Gifts. Just reading the word might fill you with excitement or, let’s face it, stress. Children love them (heck, most of us ‘big kids’ do, too!). But trying to find the right gift? That can feel like a daunting task. And, with a merry parade of kids’ birthdays and gift-giving holidays (think Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, Eid, Easter, Diwali, and more!), it’s a regular one indeed.
So, what presents do you get the nature-loving child(ren) in your life? Well, never fear, Wildya’s here – and we’ve got some absolutely wilderful ideas for children’s nature gifts for you. In fact, we’ve got over 30 suggestions for nature gifts for kids. So, you can put a smile on the face of the budding David Attenboroughs or Jane Goodalls in your life sans stress.
Note: We’ve included links to product manufacturers and retailers in this post, but whenever possible, we encourage you to hit up local charity shops or check out secondhand platforms like Vinted. Buying secondhand is much kinder for your purse and the planet!
Children’s nature gifts for babies and toddlers (0-3)
You’re never too young to love and learn about nature. Brainwash babies kickstart their environmental education with the following gifts.
Animal-themed rattles and mobiles
Babies love noise and movement – so let’s give them something worth staring at! An animal-themed rattle is a lovely introduction to the animal kingdom. This fair trade knitted baby puffin one is adorable. Or, bring the outdoors in with a jungle mobile that positions playful, moving animals above infants’ heads.
Cuddly animal toys for little ones
Who doesn’t love a stuffed animal friend? Soft toys are a natural birthday present for little ones. Just make sure to avoid ones with small parts for safety (for e.g., opt for embroidered eyes over buttons or plastic ones). Adopt an immaculate pre-loved toy from Loved Before, or support the tree-saving work of the Woodland Trust with this soft little fox.
Early learning wildlife jigsaws and puzzles
Encourage early problem-solving skills and a love for nature with animal-themed puzzles. They’ll adore monkeying around with this baby jigsaw puzzle. This woodland creatures wooden puzzle is suitable from age 2, or try this mini 24-piece animal puzzle for older toddlers.
Animal-adventure baby and toddler books
Capture their wild imaginations with beautiful animal-themed picture books and board books. Mary Cartwright’s ‘Animals’ is a black-and-white animal book designed to mesmerize babies, while Jill Mcdonald’s Backyard Bugs board book introduces kids 2-4 to the insects in their backyard.
Nature gifts for young children and tweens (4-12)
Growing minds are naturally curious – these gifts will inspire them to explore and learn more about the natural world around them.
Give an outdoor nature experience
Few things beat actually heading outside when it comes to nature connection and exploration. So, delight outdoorsy kids by sharing a nature experience with them. Take them camping and watch the stars (a telescope may help, but it isn’t essential), or spark their curiosity by heading out on a special mushroom spotting or birdwatching trip. Coincidentally, how cool is this nature bingo?
Children’s board and card games
Kids can learn a surprising amount about wildlife and ecosystems while playing nature-inspired games. And the whole family will enjoy connecting with nature when it’s too cold or late to leave the living room. Young children (3-6) will love learning animal facts with Kate Nolan’s Animal Matching Games. Try Into the Forest for a family-friendly game that teaches kids 7+ about forest animals, or for children over 10, try Ecosystem’s ecology game or the bird-focused Wingspan.
Kids’ environmental books and magazines
Delight young bookworms with nature books or magazine subscriptions. Kids aged 4-7 will love learning about pollinators in Lula Bell’s ‘When the Bees Buzzed Off,’ or for older children, Philippe Cousteau’s The Endangereds should be well-received. Alternatively, 7-12-year-olds can read about animals year-round with a National Geographic Kids subscription.
Nature crafting, making & baking
For youngsters who adore hands-on activities, there are plenty of options. Turn their hobby into an opportunity to also appreciate nature. Crafty kids should enjoy making this giant Ocean Origami, sculpting a coral reef from color-changing clay with KiwiCo’s Marine Biologist Starter Kit, or learning about renewable energy with a solar-powered plane.
Is your mini naturalist more into baking? Or growing plants? Then, how about nabbing some animal-shaped cookie cutters and making (and decorating) cookies together? Or gifting them native wildflower seeds (or a kit like this wildflower growing pot) to help your local bees, butterflies, and other pollinators thrive.
Nature gifts for teenagers (13-19)
Teens can be notoriously tricky to choose a present for – and gift giving for them may be more about independence and choice. Don’t despair; there are plenty of gift options for even the most selective teenage nature lovers.
Wildya’s nature conversation starter cards
If you’re looking for a fun but meaningful nature gift for a teenager, Wildya’s nature conversation cards are packed with prompts that will get them talking, laughing, and thinking about the natural world in new ways. If teens aren’t mortally embarrassed at the thought of hanging out with their family, these cards are great for family time. Or, they can use them with their friends.
Video and analog games about nature
Teen video gamers should check out the environmental strategy game Terra Nil or the quirky, bee-themed APICO. On the other hand, offline gamers might prefer to play the world-building board game Ecos with their mates.
Conservation-supporting accessories
Who said everyday items for nature enthusiasts had to be boring? For stylish teens, check out the Parks Project’s incredibly gorgeous water bottles and insulted mugs, Sea Shepherd’s notebook, or Rapanui x The Marine Conservation Society’s tees (my favorite is this Respect the Locals one).
Biodiversity-boosting donations, sponsorships, or memberships
They say that giving feels even better than receiving. So, give a teen the gift of giving a bird a gift (try to say that ten times in a row!) with Audobon’s gifts for birds. Or, help save their favorite land mammal, sea creature, scaly beast, or six-legged critter with a WWF species adoption kit or digital option.
Another great idea is a rewilding membership. Organizations like Mossy Earth and Planet Wild run fantastic ecosystem restoration projects, and members get to track the positive impact they’re making possible via video updates and online stories throughout the year.
Nature gift cards
Finally, If you haven’t the faintest clue what your teenage benefactor might like, take the easy way out. But do it with style! Opt for a sustainability-focused gift card and leave the specific pressie choosing to them. For UK readers, we recommend Ecoswap’s range of gift cards. So teens can help create nature corridors, protect baby sea turtles, or go thrifting.
Wrapping this up
Whether you’re shopping for a baby, tween, or teen, finding perfect nature gifts for kids can feel like a tough nut to crack. But, as we‘ve shown, there are plenty of children‘s nature gifts that should delight kids, and deepen their connection with the wonders of our wild world.
We hope we’ve given you some tree-mendous gift ideas for birthdays, Christmas, and other holidays now. So go ahead – pick a present or plan an experience that will nurture their passion for nature!
Gift a deeper connection to nature
If you’re looking for a unique nature gift that friends and family of 12+ yo can enjoy together, check out Wildya’s nature conversation starter cards. They’re designed to spark enjoyable and meaningful conversations about our wild world – so players gain a deeper connection to nature as they play. And every purchase protects and restores nature (15% goes to Wilderlands).
