Play Type

Explorer kids: how they play and what to try

Wants to know what's over the next hill.

Gift ideas for an Explorer

· Quiz another kid

Remind me beforeor

Try tonight

A treasure hunt with clues hidden around the house.

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

What it looks like

Explorers wander. They find the shortcut, the secret room and the path nobody told them about. They don't love being rushed, and they remember where everything is.

Give them room to wander and a reason to look closely.

Outside

  • A walk with a mission: five kinds of leaves, or the oldest tree
  • Geocaching in your neighborhood
  • Turn over rocks at a creek and name what's under them

At home

  • A treasure hunt with clues hidden around the house
  • Look at your town in satellite view and pick a place to go
  • A flashlight hunt in the dark

With friends

  • A scavenger hunt at the park, split into teams
  • A bike ride to somewhere they've never been
  • Camp in the backyard

Toys that fit

  • A good flashlight and a compassOur pick: Suunto A-10 compass Find it
  • A magnifying glass and a bug jarOur pick: GeoSafari Seek & Peek Bug Catcher Find it
  • Their own map for your next tripOur pick: Rand McNally Kids' Road Atlas Find it

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More gift ideas for an Explorer, by age

On a screen

Worth saying yes to. Ratings shown on each.

A Short HikeESRB ESwitch, PC, Mac, PlayStation, Xbox · Nothing to buy insideA small mountain to climb at your own pace. About two hours start to finish, which makes it an easy yes.Find it on Amazon
Alba: A Wildlife AdventureESRB ESwitch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Apple Arcade · Nothing to buy insideExplore an island, photograph animals and help protect them. Gentle and short.Find it on Amazon
Super Mario OdysseyESRB E10+Switch · Nothing to buy insideEvery world is packed with hidden things to find. Most younger kids handle it fine with a grown-up nearby.Find it on Amazon

Watch out for

Open worlds have no natural end. Set the stop before they start, like 'at the next shrine', rather than a timer that goes off mid-discovery.

More gift ideas

By age

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ToddlersAges 4 to 6Ages 7 to 9Ages 10 to 12

By occasion

Stocking stuffersChristmasScreen-freeBirthday partiesKids who have everythingGame night

By what they love

Art and drawingScienceAnimalsDinosaursSpaceCars and trucksCooking and bakingReading

By how they play

BuilderExplorerCompetitorStorytellerCollectorPerformerPuzzler

All gift ideas

Things to do near you

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

Play Types in your house
Kids' ages

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The other Play Types

Builder Competitor Storyteller Collector Performer Puzzler

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