Best Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids | Cultivate Adventure

Last updated on September 27th, 2021 at 05:21 pm

We're an Affiliate! We hope you love the products we recommend. Just so you know, we may earn commission off the purchase of items we mention in this post. Thank you if you use our links!

If you’ve landed here, you may have a wild child on your list that loves anything outdoors and thrives in nature. It can be quite difficult to find a perfect gift for these youngsters, especially one that hits all the right notes. Whether it’s for fun, function, or both, we’ve got you covered. And, to help you bring an excited smile to your little explorer’s face, we’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for outdoorsy kids.

For the Youngsters | 3 to 10 years

When it comes to children 3 to 10 years of age, it’s all about fostering creativity and curiosity. The lessons learned during this time not only ignite a lifetime of adventure, but also help develop healthy creative thinking and life skills.

1. Indoor Campfire Stories

Turn the entire living room into a fort, or have a weekly indoor campfire storytime. The S’more Fun Campfire Play Set is a versatile and fun tool for children to make a play campfire.

Pair this with the below play set or a great fireside story like Campfire Songs or A Campfire Tail for the perfect gift.

Best for Ages: 3 to 7 years

2. Backyard Playtime

Kids love mimicking adults, and with the Meland Camping Play Set they’re imagination can run wild at the same time. Kids love everything that this kit includes. Fun play can lead to many adventures and a great respect for the outdoors.

Best for Ages: 2 to 5 years

3. Creative Scavenger Hunts

For the real outdoors, enter the Go Find It nature scavenger hunt card game. Families LOVE this game for keeping youngsters (and adults) active outside. Your outdoorsy kid will enjoy the hunt while using cognitive thinking and problem solving in creative ways.

Best for Ages: 2 to 8 years

4. Discover Nature's Treasures

On the Nature’s Trail: What Will You Find? is one of the coolest books for young kids out there. For each of 5 interactive lessons, children can award themselves sticker badges for that section. This book is an age appropriate journey from easy botany to how to identify birds.

And even better, couple this with their book Bird Watch for the future ornithologists of the world.

Best for Ages: 4 to 8 years

5. Trail Learning

Another awesome tool for family outings is this Educational Activity Kit. Inside, your outdoorsy kid will find hours of learning entertainment to help foster their curiosities. From collecting, identifying, and releasing wildlife specimens to learning animal tracks, this kit is filled with activities and fun lessons.

Best for Ages: 5 to 8 years

6. Fostering Curiosity

In the outdoors, kids are true explorers, it’s evident in their constant curiosity or straying from the trail in search of new sights. With the Kids Explorer Kit children will be prepared to examine everything they come across.

Best for Ages: 3 to 10 years

7. Keepsakes from the Journey

Plucking flowers is one of the easiest ways to appreciate nature. With this Pressed Flower Art Kit, children can keep many of their keepsakes. Additionally, these small flowers can be labeled, identified, and pasted into a book for further botanical learning.

Best for Ages: 3 to 10 years

Gifts for All Ages of Outdoorsy Kids

Some gifts can grow with them whether it’s a hiking essential or an exciting book. Help open their eyes to nature’s beauty with fun tools they’ll love for years to come.

1. Useful Gear

Bandanas are versatile tools on the trails, but the Animal Tracking Bandana takes it a bit further with 21 true-to-size animal tracks. Not only that, it looks pretty cool when worn. This bandana is also 100% cotton and includes a snap bracelet that acts as a ruler for further track identification.

Best for Ages: 5 to 16 years

2. Teaching Tools

Heading out onto the trail with a confident and curious kid? Foraging with Kids by Adele Nozedar is a fantastic tool to not only learn along with your kiddos, but also keep them safe and knowledgeable when considering a treat from nature’s bounty.

Best for Ages: 6 to 16 years

RELATED: Best Snowshoes for Kids

3. Nature Illustrated

For the nature lovers that love art, Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the Natural World is a gem. Truly a piece of art that will grow with them, this beautifully illustrated guide is likely to be referenced for many years to come.

Best for Ages: 10 to 16 years

4. Explore and Spot New Species

If they’re a little too old for toy binoculars, treat them to these awesome POLDR Pocket Binoculars. They’re a perfect combination of clarity and zoom in a small size.

For an even more amazing gift, couple this with an above nature book.

Best for Ages: 7 to 11 years

5. Hydration is Fun!

It goes without saying, water is an important essential on the trails. And, with the Involve & Evolve BPA Free Insulated Water Bottles it’s also a fun way to show off their style. Because these fun bottles come in 4 different sizes and 12 designs, you’ll find one for the whole family.

Also, water bottle stickers are growing in popularity as a way to express yourself, pair this gift with these fun sticker sets.

Best for Ages: 4 to 14 years

6. Give them the Moon

Ok so, even at my adult age I want this. However, the Touch Control Moon Lamp is a perfect gift for adventurous kids to feel like their outdoors even when they can’t be. We love that this illuminated wonder can be changed to their mood to create an ambient, dreamy glow.

Best for Ages: 3 to 16 years

For Older Explorers | 12 years and up

Tweens and Teens are growing into their own by now. They’re learning rapidly, and if they’ve still got an adventurous spirit, it’s here to stay. Gifts for this age group will ready them for adult hiking and nature conservation experiences.

1. All-In-One Tools for the Trail

For the older kids, we have some great survival tools. Paracord Bracelets are extremely useful when camping or hiking. Included in this small package is a fire starter, whistle, compass, emergency blade, and 12 feet of military grade paracord. It also includes a booklet that explains its multitudes of versatility.

Best for Ages: 12 to 16 years

2. Taking Explorer Notes

Whether for writing notes about the adventure, journaling, or sketching, these Field Notes: National Parks Series are a great gift for outdoorsy teens and tweens.

We love these paired with this set of Twig Pencils for a great gift.

Best for Ages: 11 to 16 years

3. Sights Unseen

Have you ever been super disappointed in your photos of nature? The Adision Binoculars with Smartphone Photograph Adapter are a fantastic gift for older kids that take lots of photos (or sightsee) on the trail. Not only will you receive a high-quality set of binoculars, they include an adapter that fits most phones for that elusive, perfect photograph of nature.

Best for Ages: 11 to 18 years

4. Survival for Teens

For the more advanced explorers, this 11 Piece Survival Kit is our favorite in the wild. Do note that this set includes a knife, and gift at your discretion. However, this extremely versatile kit fosters respect for nature and prepares teens for a future of advanced bushcraft and survival.

Best for Ages: 13 to 16 years

5. Wonderous Readings

The Wonderful Workings of Planet Earth by Rachel Ignotofsky is a gorgeous illustration of many of Earth’s ecosystems and the biology of the planet. We find this to be a beautiful representation of actual knowledge while remaining extremely interesting. Kids will love learning through beautiful artwork and engaging concepts.

Best for Ages: 10 to 14 years

6. Journaling about Nature

Wonderlust runs deep, and giving the gift of a clean slate signals the endless possibilities that nature provides. Teens will love the beautiful craftsmanship of something special in this Mountains Writing Journal.

Best for Ages: 12 to 17 years

7. Mysteries of Mother Earth

And finally, everyone loves a mystery! They’ll find that in the National Geographic Premium Geode Kit. This set includes premium geodes to break open and reveal their natural crystalline contents. Whether it’s just for curiosity, a learning experience, or a fun project to do with a best friend, we love this for adventurous kids.

Best for Ages: 10 to 17 years

RELATED POSTS:

Image Credit: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington|(source)|Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) — reduced file size and cropped