Published on November 21st, 2014 Updated on January 1st, 2016 By Linda McGurk
Ready or not, the holidays will soon be upon us and if you’re looking for inspiration for gifts for that special outdoor child of yours, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve worked really hard in the past week to put together a list of some of our favorite picks for this year, and I’m excited to finally be able to share it with you. Most of the items I and/or my kids have personally tried out and the rest are on our wish list, since they come highly recommended from some of my fellow outdoor family bloggers. I hope you’ll feel inspired and find some gift ideas that will encourage your kids to get outside in the coming year!
Last year, I decided to simplify our Christmas and limit the number of gifts for our girls to five each: Something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR, something to READ, and something to DO. I ended up liking this system a lot, because it gives me some structure when I shop and it keeps things from getting out of hand. I’ve used this breakdown for my gift guide as well.
As an added bonus for my loyal readers I have a giveaway for a pair of waterproof mud pants from the mom-operated clothing retailer Sofee & Lenee on the blog today. I’ve used these types of mud pants for my kids since they started walking and I’d never want to live without them! If your child loves playing in dirt and water, make sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post. A big thank you to Dorothee of Sofee and Lenee for making this giveaway possible!
Something they want:
Balance bike. Ditch those training wheels – a balance bike is the new and improved way for youngsters to learn how to ride a bike. I know of a 2-year-old who went straight to a real bike after using a balance bike for less than six months! The Little Naturalist uses the Strider 12 Sport No-Pedal Balance Bike ($119 from Amazon) and we love it, but there are cheaper brands available too.
Slack line. My girls are constantly balancing on logs, rocks and other things when we’re outside and I know they would LOVE to have this Gibbon slack line ($70 from REI) in our backyard.
Sled. My daughters got this Flexible Flyer PT Blaster
Something they need:
Explorer vest. Whenever we go for a nature walk, the girls inevitably end up stuffing their pockets (and mine!) with pine cones, rocks, leaves and other treasures. With this Explorer Vest ($27.99 from Oakiwear) they’ll be able to keep everything handy in one place.
Sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses is just as important – if not more so – for kids as it is for adults. I like the Adventure KidZ BanZ ($12.75 from Amazon)for their UV rating and the fact that they have a head strap that keeps them in place. The girls like them because of the colors and sleek design.
Something to wear:
Mud pants. Staying dry and warm is key to having fun while playing outdoors and these European-style waterproof mud pants ($35 from Sofee & Lenee) do the job. My girls use them all year round – I love how they protect their regular clothes and how easy they are to wash off!
Rain boots. A good pair of rain boots are essential to outdoor play, at least where we live. These Muddy Munchkin boots ($48.95 from My Mayu) are unique in that they are ultralight and collapsible. They also come with optional fleece liners for colder weather.
Mittens. Nothing can ruin a fun day outdoors like cold and wet hands, so when I buy mittens I’m willing to pay a little extra for high quality. Hestra (which coincidentally is a Swedish company) is one of my favorite brands for skiing as well as backyard play on a cold winter day. The Hestra Juniors’ Czone Gauntlet Mitt
Swim suit. I know, unless you live in i the Southern Hemisphere, summer seems a long ways off right now, but this way you’ll be prepared. I like to buy long-sleeved swim suits to protect the girls from sunburn and I really like the DucKsday Summer line ($25-$38 from Ollie and Stella) which comes in many different styles and colors for boys and girls.
Something to read:
Non-fiction book. Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer have a track record of writing books about the outdoors that appeal to children (I reviewed one of them on the blog here earlier this year). In The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book they list 448 great things that kids should do in nature before they grow up ($13.60 from Amazon), including crafts, games and everything in between.
Magazine subscription. I bought a subscription to National Geographic Kids for the Big Naturalist for her birthday earlier this year and it was an immediate hit. She’s constantly asking when the next issue will come in the mail and loves browsing through all the amazing images. Since her little sister, who is 3, loves it too, we’re getting a subscription to National Geographic Little Kids
Science book. I bought Gillia M. Olson ‘s book Phases of the Moon – Patterns in Nature 
Something to do:
This one is really my favorite since it means doing something as a family. Last year we took the girls ice skating for the first time and they were thrilled. Here are a few ideas for activities that make wonderful holiday gifts:
- Try a new sport
- Go winter camping or rent a cabin for a weekend
- Visit a state park that you’ve never been to
- Go to a nature center or science museum
Stocking stuffers:
- Bug-Eye Headlight for Kids
- HotHands Hand Warmers
- Smartwool socks
- Magnifying Glass with Over-sized 5-Inch Lens
- Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm
Now it’s giveaway time! Enter for a chance to win a pair of waterproof mud pants from Sofee & Lenee through the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is open worldwide and the sizes of the pants span from 9-12 months to 9-10 years. A winner will be drawn at random and notified via email. Read the terms and conditions for more details. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
But wait, there’s more! I’ve teamed up with 14 outdoor family bloggers who are waiting to share their gift giving ideas. Make sure to pay them a visit as well. Several of them have great giveaways for you to enter too.
Outdoor Families Holiday Gift Guides
- Top Ten Christmas Gifts for Snowy Winter Fun (with Giveaways!) – Family Adventures in the Canadian Rockies
- Outdoor Family Holiday Gift Guide 2014 – Tales of a Mountain Mama
- Holiday Gift Guide – Go Adventure Mom
- Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Kids – Cragmama
- Gift Guide for Outdoor-Loving Moms: Under $50 + a Giveaway – Mommy Loves Trees
- 7 (More) Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy and Adventurous Parents – Adventures in Parenthood Project
- Wishlist for Backpacking Lovers and Their Little Adventurers – Rockies Chick
- 10 Easy Gifts for Outdoor Adventurers – Skedaddle
- 10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Adventurous Tots – Adventurous Moms
- Gift Ideas for Outdoor Women, Mamas & Babies – Rockies Girl
- 15 Outdoor Gifts You Didn’t Know Existed and Will Love – Garage Grown Gear
- Experiences vs. Things: The secret to holiday gifts that can actually buy happiness – Bring the Kids
- Give the Gift of Stewardship this Christmas – AK on the GO
- Great Giftable Gear – Mountain Mom and Tots
- Holiday Gift Guide for Adventure Tykes – Adventure Tykes
Disclosure: For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission from products purchased through the Amazon links on this page, without extra cost to you. This income helps in a small way to offset the cost of maintaining this blog. These recommendations are all based on my own opinion. I’m not paid by or sponsored by any of the brands in this post.
I’m a mom of three and sometimes the headache of laundry gets in the way of my better judgement to let kids dig around in the dirt and make a complete mess like they want (and need!) to. These Sofee and Lenee pants are amazing. I had no idea such fabulous things existed, but my children clearly need them! I love the other outdoor play ideas too–thanks for the ideas!
I love the idea of the mud pants to protect my daughters clothing. This is now on my list of “something we need”.
Man, I never would have considered mud pants, but now that I’m thinking about it, that’s pretty genius. They’d be perfect for hiking! Thanks for the reminder that a simple outing can hold a lot of joy for the littles!
Love those fox boots!
What wonderful items. Living here in AK I’m always looking for good gear to layer and keep my son warm. I’d love the wool/silk blend longjohns. Look very cozy.
I would love a pair of wool leggings for my little one. We have mud pants thanks to hand-me-downs, but no warm layers yet!
This is a really great guide. I love the 5 gift idea.
My little guy is due for new mud pants so this would be great!
Thanks for the chance!
What an awesome list! Thanks for putting it together. I really need those rain boots too!
These would be amazing in rainy Seattle!
The rain bibs are awesome! We’ve had two really wet autumns in a row, and I’m sure next year will be the same. I’m thankful for great gear so we can still get out and play
Great Gift Guide!! The rain pants are so handy and cute! And the Deuter packs are the best. We’ve bought the toddler sized ones for the girls when they were little and now have a bigger one for school.
We would love a waterproof rain jacket!
Love the idea of simplifying the wish lists for the holiday season! The mud pants look great. We are going to Iceland and I am sure they would come in handy there:0)
I like the Boys Rain Jacket and Mud Pants with Cotton Lining – Waterproof
I remember your giving format from last year & I’m glad to see it returning–such a great idea! Also love the pants you are giving away–these would a great addition to our outdoor gear–we currently just throw on Bergen’s rain suit to protect his clothes, but it would be nice to have another option like this.
I WOULD LOVE TO GET THE Flower Bonnet with UV Protection
I would love to try these first – PLAYSHOES waterproof rainwear, Free of PVC, Teflon & Phthalates
I would like to get the Children’s Longjohn’s – Wool/Silk Blend in blue!
I would love to try the wool leggings.
I like the Cotton Pilot Hat in pink striped.