10 Fun Gift Ideas for Kids Who Love Outdoor Adventures
My kids love being outside. Swimming, climbing, hiking, swinging, biking – you name it, they love any and all outdoor adventures.
When I start thinking about Christmas gifts for them (or birthday gifts or any time gifts) I often find myself looking for new things for them to do outside. For kids who love being outside what’s better than something to extend, encourage, or deepen their outdoor adventures.
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10 Gifts for Kids Who Love Being Outdoors
Below are the gifts my kids have loved the most over the years. The highest rated, most loved, most used again and again gifts.
1. Bug Kit
Our twins got one of these bug kits a couple years ago and it is one of our most used outdoor materials. Kids who love being outside love looking closely at bugs, gathering samples, looking at compasses, etc. This is a great gift for kids ages 3 and up.
Tip: I made copies of the “FIELD NOTES” page on the clipboard and kept the original so I could keep making copies for them. We’ve written a LOT of Field Notes in the past couple of years.
Want to go a step further for kids who are a little bit older? My son absolutely loves this Bug Catcher Vacuum.
2. Kid Binoculars
We got a couple pairs of these binoculars when our twins were 5 and they have accompanied us on many adventures since. I love kid binoculars for encouraging our twins to slow down and look more closely at the world around them. These are great for hikes, but we’ve also used them at airshows, boating, and at the zoo.
Also Read: 10 Best Gifts for Family Who Love to Travel
3. Kid Telescope
My kids are obsessed with the moon and the stars – really all things outer space – so a telescope is a natural gift idea. They love being able to look up at the moon and stars at night. A great starter telescope.
4. Kid Kayak
Those of you that follow me on Instagram have probably seen our kayaks a million times. These are durable, easy to transport, well balanced kayaks that are perfect for kids. If your kids love water sports as much as mine do then these are an awesome gift. The kayaks come in 5 different colors and with the paddle included.
For those of you with older kids, my daughter recently upgraded to a Stand Up Paddleboard. They do make them in shorter sizes that are perfect for kids around age 10 and up. If you live in a beachy area, I would check your local resell sporting goods stores first, but otherwise there are inflatable ones on Amazon. If you’re willing to spend more and have an even older kid, I absolutely love my ISLE paddleboard.
5. Keen Shoes
For kids who love being outside these are amazing shoes. They are breathable and comfortable with a durable bottom, toe protection and best of all for parents – machine washable.
6. Outdoor Adventure Book
I think you could pair any of the items on this list with a book about adventures or the great outdoors. There are tons of picture books about such adventures, but here is a list of my favorites: Best Picture Books about Adventure.
On the other hand, you could also get a book for your family to inspire a year of adventure:
For little kids I will put a shameless plug for my book – LITTLE WALKS BIG ADVENTURES here. It is full of ideas for field trips and adventures to have with toddlers and preschoolers.
For older kids, I highly recommend THE KIDS’ OUTDOOR ADVENTURE BOOK which is full of ideas for older kids to enjoy the great outdoors.
ORDER FOR LITTLE KIDS or ORDER FOR BIG KIDS
7. Snorkel
Snorkeling is a newer obsession in our family. My seven year olds can’t get enough. These full face snorkel masks are also newer, but having tried both with our kids I like these better. They make snorkeling easier with kids – fewer pieces, less fogging up, just less issues.
8. Lessons for a New Activity
If your kid likes outdoor activities then they will likely love to try something new – rock climbing, sailing, surfing, etc. You name it, there is a huge range of outdoor activities for which you can get lessons. Pair with a new swim suit or some gear and you have a great Christmas gift for a kid who loves being outdoors.
9. Zoo Membership
One of the things our kids love most about the outdoors are the animals that are everywhere. They also love the zoo. A Zoo Membership is an obvious gift for kids who love outside and animals. We have one for the San Diego Zoo and have absolutely gotten our money’s worth in afternoon trip to the zoo and weekend days at the Safari Park. For Christmas or a Birthday I would pair this with a book and/or stuffed animal.
Also Read: Top 10 Gift Ideas for Kids Who Love Animals
10. Snow Shoes, Pool Toys, or Other Fun Gear
My last gift giving advice is to pick the outdoor activity that your kid loves the most and get them something new to do. If they love the snow – try a pair of snow shoes or a new sled. If they love the pool – gift some new pool toys.
ORDER: POOL TOYS or SNOW SHOES
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