Best Outdoor Gifts to Get Your Kids Outside

This baby carrier is the best money I have spent. We use this carrier every time we go on a hike. The carrier has a really nice seat for the baby/toddler to sit in and all of my kids loved sitting in it for really long periods of time. It is really comfortable for them to help them last even longer. We have hiked hundreds of miles with this baby carrier.

These outdoor books for babies and toddlers are perfect for kids while in the stroller or bike trailer. The pages don’t rip and can be chewed on without breaking or getting soaked. It is so nice to not have to worry about books getting ruined. They are even 100% washable. We have a few that all of our babies have loved.

We bought this Thule Chariot Cross 2 Bike Trailer when our oldest was a baby and it was one of the best decisions we have made. It is the best bike trailer I have ever used. We bought the two seater because it was only slightly more expensive and one pound heavier and we knew we were going to have at least two kids. Just last week I used it to go on a bike ride and my almost five year old and two year old fit really well in it. It has so many awesome features. The trailer comes with the stroller and biking attachments. You can get a jogging and skiing attachment separately. You can even recline the seats individually if one of your kids falls asleep. I use this when I go to the zoo, hikes, and bike rides. There is a huge pocket for storage in the back that folds up and there are pockets on the inside for snacks and water bottles.

This is like a mini tent for your babies or toddlers. We use it instead of a pack-n-play. It is small enough that we can bring in our luggage when we visit family and it is perfect for camping. The peapod zips up so when everyone is trying to go to sleep you don’t have a baby crawling all over the tent, keeping everyone else awake. It has a pad on the outside and windows that you can zip close or tie up. This is essential for us whenever we are camping with a baby or young toddler. Our two year old still fits great.

We recently went on a multiday river trip with all of our kids even our four month old! She lived in this Iksplor Adventure Zippy. It was the best mid-layer we have for her. She was so comfortable the whole time. This Adventure Zippy is made with the softest 100% merino wool. Check out our full review here. Use bringthekids for a discount.

This tummy time blanket is great for setting up outside while older siblings are riding bikes or while at the park. It is made from water-resistant fabric so it is great to set up on wet grass or dirt without worrying about ruining your blanket. It folds us and has its own handle to make carrying it easy. It also comes in the cutest colors.

All of our kids started riding a bike with a Strider bike and are on a pedal bike by the time they are four. We completely skip having a bike with training wheels. The Strider bike helps with balance and motor skills. Our kids start using a Strider bike as soon as they can walk really well (around 18 months). They start with just walking with the bike and by the time there are about two-two and a half they are cruising on this bike.

Who doesn’t love a new water bottle? These are the best water bottles for adventures. Each of our kids have one and it is the only water bottle they use. Each one has lasted YEARS. We have only had one break and it was over five years old. The spouts eventually wear out, but you can buy a pack of new ones to make the waterbottle last even longer.

These are game changers for our kids when going on hikes. Now they each can carry their own water, snacks, jackets, and cool rock or leaves they find. They are especially nice when paired with their own water bladder. The Osprey 2 liter bladder fits great in this backpack and the valve comes with a magnet so you can attach it to your backpack really easily. You don’t have to stop every five minutes because someone is thirsty.

If you have ever been camping with kids you know how they are obsessed with flashlights and headlamps. These headlamps are perfect for kids. They can turn a bunch of different colors and are bright enough to easily get around camp at night. We got our kids each different color headband so they are easy to know who they belong to.

My kids take binoculars outside multiple times a week. They work great to get a closer look at birds and squirrels. You can even take them to Yellowstone to help spot animals.

This is the perfect age for getting a small basketball hoop. We have ours set up in the backyard and it gets used almost daily by our four and six year old. This ball is the perfect size for it too. It does come with a ball but my four and six year old like this one better for outside play. You can even bring the hoop inside during the winter.

This harness is perfect for any kids about 2-8 years old. I really like this one because it is a full body harness so there is no way it can come off while climbing. We have this one for our four and six year old to share. I think we will get another one so that we don’t have to take it on and off while climbing.

These Cotopaxi chalk bags for rock climbing are awesome for kids and adults. They can each have their own and I love how many different colors it comes in. When you order it online the color combination is a surprise so if you want to choose the colors head to REI to pick it out.

Whenever we go camping the first thing my kids want to set up are the hammocks and these are some of the best kids hammocks. This age group is old enough to set them up on their own and these hammocks last forever. They come in a variety of colors so you never get them mixed up. Don’t forget to get the straps!

If you’ve avoided trampolines because they’re not safe, this just might be the answer for you! Springfree trampolines have no springs and are incredibly bouncy, so you know it’s a great gift for active kids. We’ve had one for about 18 months, and whenever my kids are outside, it’s pretty much guaranteed that someone is on the Springfree Trampoline. This is the best trampoline for teens who are looking to perfect their tricks, and for their parents who don’t want to keep paying emergency room bills. It’s more expensive than a traditional trampoline, but with the increased safety features, we think that it’s worth the price for a teen trampoline and one of the best gifts for active kid of any age! Check out our full Springfree Trampoline Review.

This kit is a hit for all kids but especially elementary aged kids. Make sure to give some adult supervision while using. Kids will spend hours whittling sticks that they find outside.

My kids love riding scooters around our house. These ones are great quality scooters to help your kids spend more time outside.

Slacklines are the perfect way to get older kids outside more so they’re our top outdoor gift for teens and tweens. You can set them up in the backyard, a park, or a campsite for a ton of fun. It is challenging enough that it will keep teens and tweens practicing for hours. The Gibbon slackline is one of our top gift ideas for teen boys and girls. The kit comes with several different obstacles that you can attach to the line as you challenge your teen to get across in record time. While this sounds easy, it’s harder than it looks and is a great challenge that older kids and teens will LOVE! This gift for teens is portable and easy to set up so it’s perfect to take on road trips, to parties, and when hanging out with friends

A hat is the perfect way to inspire your teens and tweens to get outside. This hat comes in a variety of colors and Patagonia is one of the best brands for teen outdoor clothing.

This kite does not mess around and is tough enough to keep up with your active teen and tween. It has two lines to control direction and tricks, the Prism kite is an incredibly impressive stunt kite that makes the perfect gift to get kids outside. It does take a few flights to get the hang of things, but once you do, everyone around is going to be in awe of your skills! Best gift for ages 11+ since it does require some good arm strength to control, making it one of the best gifts for outdoorsy teens that their younger siblings won’t steal.

With video stabilization, both 4K AND 5K footage and crisp 20 MP pictures, the GoPro Hero 12 is the perfect gift for any teen. This version of the GoPro was just released in 2023 and it has so many features that you don’t need to worry about it being outdated any time soon. We take our GoPro on every trip and adventure with us, and especially love that footage can be downloaded directly to our phone and quickly edited in the GoPro Quik App for free! It’s a perfect gift for girls or boys who like to document their adventures and then share them with others. Whether your teen likes to make action videos or just wants to snap a few selfies with their friends on an adventure, you can’t go wrong gifting a GoPro to teens.

If your tweens or teens are starting to go on longer hikes then this is the backpack for them! It comes with a hydration bladder and a raincover. I have this one in an older model and it is my favorite backpack for day hikes. My favorite part is the mesh otter pocket to stuff my layers when I get too hot. Make sure to get the women specific or men specific one to help the backpack fit better.

This inflatable kayak is AWESOME! My six year old can paddle it by himself down some easy rapids and is so much fun for all the kids in the family. We can fit an adult and young child on it or you can let your tweens or teens take it down the river by themselves. You can take it on a river or lake. Make sure to pair it with this lifejacket for kids 50 lbs-90 lbs and don’t forget a paddle. If your family likes to spend time on the water, this is one of the best outdoor gifts (and they’re incredibly durable, so they’ll easily last into adulthood). Read: Best kids kayaks for more options.

Spikeball is one of our favorite games to get outside as a family.  It can be played with younger kids, or at a faster pace with teens and adults. We’ve taken this to several picnics and parties through the years and it’s always a huge hit with the teen crowd. This is one of our favorite gifts for the whole family.

Get a climbing pass to a local gym or even take a climbing class for your family at the nearest climbing gym. This is a great way to spend time together. Most climbing gyms offer classes to help you feel more comfortable before you try climbing outside if you are new to climbing.

Sleds are perfect for all ages. Sleds make it so easy to spend hours outside. These are the best sleds that we have found.