Best Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids 2023

Shopping for the perfect gift can sometimes be stressful. If you are looking for the perfect present for an active, outdoorsy kid, gear for spending time outside is a great option. This post will help you find the best gifts for outdoorsy kids.

Winter is a great time to get outside, and colder temperatures and early sunsets provide opportunities for fun activities like skiing, snowboarding, and Family Winter Play After Dark. As fun as winter outdoor play can be, having the correct gear is especially essential during cold and wet weather.

From practical to playful, this list of our favorite gifts for outdoorsy kids can both inspire winter outdoor fun and make your shopping easy! Make sure to check out our complete collection of Gifts for Outdoorsy Families for even more inspiration.

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Our Winter Outdoorsy Kid Favorites

You can find an abundance of outdoor items at any store and from various online retailers, but they are not all created equal. The team here at TMM has decades of experience with choosing the best gear, and we have complied a list of our favorites for outdoorsy kids. These items will help outdoorsy kids stay warm, dry, and ready for all their winter adventures, and they make awesome gifts.

Staying Warm for Outdoorsy Kids

Having good quality gear to keep kids warm is key to being able to enjoy time outside when temperatures drop. These items are among our favorites and are kid approved, too!

Reima Ote Mittens

The Ote Mittens are waterproof and warm, and especially important for kids, the mittens are easy to put on and keep on. We love the outstanding grip for whatever kids need to hold during their winter adventures from snow shovels to ski poles. Reima is a trusted outdoors brand, and these mittens will last for years.

girl wearing a light pink sweatsuit and dark orange mittens
Reima Ote Mittens in Action

Reima Skimba Ski Gloves

The Skimba Ski Gloves keep kids’ hands warm even when it is super cold because they are fully waterproof and well insulated. We love the features like the special pocket for a ski pass, the reinforced palm and thumbs, and the strap for easy adjustment, and as a bonus, these gloves are fully machine washable.

girl from the waist up wearing winter gear including ski goggles and light pink hat and mittens
Reima Skimba Gloves in Action

Chasing Windmills Thermal Long Johns

These merino wool thermal long johns are temperature regulating, quick drying, and breathable. We love the reinforced knees on the pants and the beautiful colors, as well as the company’s commitment to using only merino wool that meets the responsible wool standard. High quality base layers are key to keeping kids warm for all their winter adventures.

two kids jump on a green couch while wearing striped long johns
Chasing Windmills Thermal Long Johns in Action

Footwear for Outdoorsy Kids

Proper footwear is important year round, but especially during the winter, when cold or wet feet can totally derail outdoor plans. These Stonz boots are tried and true favorites that make great gifts for kids who love to tromp through snow and mud.

Stonz Puffer Booties

Perfect for up to age 2.5, these vegan puffer booties are warm and water resistant as well as machine washable. We love that they are easy on and off with adjustable toggles to make sure they stay on. These booties are highly adjustable, so you can size up to get the maximum use out of them.

partially visible adult holding a child whose feet and lower legs are visible. Child is wearing snow pants and pink puffer booties.
Stonz Puffer Booties in Action

Stonz Rain Boots

These rain boots keep feet dry and and comfortable, with a soft cotton lining, and the grippy rubber soles provide great traction for little explorers. We love that these boots are easy to wipe clean, and kids can choose their favorite vibrant color or pick a beautiful, nature themed rain boots print. These boots are perfect for all the puddle-loving kids on your shopping list.

young girl wearing a polka dot shirt and black pants crouched over in a large rain puddle. She is wearing yellow Stonz brand rain boots
Stonz Rain Boots in Action

Stonz Rain Boot Liners

Extend the use of your Stonz rain boots with these warm fleece rain boot liners to keep kids’ feet warm during the extra cold and wet days. We love that these liners are so easy to put on that even young kids can manage on their own. We also love that the liners are machine washable because you know they are going to get muddy!

Backpacks for Outdoorsy Kids

Backpacks are a great gift for outdoorsy kids. These bags from one of our favorite brands, Deuter, are perfect for a day outside or longer backpacking trips, and they can be used for years to come.

Deuter Schmusebar Backpack

The Schmusebar backpack is perfect for outdoorsy kids ages 3 and up, with a sternum strap and an eight liter capacity that has just the right amount of space without having too much room to overload it and make the bag to heavy for kids to carry on their own. We love this bag’s bright colors and fun designs, plus the excellent storage pockets: two on the sides for water bottles or treasures and one large pocket in the lid.

Deuter Fox 30

The Deuter Fox 30 has all the best features of adult hiking backpacks in a child sized version: adjustable sternum strap, padded hip strap with a zipper pocket on one side, and Deuter’s breathable Aircontact system for ventilation and load balancing. One of our favorite features of this bag is Deuter’s Vari-Quick back length system that allows the bag to grow with your child, making this a bag they can use for years to come.

Deuter Fox 40

The Deuter Fox 40 is similar to the Fox 30 but with added capacity that still gives the user ways to properly balance they weight they carry. This great bag for older kids to grow into and to continue to use well into their teens, or even young adulthood, as it also features Deuter’s Vari-Quick back length system.

Backyard Gifts for Kids

We love playing outside in all weather and during all seasons. These tools for active outdoor play are great for helping outdoorsy kids to stay active year round, and they make awesome gifts for all the kids in your life.

family jumping on a trampoline
Pocket Flyer Kite

Inground Trampolines from Trampolines.com

Kids of all ages love to jump and bounce, and these inground trampolines are a perfect gift for outdoorsy kids. We love the variety of shapes and sizes available, as well as the add-on LED light kit that is perfect for extending jumping time during the dark days of winter.

Family with mom, dad, and three kids jump in the air above an inground trampoline surrounded by fencing in a suburban backyard

Backyard Zipline

This backyard zipline is high quality, durable and tons of fun, and to be honest, our favorite part is that it is also safety rated for adult use too!

Prism Designs Pocket Flyer Kite

Kids will have hours of fun with this pocket flyer kite, and we love how the kite packs up really small into the included pouch.

Winter Activities for Outdoorsy Kids

Once outdoorsy kids have the proper winter gear, they are ready to go spend some time outside. These products make great gifts that will inspire hours of outdoor winter adventures.

Sno-Storm 48” Snowboard Sled

The Sno-Storm 48” Snowboard Sled is a lightweight, foam soft sled with a handle that is easy for even young kids to pull up the hill themselves, and we love how it allows the user to ride sitting or standing, making it a good intro to the sport of snowboarding, or just a really fun sled that goes fast even without tons of snow. We always get stopped and asked where we got ours every time we use them!

Yukon Charlie’s Sno-Bash Snowshoe Kit

Snowshoeing is a great winter activity to enjoy the outdoors and stay active, and the Yukon Charlie’s Sno-Bash Snowshoe Kit is a great starter set for kids. We love the bright colors, the carrying case to pack everything away, and the adjustable bindings that will allow kids to use these from child shoe size 11 all the way up to adult shoe size 6.

Snowball Makers

Snowball fights are a classic winter activity, and these snowball makers will make the activity even more fun. This set features four snowball makers, with two regular ball shapes and two fun shapes, making it perfect for kids to enjoy with siblings or friends.

Winter Gear for Outdoorsy Kids

In addition to proper winter clothing, other tools can make winter more fun. These items are perfect for cold weather adventures and make great gifts for outdoorsy kids of all ages.

Marshmallow Roasting Sticks

These Marshmallow Roasting Sticks are child-safe and user-friendly, as well as extendable and lightweight. We love the storage bag to keep them all together when not in use, and this set comes with eight sticks, so there are enough for everyone to roast their favorite foods over a fire.

Hydro Flask Food Jar

Having a hot meal while you are outside in the cold makes every winter sport and adventure better, and this Hydro Flask Food Jar will keep your favorite foods steaming hot for hours. We love the variety of colors available that allow each person to easily identify their own food.

REI Camp Wrap

This versatile product can be worn like a cape using the snaps and arm loops or used flat as a blanket. We love the wide variety of uses of the REI Camp Wrap and how it helps us stay cozy by the campfire or warm up after a day on the ski slope.

More Gear for Outdoorsy Kids

Outdoorsy kids will enjoy these items that are perfect for enhancing winter outdoor adventures and can also be used year round. These make great gifts that will be used for years to come.

ENO DoubleNest Hammock

Hammocks are not just for summer, and you can snuggle up in this hammock with some blankets and a thermos of hot chocolate for some wintry relaxing. We love the large size of this ENO DoubleNest Hammock that has room to be enjoyed with a friend, and these hammocks are lightweight, durable and pack up small when not in use.

Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp

The Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp is perfect for night walks during the short days of winter, and it also works well for camping trips. We love that this model is durable, water resistant, and has an auto shut off after two hours to prevent battery drainage.

MPOWERD Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern

The short days of winter can make getting outside during daylight hours difficult, but this Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern is perfect to light up even the darkest night. We love how lightweight this lantern is, making it easy for even young kids to carry, and how small it collapses for storage when it is not inflated. This lantern is fully solar powered, so there is no need to be changing batteries all the time.

Junior Naturalist Gear for Outdoorsy Kids

Kids are inherently fascinated by nature, and these tools are perfect gifts to enhance and encourage their natural curiosity about the world around them. If you have a junior naturalist on your shopping list, you will want to check out these items.

Pocket Naturalist Guide: Animal Tracks

This Pocket Naturalist Guide: Animal Tracks is lightweight, laminated to be durable, and contains a ton of information in a small space. It is perfect for throwing in your backpack for walks and hikes, especially in the winter when animal tracks are easy to find in snow and mud.

Binoculars for Kids

These binoculars for kids are great for examining nature and wildlife from afar. They are high resolution, in addition to being compact and perfectly sized for kids. We love the bright color options, as well as the neck strap and storage bag for when they are not in use.

Carson Pocket Microscope

The Carson Pocket Microscope is a great tool for young naturalists who want to take a closer look at their environment. Winter is a great time to examine small details on nature treasures like fallen leaves, and we love that this microscope is compact, lightweight, and portable so kids can easily bring it along on outdoor adventures to discover, learn and explore the natural world.

Board Games for Outdoorsy Kids

Games always make great gifts. We love to play cards and board games both inside and outside. TMM team member Jackie has a great list of the best Camping Board Games for Families for even more inspiration about games.

Trekking the National Parks

Kids will have fun learning about parks by playing this Trekking the National Parks game that features all 63 national parks.

GoFindIt Outdoor Nature Scavenger Hunt Card Game

This GoFindIt card game is a perfect inclusive family game that gets kids outside and using their senses to explore nature.

Uno Wilderness

Kids will love seeing the outdoorsy theme of Uno Wilderness while they play this version of the classic game.

Adventure Toys for Kids

We love these toys for outdoorsy kids that enhance playtime outside or inspire outdoor adventures. These favorites will provide countless hours of entertainment over the years.

Taksa Toys Locomo Family

This wood Taksa Toys Locomo Family of animals encourages kids to go out an explore nature and add things like twigs and leaves to the beautiful animal figures.

LEGO City Ski and Climbing Center

This LEGO City Ski and Climbing Center is perfect for kids who love winter sports. They can build the three level ski slope, cafe and sports shop while dreaming about their own winter adventures.

Playmobil Children with Sleigh

Outdoorsy kids who enjoy sledding will love this Playmobil Children with Sleigh set that features a two figures wearing winter gear and a sled for them to ride.

Books for Outdoorsy Kids

Books are always a great gift, and these are some of our favorites for outdoorsy kids. These books will inspire and assist with countless outdoor adventures, in addition to teaching kids about the natural world around them. Check out all our recommended books!

Camping Activity Book for Kids

This Camping Activity Book for Kids by TMM founder, Amelia, encourages kids to explore the outdoors and build wilderness skills. Even for those who do not camp during the winter, these ideas can be used during an afternoon at the park or an evening outside, and reading through this book can also inspire future adventure planning.

Camping with Kids Cookbook

We love the recipes for simple meals that kids will enjoy helping to prepare as much as they will enjoy eating the finished product in this Camping with Kids Cookbook. This book is a great gift for any kid who loves camping and cooking.

National Geographic Junior Ranger Activity Book

The National Geographic Junior Ranger Activity Book is full of games, trivia, jokes, history and more. We love how it inspires kids to learn about nature and provides facts about all of the national parks. In addition, this book is great for future adventure planning.

Find the Best Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids

Finding the best gift for outdoorsy kids does not have to be stressful. This guide of our TMM team favorites can make your shopping a breeze, and the kids in your life will enjoy these gifts that will prepare them for and inspire them to participate in winter adventures.

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Author

  • Elaine Mantinan is a Michigan native who loves to adventure outdoors all over the globe and tries to inspire others to do the same. She is currently based in Seoul, South Korea, with her husband and two kids, Aurelia (7) and Nico (5). Elaine has been having lots of fun discovering new places and ways to do her favorite outdoor activities while living in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world. She loves hiking, biking and camping but is always up for trying any kind of outdoor activity, especially if there is a picnic involved. You can follow her adventures on Instagram: @adventurousmantinans

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