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If you’ve got an intrepid little explorer in your life, you’ve maybe noticed that it isn’t always easy to find outdoor adventure gifts for kids. Fear not though, for I’ve managed to compile a list that’ll delight even the hardest-to-impress child. All of the suggestions here are from my go-to shop for any gifts for outdoorsy kids, Wicked Uncle. They always seem to have a raft of unusual and quirky toys that kids love, so if you like the look of these, you’ll find even more unusual ideas for kids’ gifts on their website.
Outdoor Adventure Gifts for Kids
I’m narrowing it down to fun to be had in the great outdoors though (or at least the back garden). With each of these clocking in at under £20, they make perfect presents for young recipients, and won’t break the bank.
Outdoor Adventure Camping Projector
We went on a camping holiday earlier this year, and I wish I’d have known about these beforehand. This natty little projector can project 24 different fun images of things like owls and toasted marshmallows onto any darkened surface. It also doubles up as a nightlight with a 15-minute automatic shutoff to preserve battery life. I don’t think the kids were prepared for just how dark it can get when camping out, so this would’ve been a godsend.
My son keeps asking to go back out camping, but It’s way too cold for me at the minute. If your little one has a hankering for the outdoors too, you can use this projector indoors to recreate the moon or a starry sky onto their bedroom ceiling until their next trip!
Spy X Night Mission Goggles
If you’ve got a kid who fancies themselves as a bit of a secret agent, you can probably already envision them wearing these whilst commando-shuffling across the kitchen floor.
When thinking of outdoor Christmas gifts for kids, it’s worth bearing in mind the shorter days that this time of year brings. Usually dusk signals the end of outdoor fun for children, but with these puppies, they’ll be positively itching for it to turn dark, just so they can don these and complete a top-secret mission!
The goggle have a blue filter to increase contrast in dark conditions, while the blue-light LEDs provide hands-free lighting. There’s also a flip down scope that offers magnification, so they can see a little further too.
Jumbo Octopus Kite
Adventure toys for kids don’t get much more classic than a kite. This one is a little different from the diamond-shaped models of my youth though. This GIGANTIC kite measures a whopping 4 metres from the top of his head to the end of his tentacles, making for a dramatic sight when gliding through the sky on its extra-long line.
The best thing about this huge soaring cephalopod though, is that it neatly folds away into a small storage bag when not in use. If you’ve ever had bulky kites taking up room in the house before, you’ll realise it’s nigh on impossible to keep them from being trashed. Being able to just pop this one back in a bag and carry it around is an absolute game changer.
6-in-1 Solar Recycler
As environmental issues escalate across the globe, it’s imperative that we instil in our children the importance of things like recycling. But how do you make kids care about what happens to those tin cans and plastic bottle once they’ve finished with the contents?
By giving them the means to turn them into toys!
Everyday rubbish can soon be transformed into yachts, cars, robots and more with this nifty little kit. What’s more (and this is where the outdoorsy element comes in), it comes with a solar panel to power their new creations.
Zombie Popper
Sometimes, kids just want something simple and gross.
Zombies have enjoyed a bit of a renaissance over the last decade. No doubt in some small part due to the type of people who say “it could actually happen you know!” and store 6 months’ worth of beans in their basement.
The rest of us can have fun with zombie-themed toys without worrying about potential escape routes in our houses, though. This soft foam shooter won’t protect you from hordes of the undead, but will provide hours of fun instead. Just give the little zombie a squeeze, and his foam brains will soar through the air. It can be used indoors or outdoors, but to take advantage of its 20ft range, you’ll be best firing this outside.
Kids’ Scavenger Hunt
I didn’t realise how much kids love a scavenger hunt till my son’s teacher started getting the kids to do these in their respective houses during the lockdown over Zoom calls. When they’re at a young age, kids are often learning how to play new games as they go along. With a scavenger hunt though, they’re already instant experts: what do they know better than their own home?
Of course, if they have friends over, your children have an unfair advantage by knowing where everything is kept at your house. This is where the outdoor deck of cards come into play, with items like snail or tree, being fair game for any kids outside. It’s a great game to take to a local park with friends.
Hide & Seek Periscope
The ULTIMATE hide and seek accessory!
To see and not be seen is the trick to playing hide and seek, and this periscope certainly helps with that. Keeping hidden whilst still scoping out what’s going on 30cm above will take anybody’s hiding game to the next level. Brilliantly, the makers of this periscope have optimised this for outdoor use by using a bamboo and dark green colour scheme (no standing out with a neon yellow periscope here!).
Beyond that, kids will get a kick from being able to spy at things that are normally out of their line of sight. Bird boxes, high-up cupboards, or the bar of chocolate you hid on top of the fridge are all within view now. Best find another hidey hole for your private chocolate stash!
Of course, if you pick up any of these suggestions, or any of the other great children’s presents on the Wicked Uncle website, your next problem will be how on Earth you manage to get the kids back in the house!
Let me know in the comments if I’ve missed your favourite outdoorsy toy.
Check out my list of the best classic garden toys – ranked if you’re still in the mood for outdoor fun.
When it comes to outdoor adventure toys for kids, don’t forget that there’s also other ways to make your garden more fun to play in.
Excellent ideas