With the holidays approaching soon, you are probably starting to think about what to gift, if not already buying for your kids! Throughout the whole year, it is a goal to spend as much time outdoors as possible, so why not gift items that will encourage that further. Not only will these outdoor gifts help keep toys from overflowing throughout the house but it will spark curiosity, adventure, and creative play. You will also find some gifts perfect for days that you just don’t want to get out of the house but will help to keep the learning and adventure going.
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Kid Tent
This is one of the items that will be coming back into our house this year. You can determine the size you want but I recommend a 2 person tent unless you have older kids. Not only can they pop this up in the house but it can be used outside as well. We use it as reading nooks, hidey holes, creative play, and of course, actual camping! We have always used Coleman and likely will continue through the rest of our camping days. They are durable and built to handle kids.
Sleeping Bags
We camping almost all year round but specifically in the cooler months. Having a sleeping bag that will grow with the kids is important. You will also find that kids do not have to use the sleeping bags just for camping. They can utilize them for sleepovers, bonfires, and even in their reading nooks. It also takes their adventure play (and nap time) to the next level.
Head Lamps
Flashlights are a pretty big deal when you are a kid. Since my kids were barely toddlers, they begged to wear our headlamps everytime they were broken out. It gave them a sense of adventure and they are just really cool. So you can only imagine the look on their faces when they get to open up a package with their very own headlamp. These are awesome because they are adjustable and grow with the kids. They are also battery powered and have a long usage life. You can also bet that the night time adventures are going to get a lot more fun!
You might also be interested in: Must Have Outdoor Toys
Walkie Talkies
My kids received walkie talkies a few years ago and use they all the time. So much so, we have to order new ones (that are a little more durable). We have found that these are absolutely incredible to play with around the house but they are also great to take on your outdoor adventures. So far we have used them for hiking, camping, and fishing. There are even voice activated walkies so your younger child doesn’t have to struggle with holding buttons and talking at the same time. Later down the road, all you have to do is adjust the settings to remove the voice activated feature. With our upgrades, we will be also grabbing some that have longer distance range.
Remote Control Cars
These little cars will guarantee hours of play both inside and out. I had assumed that my son would be more into these as he is fascinated with anything with wheels. My daughter though thinks they are absolutely amazing too. There are quite a few options to choose from but I would recommend finding one with easier controls, like a wheel or one with a hand grip for easier control for younger children. There are many durable remote control cars that can be taken on outdoor adventures and even rough terrain.
Telescope
This is one of my personal favorite items as we study the moon and stars every month for our nature based homeschool lessons. There are many different options out there but I would highly recommend looking at a smaller set up at first so you can bring it easily to different locations. These are not only great for watching the night sky but you can use them during the day to observe nature from afar.
Lawn Mower
These bubble lawn mowers have been a godsend at our house. It started off that they kids just wanted to follow us around when we were mowing but they started to incorporate them into their daily outdoor play. You can fill these with bubbles to bring extra fun to the table too! There are others that don’t have bubbles. Another staple to this outdoor toy is the kid leaf blower.
Bubble Machines
Bubbles machines are the perfect parent hack. I typically don’t mind when my kids ask me to blow bubbles but I am not always available to do so. While my kids know how to blow bubbles, its easy to get winding or a little burnt out of the action, especially when you can’t chase the bubbles when you are the one blowing. Cue the bubble machine. This is a wonderful tool to keep your kids playing, inside or out. I am definitely the parent that lets this machine come inside (but only on days where I plan to mop).
Stomp Rockets
I remember as a child how much fun it was to play with stomp rockets. It is no different for my children. It brings a whole different level of fun to the table. This is one toy that I recommend be used strictly outside. The bonus to this is that it can be used in all weather. It also doesn’t have to be plugged in or use batteries. It runs solely off the power of the stomp.
Spider Swing
My kids received a spider swing for their birthdays last year and it is easily one of their favorite things to do when we are on the property. We hung ours on a tree near our creek. The kids will spend hours jumping on and gliding or pushing one another. Their imagination takes over and all of a sudden they are exploring a whole new world. This will also support them as they get bigger, so it is guaranteed to last for years.
Indoor Gardening Kits
These gardening kits are an absolute blast. They typically involve a craft and let your kids take part in gardening, from preparing the soil, sowing their seeds, nurturing their plants, and watching them grow! Here are a couple of our favorite kits.
Gardening Tools
We are big gardeners so the kids are always outside with us. One of our kids favorite gifts was their own, personal, kid sized tool kit. I recommend getting both gardening hand tools and full size gardening tools – kid sized of course! We figured out after the first go that sharing tools proved difficult because they wanted to do exactly what mom and dad were doing. If you have multiples, consider getting them each their own.
Stepping Stones
This is a super fun craft that your kids will cherish. Every year, we make stepping stones to put in our garden. Eventually we will have a nice little path created that each child made. They love going into their nature space to enjoy seeing their own little pieces of art.
Sidewalk Chalk
You can go wrong with Chalk. This is a great option to provide your children to inspire creativity and play. Sidewalk Chalk is also a great option for parents as it provides both hands on and hands off play.
Outdoor Playhouse
I cannot even begin to fathom how many hours my children have been spent in their outdoor playhouse. It is a multiseason activity and definitely helps creative play. Some days they play house, other days they play doughnut shop. It is a magical place that they can go to for play, exploration, and fun.
