immersive Gamebox – Darling Harbour, Sydney

Which of these new attractions are you most excited to visit with your family? Let us know in the comments!

These epic new attractions across Australia are perfect for families seeking fun and memorable experiences. From the immersive world of Bluey to the adventurous rides of Wizard of Oz, there’s something for everyone.

Ready to make memories?
Book your family’s adventure now with SPARK POP!

GET 10% OFF YOUR
FIRST BOOKING