My absolute favorite place to be is in our backyard. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s my happy place and I’m grateful for it. My kids love it, too. There’s something healing and restorative about spending time in nature. And I believe it’s the best classroom setting for little ones. This is why I love finding nature gifts for kids. There is always a lesson to be learned, adventure to be had, and joy to be felt when you’re outside in God’s creation.
As a mom of little ones, I know how easy it is to turn on the TV and let them zone out while I get stuff done. And while there’s a place for that (while I’m trying to make dinner), there’s also a whole world of beauty just waiting to be enjoyed and explored. Whether it’s for a birthday, Easter, or simply the changing seasons, these nature gifts for kids are delightful sources of inspiration that will lead you and your children outdoors.
Nature Gifts for Kids #1 | Binoculars
What kid doesn’t find a pair of binoculars exciting? Children have adventure and exploration written onto their hearts, and binoculars are a fun way to feed that spirit. Have your child use the binoculars for bird watching or sightseeing. They will love the endless possibilities of seeing the far away up close.
Binoculars are also easy to tote along with you when you take trips to the park, on nature hikes, to the beach, or anywhere else your heart takes you.
Nature Gifts for Kids #2 | Books About Wildlife
I love when my kids can identify creatures outside based on the books they have. We were on a nature hike the other day, and my 4-year-old actually spotted a woodpecker! She recognized it from one of her books.
If you have a set of binoculars, use them to check out the birds nearby. See if you and your child can identify the birds you see with a bird book.
Nature Gifts for Kids #3 | Books About Plants
Children love learning about all the different plants and flowers, especially through pretty visuals. There are countless books about flowers and plants for children, including Joanna Gaines’ “We are the Gardeners”.
Nature Gifts for Kids #4 | Gardening Set
Speaking of gardening, I love cultivating a rhythm of slow living in my kids, and one of my favorite ways to do this is through gardening. Now, let me be clear. I have a black thumb. But I still find such therapy in digging into the dirt, planting something lovely, and enjoying it (for as long as I can possibly keep it alive!). I get better with gardening each time, and my hope is that the kids will somehow develop better gardening skills than I have. This year, we’ve planted milkweed (still alive), carrot seeds (which have since been dug up by the toddler), and sunflower seeds (planted by the 4-year-old). Fingers crossed!
Nature Gifts for Kids #5 | Rain Boots
While beautiful weather makes going outside irresistible, a little rain never stopped a child from wanting to play. If you live in southern California as I do, rain is a somewhat rare and exciting occurrence. With a pair of cheerful rain boots (and maybe a raincoat), your child can enjoy jumping in puddles and trekking through the mud with reckless abandon.
Nature Gifts for Kids #6 | Bird Feeder
One of my favorite things about our neighborhood is the trees we have. Compared to some of the newer areas in our city, our particular neighborhood is established enough to have mature trees all around. And every spring, these trees are home to tons of birds.
But, you don’t need tons of trees to draw the birds into your backyard or patio. By hanging a bird feeder, your outdoor space can become a little place of rest for these featured creatures. You’ll love spotting them out your window and learning to identify the local birds. You can also have your children help fill up the feeder and help decide on the best place to hang it.
Nature Gifts for Kids #7 | Beach Set
When I think about nature, usually trees and various land creatures come to mind. But, we can’t forget about the beautiful beaches and oceans! If you live near an ocean or are planning a visit any time soon, spark some interest ahead of time with some beach-related gifts. A simple shovel and bucket come to mind, of course. But so do books about the ocean.
Also some seashells.
And maybe this
Nature Gifts for Kids #8 | Butterfly Garden
For me, there are few things in nature as enchanting as butterflies. Whenever I spot one in our yard, I almost hold my breath in awe. I watch as they dance whimsically in flight until they happen upon the right source of nectar — usually from our citrus trees.
Of course, this is why we planted milkweed earlier in the year. I’m still crossing my fingers it survives (and entices some lovely monarch butterflies).
But, if you don’t see butterflies often, no biggie. Butterfly gardens make a great gift to capture that same butterfly magic for our children. Even better, you get to start out with caterpillars and enjoy watching their transformation unfold.
Nature Gifts for Kids #9 | Explorer Kit
If you want more than just a pair of binoculars, think about putting together an explorer kit. You can DIY it, or just buy them put together on Amazon. When paired with a bug book, it makes for the perfect invitation for children to become little scientists in their own backyard.
Nature Gifts for Kids #10 | Rock Painting
My daughter is a free spirit. She’ll wander around our yard in a spell of inspiration, looking for rocks to add to her rock collection. I love how immersed she becomes in her exploration and will do just about anything to encourage it.
Something we’ve done that has been wildly successful has been rock painting. There are rock painting kits online that include the rocks and paint, but if you already have rocks available, just get some paint. This kind should do nicely.
Once the decorated rocks are dry, scatter them around your yard for a touch of whimsy. You can also hide them throughout your neighborhood to inspire and delight your neighbors.
And those are my top 10 nature-inspired gifts for kids. What are some of your favorite ways to get your kiddos outside?
My daughter loves to help us out in the yard, but we noticed that her hands kept getting torn up a bit from the weeds, and she started requesting to wear garden gloves like we sometimes do. I didn’t know if we would be able to find any in her size (she just turned 4), but Target has some adorable kids’ garden gloves for just $5! We just bought some over the weekend and are going to put them in her Easter basket 🙂
Such a cute idea! Those $5 bins are so fun (and such trouble – Lol)!