Compass & OS map
A compass like this turns walks into kid-led expeditions with huge confidence and dubious accuracy. Buy your local OS map here and let 2026 be the year they start to understand navigation and explore every hidden corner close to home.

Binoculars & bird ID book
Give a kid a set of these bino's and they’ll suddenly spot “rare species” everywhere (mostly pigeons, but the enthusiasm is unbeatable). Pair it with this bird ID book and they'll be ornithologists in no time

Headtorch
Absolute gamechangers for backyard or backcountry adventure. Strap one of these Petzl Tikkids on a kid and watch them immediately shine 20 lumens directly into your eyes while announcing they’re “on patrol.”

Camping chair
My collapsible Helinox chair is no longer mine. The kids adore clicking it together and proudly using it to guarantee a dry arse at every campsite or viewpoint. Kid version available here.

Hammock
The Eno Doublenest slings up in two minutes between any two vaguely vertical objects. Works for reading, napping, aggressive swinging and/or family pile-ins.

Drink Bottle
Carlsberg don’t make kids’ drink bottles, but if they did, they’d look a lot like the Yeti Rambler Junior: built like a tank and somehow always icy cold.

Telescope
A beginner telescope like the National Geographic 50/600 AZ is a brilliant way to show kids the moon up close and kickstart a lifelong space obsession, even if the first five minutes are spent pointing it at the neighbour’s hedge.

Nature Inspired Artwork
Bring nature indoors with affordable, joyful artwork. Thursday Arts Club, created by London artist FACE, makes original illustrations that brighten walls and quietly whisper “go outside.”

Instant Camera
Snap-and-print photography gives kids an instant way to capture adventures and spin them into their own visual stories. This is a tried, tested and loved one from our community.

Adventure Journal
These beautiful, personalised journals encourage kids to document their trips in glorious detail, complete with highly inaccurate retellings of what actually happened.

Mini Watercolour Painting Kit
Ideal for slightly older kids, this compact kit is perfect for trail-side masterpieces, whether they’re painting the landscape or just aggressively mixing every colour into a swampy brown.

Flower Press
This handcrafted flower press kit lets kids preserve petals and leaves from their adventures in a quiet, mindful, and totally magical way.

Potion Making
My daughter loves creating “powerful elixirs” that smell like a swamp wizard’s armpit. If your kid has similar ambitions, you’ll want this.

Story Dice
Coghlans Fireside Story Dice are a simple way to spark imagination anywhere, my mate in Australia swears by them. Roll a few symbols and suddenly you’ve got a campfire epic or a bedtime story without any prep. Winning.

Bike Seat
The Kids Ride Shotgun seat bolts your child right between your arms, giving them the ultimate thrill ride while you get running commentary and zero personal space.

Pocket Swing
This badboy lets kids set up a seat or swing absolutely anywhere. Two solid trees and suddenly you’ve got a forest chill-out zone.

Slackline Kit
Set up in the garden or park, slacklines are a great way to build balance, strength and patience (while the kids wait to have a turn too). This a perfect all in one kit.

Kite
A proper kite gives kids the addictive thrill of controlling something faster than their own legs. The Synapse 140 from Kite lords Prism is a great entry point to dual line kiting / aerial stunt shows.

Pocket Frisbee
This foldable silicone disc from Waboba Wingman fits in a pocket, flies better than a plastic frisbee and won’t require dental treatment after a face shot.

Finske
Now here’s a game we’ve lugged around the world with us: throw a skittle, knock down the pins, sprint to 50 - a gloriously simple crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike.

Balance Board
This is a tough, non-slip balance board from Sportneer that builds balance, core strength and coordination; perfect prep for biking, boarding and any adventure that requires staying upright.

Playing Cards
A sturdy wooden box of nature-illustrated cards for campsite games and Texas Hold ’Em tutorials.

Fire Starter Set
A kid-friendly firesteel delivers maximum adventure vibes with minimal actual fire, perfect for teaching skills without losing eyebrows.

Paracord Bracelet Kit
I bought some paracords with these mini buckles a few weeks ago (early testing suggests we’re in for a festive season of knots).

Whittling Knife
A kid-friendly Opinel is a fab first whittling knife that teaches slow focus and the ancient art of turning sticks into slightly thinner sticks. 

Wood Carving Book for Kids
Frank Egholm’s book is a starter guide to whittling showing how to use a knife safely, stay focused and create impressive things from wood.

The Knot Skills Kit
This gift from The Den Kit Company teaches six proper outdoor knots and gives kids the deeply satisfying power to tie things securely…sometimes a little too securely.

Shelter Kit
Developed with British explorer Ed Stafford, this wonderful kit turns kids into enthusiastic den-builders, complete with a basha, a cap and enough gear to make every woodland trip feel like a genuine expedition.

Adventure Tins
The Wild Kids Company make a fun pocket bushcraft tin packed with firesteel, fatwood and adventure cards. Survival expert training in a tiny metal box.