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I’ve put out gift-giving ideas for keeping kids and adults moving in various articles and newsletters throughout the years—here they are, all together in one big, helpful, inspiring list.
P.S. Personally, I’m a low-consumer and a minimalist because I think this approach maximizes so many other things about life. I also adore giving gifts! To balance this, we’ve also kept gifts to a minimum and I often seek out used versions of everything. In case you needed permission to gift used or less, just sayin’, you can do that. None of the links here are affiliate links!
TOYS(ISH)
stilts: I bought used tall wooden stilts for my kids when they were younger, and older kids—even teens—might like the challenge of mastering the shorter circus stilts.
slackline: Good for everyone!
wobble/balance boards: Not just for kids, these can slot easily into a desk space, too.
balance ball: Four Square is a favorite game around here (it’s great cardio, adults!) but what’s even more fun is GIANT four square using a big balance ball. Bonus: It can be used as a desk chair or a “watch TV in a backbend” the rest of the time.
Venn air chair: These are balance balls covered with fine-furniture wool upholstery for the kid or adult who wants to look good while actively sitting. Too luxurious for an outdoor game of four square but great for desk and living room activity.
hula hoop: This is what my 12-year old got for her birthday, only instead of a little-kid hoop, I found a weighted one, which adds a fitness element and the ability to endurance-hoop. We have a 2– and 3–pounder in the house. The latter makes an excellent gift for adults and all-family indoor hoop-offs are a thing ’round here.
ladder: Follow this link for why and how to use these in the home with little kids.
jump rope: And a guide to the best length by height.
circular elastic jump rope (remember Elastics/Chinese jump rope/jumpsies?): At a winter party last year, I whipped out a chain of rubber bands to show the kids how we used to play Elastics. The grownups basically took over and we easily ended up with a couple hundred jumps each, a heart rate of 170, and a great time. Make your own chain by sewing a piece of elastic in a ring, looping rubber bands (see picture), or order one ready-made! Lots of joyful movement, I promise, and great for long, freezing winters!. Find tutorials on rules on YouTube.
pogo sticks: Another popular toy around here are two used pogo sticks from a few years ago. I often send the kids out to burn off some of their spice with a “Do 100 jumps in a row then you can come back in”—only once they’re jumping, they often stay out way longer.
calisthenics equipment: Littles can start hanging and teens and adults can work on fitness, all on the same bars.
kangaroo ball: Okay, this rubber ball with a handle screams little kid toy, but what it also screams is TEENAGER if you get one that’s big enough. Put two under the tree and just try to keep teens from kangaroo-ball races.
Sumo balls: Older kids and teens aren’t movement-avoidant, they just love games. These Sumo balls allow you to gamify life a bit more and they use more body parts than the thumbs. There are different sizes for different ages, so read descriptions closely.
Kubb game: This is another community favorite, thanks to the friends that brought it to an outdoor hang out. BE THOSE PEOPLE and introduce everyone to this simple and skillful throwing game. Find lots of other backyard games here.
ping pong table-makeover kit: Just add to your kitchen table!
set of indoor monkey bars: You don’t need a big space! Order bars individually here to fit the length of space you have for monkeying around.
balloons: Punching balloons and big blow-up balloons are great little gifts for medium-sized kids. “Keep it up” is a great indoor small-space game and is accessible for people with slower reaction or less agility.
frisbee: Or level up with a light-up frisbee. We use these for our winter outdoor soup nights because you can keep playing and moving even during the long nighttimes.
camping hammock: Get everyone outside more by adding a cool place to lounge in natural light. These are favorite reading and swinging spots around here and they’re a gift that fits a kid for a very long time.
balls: Bouncy, baseball, volleyball, etc.
badminton rackets and birdies
hacky sack: Pre-teen and teen friendly. Let them hacky in the living room and bonus points if you join them. It’s okay if you aren’t good and they heckle you about it.
bow and arrows
slingshot and target
aerial silks
rockholds: Bonus points if you can figure out where they’ll go and pre-install them the night before gifting (nothing worse than rock holds that will be up next October). A “grips” board is also a good option.
kites
chalk set: Great for outdoor art opportunities and building fast DIY obstacle courses wherever you are.
small hatchet: For older kids with good knife-sense, obvs. Pair it with a copy of the middle-grade book Hatchet.
gathering/nature walk bag: Part of our nature time includes foraging—rosehips, dandelions, spruce tips, shells, pebbles. A kid-size bag to wear that holds their treasures can make getting outside feel like an adventure with its own gear.
snack buttpack: This is just a regular fanny pack, but when you give it to the four-, five-, or six-year-old you’re trying to get to walk more, let them know this is their SNACK bag and that they are old enough to carry some of their own hiking snacks. Bonus points for putting some of their favorites in there so they get excited to head out with you soon.
BOOKS
I’m keeping these separate because they don’t really get you moving while reading, but they’re books that support movement and moving-in-nature culture, and I’m a book lover, so…
TRACK series: We are big readers at my house, and my sport-loving kids enjoyed Jason Reynolds' middle-grade sports fiction series.
Hatchet Series: I read these all to my kids when they were younger. The survival story supported and enriched their time in nature school—they really understood the value of the skills they were learning and it made every day feel like an adventure.
Wolf Girl: I love books about younger people and teens in nature (see Hatchet!) but there are almost no books about girls in this scenario, which is why when I heard wild animal tracker Doniga Markegard on a podcast, I approached her about writing her memoir. This is a YA adaption of her narrative nonfiction book of her journey to learning to connect with nature.
More book lists:
30 Books To Connect Kids—Toddlers to Teens—To Nature
21 Books To Get Your Moving and Thinking About Movement
One more thing about gifting books. One of my “buy nothing” and favorite holiday traditions is this: I go to my bookshelf, pull out books I’ve already read, and pair them with friends I know will love them. Then I spend an evening watching a movie while stretching my own body on the floor and wrap them up with little notes about why I think they’d like it. My kids also do this with their own friends for birthdays and other gift-giving times, which cuts down on buying things as well as the idea that you have to buy something or gift new. Sharing is a gift!
The entire thing is like a weird book club where you share ideas with your closest buds, but there are no meetings (NO MORE MEETINGS CAN I GET AN AMEN), and who doesn’t love getting a book presented or sent to you in the mail? Try it, it’s magical.
Want more ideas for getting kids moving more? Read Grow Wild: The Whole Child, Whole Family, Nature-Rich Guide to Moving More.
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And if you're gifting Nutritious Movement this year, just a reminder to get any physical items ordered by December 18th if you want them to arrive by the 24th!
