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Feeling Disconnected from Nature? Try These Fun Outdoor Toys for Kids
In today's tech-driven world, children are spending less time engaged with nature. Excessive screen time and structured activities mean fewer opportunities for free outdoor play and exploration. This lack of connection to the natural world can impact a child's creativity, focus, and physical health.
Luckily, there are plenty of excellent toys and games that make it fun for kids to get outside and interact with nature. Here are some of our top picks:
Getting kids outside and engaged with nature
- Bug catchers and bug habitat kits
- Child-sized gardening tools and sets
- Nature scavenger hunt lists
Toys like bug catchers encourage hands-on nature study and observation. Gardening toolkits allow kids to get their hands dirty digging, planting, and caring for living things. Scavenger hunt checklists turn nature walks into exciting treasure hunts.
Toys that encourage outdoor exploration and adventure
- Binoculars, magnifying glasses, and field guides
- Hiking backpacks and water bottles
- Treasure hunt and letterboxing supplies
Equip kids for outdoor adventure with tools like binoculars for birdwatching, durable water bottles for staying hydrated, and backpacks for carrying exploration gear. Add an element of mystery and excitement with letterboxing kits or nature scavenger hunts.
| Age | Top Picks |
|---|---|
| Ages 2-4 | Chunky gardening tools, color scavenger hunt lists, bug habitats |
| Ages 5-8 | Magnifying glasses, binoculars, nature journaling supplies |
| Ages 9-12 | Compasses, hiking gear, rock collecting kits |
Best open-ended toys to spark creativity and imagination
The most engaging nature toys allow for open-ended, child-led play and discovery. Here are some top picks:
- Sand and water tables
- Mud kitchen setups
- Natural building and craft supplies like sticks, stones, pinecones
Sensory materials like sand, water, and mud let kids get messy while exploring science concepts like erosion and floatation. Gathered natural items and DIY craft supplies promote creativity, problem-solving, and inventive play.
Help kids connect with nature and reap the developmental benefits of outdoor play. Provide toys that fascinate and inspire rather than dictate how a child should play. With the right tools, the backyard or neighborhood park becomes an endless playscape for adventure and imagination.
Getting Kids Outside and Engaged with Nature
Children today spend less time engaging with the natural world than past generations. Excess screen time, busy schedules, and lack of access to green spaces mean they often miss out on the benefits of nature play and exploration. However, recent research shows that contact with nature is vital for child development and wellbeing.
Outdoor play in natural environments enhances physical health, cognitive skills, imagination, focus, and emotional resilience in kids. Here are some great ways to get children outside and immersed in the fascinating natural world around them:
Backyard and Neighborhood Exploration
Start local by helping kids appreciate the nature in your own backyard or neighborhood park. Provide tools like magnifying glasses, binoculars, and butterfly nets to examine insects, plants, and wildlife up close. Go on scavenger hunts using lists or apps to see what you can collect and observe. Try identifying bird songs and calls. Look for animal signs like tracks and scat. Get up early to listen for dawn choruses or stay up late to gaze at stars.
Gardening and Habitat Creation
- Let kids get hands-on by digging, planting, and getting dirty. Engage them in garden planning, creation, and upkeep. Have them grow flowers to attract pollinators or veggies to understand where food comes from.
- Get involved in habitat restoration projects as a family, like tree planting events or litter cleanups. Build birdhouses, frog ponds, bee hotels, etc. to provide sanctuary for local wildlife.
Hands-on environmental stewardship teaches kids about ecosystems and sustainability while fostering a sense of wonder.
Citizen Science Projects
Participate in real scientific research as a family. Programs like the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count or the Natural History Museum’s Nature Spotter allow kids to collect and submit data on birds, bugs, plants, and more. This shows kids science is an active, evolving process and lets them contribute to protecting nature.
Outdoor Learning Opportunities
Look for organized activities that offer guided nature exploration:
- Nature camps, treks, and adventure days
- Junior naturalist programs at parks
- 4-H, scouts, or homeschool groups
- Field trip experiences like farms, nature preserves, or outdoor education centers
These interactive, social experiences make learning about nature exciting. Qualified staff introduce new environments, skills, and concepts.
Foster wonder by giving kids time to freely engage with nature. Provide tools, role models, and access to enrich their innate curiosity. Simple hands-on activities close to home are a great starting point to nurture a lifelong love of the outdoors.
Top products in 🔍 Nature Exploration Toys
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Toys that Encourage Outdoor Exploration and Adventure
Unstructured outdoor play allows children to connect with nature, get moving, and engage their senses. However, kids today spend less time playing outside than past generations. When not glued to screens, their time is often heavily scheduled with adult-directed activities.
To get kids exploring the natural world, provide toys and gear designed for imaginative, child-led adventure. Here are some top picks to inspire outdoor play:
For Budding Adventurers
- Treasure hunt kits
- Scavenger hunt lists
- Compasses and magnifying glasses
- Field guides and nature journals
Scavenger hunts, whether using pre-made lists or apps like ActionBound, add an element of mystery and excitement to neighborhood walks. Tools like compasses, magnifiers, and field guides equip young naturalists to observe and document nature.
For Imaginative Play
- Play tents, hammocks, and tarps
- Sand and water tables
- Mud kitchen setups
- Natural building materials like sticks, pinecones, leaves
Loose parts like sand, water, mud, and natural elements spark creativity and hands-on learning. Kids can invent games and construct their own playscapes using tarps and tents as the backdrop.
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For Big Adventures
- Child-sized hiking backpacks
- Durable water bottles
- Trekking poles
- Headlamps or flashlights
Properly outfit kids for everything from short nature walks to full-day hikes. Look for kid-sized gear designed for comfort and safety.
Open-ended toys and tools give kids freedom over their play. Remove barriers like concerns over messiness, broken toys, or dirt. Facilitate outdoor exploration from a young age to foster curiosity, resilience, and a lifelong connection to nature.
Best Open-Ended Toys to Spark Creativity and Imagination
Unlike flashier digital toys, simple open-ended toys allow endless possibilities for creative, child-directed play. With no predetermined way to play, kids are free to experiment, problem-solve, and invent their own games and scenarios.
Here are some of the best open-ended toys to boost imaginative skills:
Loose Parts
Materials from nature or the recycling bin inspire creativity. Gather pinecones, acorns, sticks, seashells, cardboard tubes, fabric scraps, etc. Use them for crafts or building projects.
Sand and Water
Playing with sand and water encourages sensory learning, scientific exploration of concepts like erosion and floatation, and social play.
- Sand tables or tubs for digging, pouring, sculpting
- Add scoops, molds, vehicles, figurines
- Water tables or tubs for pouring, mixing, floating objects
- Include cups, boats, droppers, water wheels
Art Supplies
Open-ended art materials like crayons, clay, and paint offer infinite creative options, especially when kids can freely mix colors and textures.
Building Toys
Blocks, gears, magnetic tiles - the possibilities are endless when kids can devise their own structures.
- Wooden blocks
- LEGO® bricks
- Magna-Tiles®
- Marble runs
- STEM construction kits like K’NEX
Dress Up Clothes
Playing pretend with dress up clothes and props builds narrative skills. Offer open-ended pieces like scarves, capes, hats, child-sized play furniture.
The less defined the toy, the more it encourages creativity. Allow kids time for unstructured play without adult direction. Open-ended toys build crucial skills in an engaging way by letting children take the lead.
What is the Benefit of Amazon Prime for Nature Exploration Toys?
Amazon Prime offers a number of advantages when shopping for nature exploration toys for kids. With free fast shipping and access to deals, Prime makes it easier to outfit young adventurers for outdoor discovery and play.
Free One-Day and Two-Day Shipping
Prime members get free one-day or two-day shipping on millions of items, including nature and outdoor toys. This means quicker delivery so you can get toys fast when the weather is nice for hiking or when inspiration strikes for a new backyard project.
Forbirthday parties or last-minute needs, Prime shipping ensures toys will arrive on time. You don't have to meet order minimums or pay extra shipping fees.
Free Release-Date Delivery
Get upcoming Nature Exploration toys delivered on their actual release date at no extra cost with a Prime membership. This includes pre-orders of hot new outdoor toys or STEM kits your kids can't wait to explore.
Prime Early Access Deals
As a Prime member, you get 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals on nature toys. This lets you snap up limited-time discounts before toys sell out. Prime Day also offers exclusive nature toy deals just for members.
Prime Try Before You Buy
Not sure if a toy will inspire outdoor adventure? Try before you buy. Prime members can test out select nature play kits for free for up to seven days. Keep what you like, return the rest at no cost.
Streamlined Returns
If a nature toy doesn't work out, Prime simplifies the return process with free returns. Just print a label and drop it off at a UPS location.
Getting kids engaged with nature starts with having the right toys on hand. A Prime membership removes barriers when shopping for nature exploration toys by providing fast, free shipping and access to deals.
"7 Reasons To Choose Nature Exploration Toys For Your Child"
7 Reasons to Choose Nature Exploration Toys for Your Child:
- Encourage outdoor play and exploration, which can improve muscle strength, coordination, and confidence.
- Spark your child's interest in science and nature by introducing them to new sights, sounds, and smells.
- Provide opportunities for independent learning and skill development.
- Foster a love for science and the natural world through hands-on exploration.
- Develop problem-solving skills and self-confidence by allowing your child to work through small difficulties on their own.
- Offer a fun and engaging way to learn about the world around us.
- Help your child make sense of the world and extend their thinking.
Outdoor Play Examples
Here are some examples of outdoor play activities for kids:
- DIY tire climber
- Make a kite
- Kids car track
- Tic Tac Toe
- Ring toss game DIY
- Stilts for kids
- DIY swing
- Tummy time
- Ball play
- Nature walks
- Bike rides
- Water play
- Add food coloring to water bins
- Add mud and get messy
- Add old pots and pans to the water play
- Add water
- Balance on pieces of wood
- Bring an indoor toy outside
- Bring boxes outside to make a fort
- Hide and seek
- Kick the can
- Capture the flag
- Parachute
- Traffic cop
- Four square
- Hopscotch
- Jump-rope
- Musical scavenger hunt
- Jumbo chalk board game
- Paint rocks outside
- Play with shaving cream
- Relay races
- Water balloon pinatas
- Rainbow foam
- Water fight
- Make your own game of tic tac toe by painting rocks
- Go on a nature hunt and play nature bingo
- Make a maze using sticks
- Create a garden xylophone with jars and objects you find
- Make a fairy garden
- Make some nature flower crowns
- Set up your own sun dial
- Create an outdoor sticky wall
- Set up your own giant game of Snakes & Ladders
- Follow the line
- What’s The Time Mr Wolf
- The Creeping Game
- Backyard obstacle course
- Backyard mini golf course
- Balloon tennis.
