Kids’ toys are getting increasingly tech-based, e.g. TV, movies, games. Our kids are missing out on the outdoor activities fun we had when we were young! Childhood is a time for going out and exploring, building bases, playing games, and creating worlds with your imagination. So let’s look at 50 different outdoor activity gifts that will get your kids out of the house and playing in the great outdoors in this summer holiday.
I have broken this down into five main categories to make it easier for you to find the right product. Those categories are Family Play, On the Move, Flying-High, Nature-Based, and Water Play. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Family Play:
Family play is essential, and it not only helps to build strong relationships but also helps create memories that will last a lifetime. Another great thing about family play is that it allows you to release that inner child, so go wild! Have fun and let your hair down. The kids will love you for the outdoor activity gifts! Here are 10 family play items that are guaranteed to provide hours of joy:
1. Play parachute (Age 3+)
Do you remember those fun days back in school when the teacher would pull out the massive parachute? Hours of fun throwing it up in the air, switching places with others, and rolling a ball around the top of the parachute.
You can now bring back that parachute fun for the whole family with a Play Parachute. They come in various sizes and colors, are easy to set up, and will provide you and the kids with hours of entertainment.
2. T-ball set (Age 3-8 years)
A T-Ball Set is a great way to get the family to compete in healthy competition. Take turns to give the ball a strike and see who can launch it the furthest! It’s a fun game to play for the whole family.
3. Badminton (Age 8+)
Badminton is another excellent game to play as a family. Fun, fast-paced, and easy to set up and pack away. It’s a great game to play when it’s lovely and sunny outside. It’s also a great way to tire the kids if they have too much energy!
4. Inflatable family swimming pool (Age 3+ with supervision)
Now this one is a bit of an investment, but an inflatable family pool is an excellent gift for all the family. They come in various sizes, so you are almost guaranteed to find one that will fit in your garden. Inflatable swimming pools are a great place to relax and let the kids play. You can sit back on a lilo with a drink in hand, and the kids can play games and swim around. It’s a win-win!
5. Basketball hoop (Age 6+)
A Basketball Hoop is an all-time classic. It’s great for teaching kids balance and coordination and even better for scoring that three-pointer! Create little family competitions, like who can score the most in a minute? Or who can score from the most significant distance? You can lose a whole afternoon just tossing around the old basketball!
6. Trampoline (Age 6+)
A Trampoline is an investment. But it’s a worthwhile one! The kids will love bouncing up and down for hours at a time. Just make sure that you buy one with a net around it. You don’t want your garden to become a child launching machine! For added fun, throw in a couple of footballs and have the kids bounce around while avoiding the footballs. It’s guaranteed to generate a good laugh!
7. Cornhole (All age)
Cornhole sets are incredibly underrated! Throwing a small bean bag into a hole doesn’t sound like much fun, but trust me, it’s a great laugh. Play Parents vs. children and see who’s the best! Hours of outdoor family fun.
8. Ring toss (Age 4+)
The classic Ring Toss game has been a staple point of carnival games worldwide. Now, you can bring the fun of the carnival to your back garden with a family ring toss set.
9. Giant jenga (Age 6+)
Giant Jenga is exactly like Jenga, just huge! This game is intense and fun, and more importantly, it helps create memories that will last a lifetime.
10. Croquet (Age 8+)
Croquet was a game associated with the upper class, and not anymore! It’s a great way to keep the kids entertained. So grab a mallet and give it a go. Just be warned, this game is not as easy as it looks!
On the Move:
As kids get older, keeping them in one place is much more difficult. It’s a natural part of life, so maybe help them by getting something that will enable them to travel in style! This can help the kid learn how to take care of things and teach them essential maintenance skills to help them grow up. Not to mention that it’s a great way to limit screen time, keep them entertained, giving you some much-needed relaxation time. So let’s have a look at some outdoor activity gifts for kids that are constantly on the move:
1. Bike (Age 5+)
I’m sure almost everyone remembers learning to ride a bike. It’s a pivotal point during childhood, and it helps a kid become more independent, not to mention that being able to ride a bike is fun too!
2. Scooter (Age 3+ with supervision)
Scooters come in all shapes and sizes. Three wheels, two wheels, black, white, red, blue, the combinations are endless. I’m sure most kids would love the ability to show off to their friends on their own scooter!
3. Mini roller coaster (Age 3+ with supervision)
Don’t worry. I’m not suggesting that you buy an actual roller coaster! These Mini Roller Coasters consist of four to five plastic slide pieces and a little ride-on kart. Any kid lucky enough to have one of these will be the talk of the town! Imagine if these were around when we were children. How much fun would that have been?
4. Roller blades (Age 6+)
Let’s go retro with some Roller Blades! Roller blades are an excellent gift for those adventurous little ones out there. Just be sure to buy a helmet and knee pads, as they are bound to fall a lot!
5. Skateboard (Age 6+)
A Skateboard is a great gift for those kids looking to master a new skill. They might not have grown up in the Tony Hawk days, but that won’t make it any less fun! With so many designs and types to choose from, there is bound to be one to suit every child’s tastes.
6. Go-Kart (Age 6+)
Gone are the days of building your Go-Kart using bits of wood and a handful of nails. You can now buy an excellent and much safer Go-Kart for the kids, and it’s a great gift for any adventurous little thrill seekers out there!
7. Ride on car (Age 3+ with supervision)
Ride on Cars is a classic. Kids love them! Using their feet and trying to go as fast as they can. It’s a joy to watch; even better, if they’ve been riding around on one of these all day, they will tire themselves out!
8. Three-wheeler (Age 8+)
The Three-Wheeler is an excellent gift for any boy or girl who loves speed! Pick up the pace, perform handbrake turns, and learn tricks. The possibilities are endless with one of these behemoths.
9. Doll stroller (Age 3+)
A baby Doll Stroller is an ideal gift for a little one as it is both fun and practical. The child learns about a parent’s role while playing and having fun, and that’s a pretty good combination if you ask me!
10. Space hopper (Age 3+)
Last but not least, for this section, we have the Spacehopper! We spent many hours bouncing around on one of these when we were children! Kids can race each other, build assault courses, and have bounce battles. What’s not to love?
Flying-High:
The sky’s the limit for kids’ toys, literally! There are a whole host of awesome outdoor activity gifts for kids out there. Here are 10 flying gifts guaranteed to put a smile on your little one’s face.
1. Kite (Age 5+)
Kites are a great thing to bring for a family day at the beach or just out in the garden. Kids love flying Kites around, and it’s good family fun.
2. Remote control helicopter (Age 14+)
Mini RC Helicopters are always great fun, and it’s something that kids of all ages will enjoy. Make sure you have a drawer full of batteries ready for use!
3. Stomp rocket (Age 3+)
The Stomp Rocket is simple but effective! Smash your foot down as hard as possible, and watch the rocket take to the skies! Great for keeping the kids entertained, not bad at keeping adults entertained either!
4. Skydiver action figure (Age 3+)
Skydiver Action Figures are a lot of fun and cheap too, so it’s a win-win. They usually come in multipacks, so get the kids to line them up and see which one lands first.
5. Plane launcher (Age 8+)
Plane Launchers are a fantastic gift for any child. Who doesn’t love the ability to launch miniature planes from a miniature gun! Load up and fire and compete to see who can shoot one the furthest.
6. Foam planes (Age 4+)
Foam Planes are one of those things that seem to have been around forever! Cheap, easy to set up, and incredibly fun to use. Definitely a toy that will keep the kids entertained.
7. Balloon helicopters (Age 8+)
Balloon Helicopters are very simple but very effective too. They come in multipacks so the kids can have a friendly competition to see who can launch theirs the highest!
8. Spinning sky disk launcher (Age 6+)
A Spinning Sky Disk Launcher is a popular toy among kids ages 8 and 10. Maybe splash out extra cash for one that lights up upon takeoff. Then your child can light up the night sky with their own mini UFO!
9. Boomerang (Age 5+)
A Boomerang is an old classic. Incredibly simple to use but challenging to master. Let your kids teach themselves Boomerang tricks. It’s great for hand-eye coordination, not to mention that it looks cool too!
10. Mini drone (Age 7+ with supervision)
Probably the most pricey option on the Flying High section, but Mini Drones are becoming increasingly popular with teenagers. They are fun to fly and pretty durable, and some of them even have cameras attached to your kid can make their mini movie with their friends.
Nature-Based:
It’s great to encourage kids to learn about nature, and it doesn’t have to be boring. There are loads of awesome outdoor activity gifts such as kid’s toys and accessories that will help them get closer to nature. Here are 10 different Nature-based items that would make great gifts for adventurous kids.
1. Pop-up tent (Age 2+)
Pop-up Tents are great for garden play, beach days, and even outdoor building little dens. Cheap, durable, and very easy to set up, with minimal effort and maximum fun. What’s not to love? If you are going for a real outdoor camping, here are the essentials!
2. Children’s explorer kit (Age 3+)
Kids are curious, and they love to explore and learn new things. So why not treat your kid to an Explorer Kit? It comes with everything that a child needs to investigate nature. Binoculars, butterfly nets, and even a mini explorer’s outfit!
3. Metal detector (Age 9+)
Metal Detectors are an excellent toy for getting kids outside. This toy helps any child become a treasure hunter—a must-have for adventurous kids.
4. Binoculars (Age 3+)
Binoculars are an excellent gift for kids as they teach about the world around them. Kids can discover mountains in the distance, animals in the wild, and maybe even catch a glimpse of a nosey neighbor too!
5. Mini greenhouse (Age 5+)
A Mini Greenhouse is a great gift to help kids learn how to grow their plants, maybe even some vegetables too!
6. Nature detective set (Age 4+)
A Nature Detective Set is similar to the explorer set, but this set comes with all the books and information on various creepy crawlies, Which is excellent for those outdoorsy kids out there.
7. Night vision torch (Age 3+)
Let your kid feel like a real spy with a Night Vision Torch. They can learn and discover various aspects of nature that typically aren’t visible during daylight hours.
8. Camo outfit (Age N/A)
A Camo Outfit is another excellent gift for turning children into little spies! Kids love playing dress-up, and the ability to dress up like a mini military soldier is something that most kids will enjoy.
9. Walking shoes (Age N/A)
Not such a fun one, but one that will be appreciated. Walking Shoes are essential for any child spending a lot of time out and about, and the last thing a kid wants is uncomfortable footwear while out on an adventure.
10. Wellington boots (Age N/A)
We are finishing this section. We have Wellington Boots. Now, this may not seem like a great gift at first glance. But think back to your childhood. Remember going out in the rain and jumping in and out of puddles? It was a whole lot of fun, so pass that fun on with a pair of Wellington Boots.
Water Play:
Kids love water play. Think back to your childhood. There was nothing better than taking out your super soaker on a hot summer’s day and having a battle with your friends! Kids love anything that they can shoot, splash, or swim in. So with that in mind, here are 10 water-based toys as outdoor activity gifts.
1. Aqua play kits (Age 2+ with supervision)
AquaPlay Kits are great for toddlers. They will have hours of fun playing, sailing their little boats around the course, whilst also learning by pulling, pushing, and moving various parts to shake things up.
2. Paddling pools (Age 1+ with supervision)
Paddling Pools are timeless. Kids love nothing more than splashing around in the garden with their friends, just be sure to have a few towels handy!
3. Super soakers! (Age 7+)
Super Soakers are very popular with kids of all ages. From playing war games with friends to surprising parents. Kids will have a lot of fun with one of these. Also, if your child is being a nuisance then you can always turn the table on them and give them a thorough soaking!
4. Sprinklers (Age 3+)
Sprinklers are fun. Spraying water all over the place, children just love them. Whether they are trying to dodge the water or they are jumping in and getting soaked intentionally, it’s a lot of fun and it gets them playing outside.
5. Slip and slide (Age 5-12)
Although they aren’t as popular as they once were, a Slip and Slide set is still a great gift. But just a little disclaimer, they aren’t built for adults to use, so just leave it to the kids!
6. Beach table (Age 3+)
A Beach Table is especially good for kids who don’t live near a beach. This toy enables you to bring the beach into your own garden, the kids can play and build sandcastles, and you can kick back with a drink, sounds nice, right?
7. Inflatable water slide (Age 8+ with supervision)
Now this one is not for everyone! It’s only useful for those who have a large garden. But if you do then an Inflatable Waterslide is a great gift for kids. The kids will have hours of fun sliding down and climbing up the waterslide all day long.
8. Reusable water balloons (Age 5+)
Reusable Water Balloons are a more environmentally friendly version of standard water balloons. So, get a few packs, let the kids fill them up, and then watch the carnage begin as the kids have their own water balloon war!
9. Remote control boats (Age 8+)
Remote Control Boats are a great outdoor toy. Ideal for those who live near lakes or slow-moving rivers. Kids can learn tricks and race against their friends. Just remember, it’s for the kids, not for you!
10. My first fishing station (Age 3+)
Finishing up with My First Fishing Station. These adorable little sets are great for toddlers. They can learn to catch fish. Plastic fish, of course! But it’s a great toy to get your little one playing outside.
Final Thoughts from Pragmatic Lifestyle
Hopefully, you are now armed with the right knowledge and can go off to buy that perfect outdoor activity gifts for kids of all ages. Whatever you decide to buy, just remember, you were a child once too. So don’t be afraid to show up, join in and play alongside the kids, enjoy some healthy snacks they will love it.
Now, go and get that perfect outdoor activity gifts!
Last but not least, do not forget to organize them!
About Me
Hi, there. I am Lin. Together with my husband and two kids, we live in the beautiful Netherlands in Europe. I am dedicated to self-development, creating quality time for the whole family, and fully supporting kids with their potentials and possibilities with all I have learned from engineering, MBA, and 10+ years of working experience in the energy sector.
10 Comments
Comments are closed.