Gift ideas · for an Explorer

Gifts for kids who love exploring outside

Explorers want to go see what's over there. Good gifts for them make going outside feel like a mission, and give them a way to look closer at what they find.

Skip: Anything that needs to stay clean. It's going to get muddy.

Not sure they're an Explorer? Take the quiz.

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Halloween for an ExplorerA cave explorer with a headlamp that works, and the trick-or-treat route is theirs to plan.See the costume

Ages 4 to 6

  • 1A bug catching kitOur pick: Nature Bound Bug VacuumThe backyard gets a lot more interesting. Find it
  • 2A magnifying glass and a bug jarOur pick: GeoSafari Seek & Peek Bug CatcherThe backyard gets a lot more interesting up close. Find it
  • 3Their own flashlightOur pick: Ledlenser Kidbeam4One they're allowed to keep in their room. Find it
  • 4Rain boots and a real rain jacketOur pick: Columbia Kids' Watertight II rain jacketBad weather becomes part of the fun instead of a reason to stay in. Find it
  • 5A small backpack for expeditionsOur pick: Osprey Daylite Jr. kids' packWith a pocket for snacks and a pocket for finds. Find it

One we made ourselves

A printed Pipsqueaks deck made for a kid named Leo
Their own Pipsqueaks deckOur card battling game for a grown-up and a 4 to 7 year old, printed at home with the buddy they pick on the box and their name on every card back. Every card is a picture, so nobody has to read. See it free, print it for $4.Make their deck →

Ages 7 to 9

  • 1Kid binoculars and a bird guideOur pick: Celestron Outland X 8x25 binocularsNow a walk has a checklist. Find it
  • 2Kid binocularsOur pick: GeoSafari Jr. KidnocularsSmall, light and made to be dropped. Find it
  • 3A compass and a map of a park you go toOur pick: Suunto A-10 compassLet them lead the way on the next walk. Find it
  • 4A headlampOur pick: Black Diamond Wiz kids' headlampHands free for backyard nights and camping. Find it
  • 5A field journal and colored pencilsOur pick: Prismacolor Scholar colored pencilsFor drawing and writing down what they found. Find it

Ages 10 to 12

  • 1A hiking daypackOur pick: Osprey Daylite 13LTheir own pack for real trails. Find it
  • 2A kids' fishing rodOur pick: Ugly Stik GX2 Youth Spinning ComboA whole morning outside that feels like an adventure. Find it
  • 3A set of walkie-talkiesOur pick: Midland T10 two-way radios, pairExplorers can go a little farther and still check in. Find it
  • 4A kid's tent for backyard campingA night in the yard counts as an adventure. Find one
  • 5A digital microscopeOur pick: Plugable 250x USB Digital MicroscopeThe kind that connects to a tablet, for looking at leaves, bugs and dirt. Find it

Things to do near you

Gifts are one way in. Camps, leagues, classes and weekend events that fit an Explorer are another. Tell us where you are and we'll email when there's a good one close by. About once a month.

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Not sure this is your kid?

This list is for a Explorer: wants to know what's over the next hill. Most kids are a mix of two Play Types, so the quiz is the quickest way to know which lists to use.

Take the 2-minute quizMore ideas for an Explorer

Gift ideas for the other Play Types

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Gifts by what they love

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Holiday gift lists

Christmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasStocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidays

Buying for the grown-ups too? Gifts they'll still own, scored on warranty and repair: for dad, for mom, under $100.

Printable pages from the pack
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →

Made by a dad of three. Ideas and picks are chosen by hand, and nobody pays to be on this site. Game ratings come from the ESRB and the App Store, so check anything yourself before saying yes.

Also made by the same person