It's that time of year where we are all looking for the perfect gifts to give to our loved ones. This year I encourage you to give people something that encourages being outdoors, exploring and gives them a sense of adventure. Here are some great gift ideas to encourage the love of outdoors for people of all ages.
1. Bicycle/scooter/roller blades - All of these encourage you to get outside and get moving!! Biking is something you can enjoy at any age and a great activity you can do as a family. Scooters are another great present! Our kids, ages 6-11 all LOVE their scooters and I’ve even seen adults enjoying scooters. I used to love to go rollerblading and would love a new pair to get back out there. Roller skates/roller blades are also a great gift from the young to old.....you could get everyone in the family a pair of roller blades! There are many places in the area that have great trails for using bikes, scooters or roller skates!
2. Tent or camping equipment - What better way to explore the outdoors and see new places than to go camping!! Getting a family a tent, sleeping bags and/or an air mattress is like giving them the gift of adventure. There are so many cool campgrounds and areas to explore within a 2 hour drive of St. Louis. If a family already has a tent or camper think of things that they could use while camping.....camping stove, binoculars, coolers, outdoor lighting, campground games, etc. If you think someone you know would enjoy camping, just not in a tent, go for a gift certificate to rent out a cabin at a park or campground for a weekend.
3. Kayak, canoe or paddle board- I absolutely LOVE being on the water and the kayak I got for Mother’s Day last year might be my most favorite gift ever. I love taking the kayak out and exploring different local bodies of water. Whether it’s paddling around a lake in town or taking a 12 mile float on the Meramec River, kayaking is so much fun and a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Fishing out of the kayak adds an extra challenge and allows you to get to those hard to reach spots that you normally couldn't get to from the shore. Don’t have the vehicle or storage room for a kayak or paddle board? They make inflatable ones that I’ve seen people use that look pretty nice! Another idea would be to get a gift certificate for a large raft for a float trip, one of our favorites is Old Cove Canoe & Kayak in St. Clair, MO
4. Sports Equipment - Give kids or families the gift of enjoying a sport they can play outdoors. Whether it is a basketball hoop for a driveway, soccer goals for the backyard, a bags/corn hole game set, a volleyball net, tennis rackets, football, baseball gloves and bases....the possibilities are endless! I remember having a croquet set growing up that was fun to play with. This gift will encourage the family to get outdoors and spend time together!
5. Membership/Passes/Gift Certificate to somewhere that encourages outdoor fun. This can be tailored depending on the family and area but it could range from a Zoo Membership, to an annual membership to your local Sportsman’s Club to an annual pass to National Parks. Locally, Waterloo and Columbia, IL both have Sportsman’s Club with lakes to fish, creeks to play in, places to shoot, playgrounds and room to explore. A national parks pass is $80 per year and you can access all national parks. Other ideas are water park passes for the summer, tickets to Grant’s Farm, passes for Meramec Caverns or a gift certificate for a night or two at the YMCA Trout Lodge. If you have never been to the YMCA Trout Lodge, it is located in Potosi, MO and is a great place to take kids for a weekend of outdoor fun!
Leave any of your suggestions for gifts to give to people who love the outdoors in the comments!
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