# Gifts for Animal-Loving Explorers
> A holiday gift guide for animal-loving explorers ages 2-5. It covers explorer tools like magnifying glasses, bug houses and binoculars, plus pretend-play animal sets, a vet kit and a homemade roly-poly terrarium. It ends with links to more gift guides from fellow bloggers.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/holiday-gift-guide-for-kids-gifts-for-animal-loving-explorers/
- Ages: 2–5 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: low
- Time: prep none, activity varies
- Works for: one-on-one, small group
- Skills: nature-exploration, science, pretend-play

## Safety
- Small animal figures and small toy parts can be a choking hazard. Check each product's age label, especially for 2-year-olds.
- Teach kids not to touch bees and wasps. The author's daughter learned that lesson the hard way.
- Supervise outdoor bug hunts and after-dark backyard exploring.

## Ideas
- **Magnifying Glass**: A must for everyday adventures to parks, nature walks or the backyard: look at bugs and leaves up close. The Melissa & Doug one comes in two color schemes.
- **Bug House**: A place for your explorer to keep her nature walk finds. It's a staple for hikes and doubles as an animal house in pretend play.
- **Kid-Tough Binoculars**: Just like the magnifying glass and bug box, kids' binoculars are a staple for little explorers indoors and outdoors.
- **Flashlight**: A cool flashlight for after-dinner backyard exploration.
- **Complete Explorer's Kit**: The author's personal pick: a kit with everything a young backyard explorer would need.
- **Explorer Role Play Costume**: An explorer costume for pretend adventures.
- **Critter Clinic Vet Set**: For animal lovers who like to care for animals. It has everything a little veterinarian needs, plus toy animals as pretend patients.
- **Safari LTD Wild TOOB**: Pocket-friendly animal figures for pretend play, play dough, sand or sensory boxes. TOOBs come in wild, farm, prehistoric and bug themes.
- **Melissa & Doug Fold and Go Mini Barn**: A fold-up mini barn for farm animal play.
- **Animal Planet Mommy and Baby Play Set**: Perfect for kids who group their animals into little families, with a mommy, daddy and sibling for every tiger.
- **Animal Planet Super Treehouse Playset**: A fun, gorgeous playset that offers endless hours of animal play for little people.
- **DIY Treehouse Play Scene**: For DIY folks: an amazing homemade treehouse for the animals.
- **Schleich Animals**: Well-made, accurate, high-quality animal figurines that every animal-loving kid should own at least one of.
- **Homemade Roly-Poly Terrarium**: A simple homemade gift for a little explorer. The receiver would be thrilled. (Can't say much about the parents!)
- **Dinosaur Lover Gift Ideas**: A comprehensive list of gifts for kids who love dinosaurs.
- **Books for the Dino-Obsessed Kid**: A fantastic list of fact-filled dinosaur books.
- **Fun Gifts Beyond Toys**: Gift ideas that go beyond toys.
- **Book + Toy Companion Gifts**: Pair a book with a matching toy.
- **Best Art Supplies for Kids**: Art supply gift picks.
- **Gifts to Inspire the Imagination**: Gifts that spark imaginative play.
- **Educational Games**: Educational game gift ideas.
- **Basic/Traditional Toys**: Classic, traditional toy picks.
- **Therapeutic and Fun Gift Ideas for Child Development**: Gifts that support child development.
- **Top Toys for Babies**: Favorite toys for babies.
- **Top Toys for Curious Kids**: Toys for curious minds.
- **Educational / Headache-Free Toys for Christmas and Hanukkah**: Educational toys that won't drive parents crazy.
- **4 Gift Ideas for Everyone: Want, Wear, Need, and Read**: The four-gift approach to holiday giving.
- **Gifts that Inspire Pretend Play**: Gift ideas for pretend play.
- **My Favorite Books and Toys for Preschoolers**: Book and toy favorites for preschoolers.
- **Educational Toys for Preschoolers**: Learning toys for preschoolers.
- **Montessori Inspired Toys**: Montessori-inspired toy picks.
- **Gift Ideas for Older Kids (9-12)**: Gift ideas for kids ages 9-12.
- **Toys for the Classroom**: Toys that work well in a classroom.
- **Gift Ideas for Budding Readers**: Gifts for early readers.
- **Stocking Stuffers: A Teacher's Top 10**: A teacher's top 10 stocking stuffers.
- **Book Ideas for Everyone on Your List**: Book gift ideas for everyone.
- **Toys that Stand the Test of Time**: Long-lasting toy picks.
- **Top Board Games for Kids and Families**: Board games for the whole family.

## Tips
- Our preschooler has been using the Melissa & Doug magnifying glass for the last 2 years. It's fun to look at bugs and leaves up close and personal.
- The bug house doesn't have to be just a bug box. It has been our must-have for hikes and nature walks, and it often turns into a house for the animals in pretend play.
- Combine Safari TOOB animal figures with play dough, dirt or sand, or toss them in a sensory box, and you'll have a child entertained for hours.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2014)

We have a wild life enthusiast at home; a little girl who will run towards a bug (except bees and wasps because she learnt a bitter lesson that we don't paint those guys) or any animal to further observe. I'm sure almost all the kids love animals. If you have one such kid you are shopping for, you can use this guide as a good starting point. This list is ideally suited for kids age 2-5 years.

### **Magnifying Glass**

Any wild life loving explorer should have a magnifying glass on their everyday adventures to parks, nature walks or simply their backyard. It is fun to look at bugs and leaves up close and personal. This Melissa and Doug product comes in both "boy colors" and "girl colors". My pre schooler has been using this product for the last 2 years.

### **Bug House**

Where will your explorer store her nature walk finds? This is advertized as a bug box, but it doesn't have to strictly be one. We have observed many bugs ( not the ones that are alive). More than anything else, this has served as our must-have for hikes and nature walks and has been a big part of many pretend play scenes ; usually a house for the animals.

### **Kid-Tough Binoculars**

Kids binoculars just like the magnifying glass and bug box is a staple for little explorers both indoors and outdoors.

### **Flashlight**

How about after dinner backyard exploration? Your young explorers need a cool flashlight? This one will serve that purpose.

### **A complete explorer's kit**

I would personally get this amazing kit for an animal loving explorer on your gift list. It has everything a young backyard explorer would need.

### **Explorer Role Play Costume**

### **Critter Clinic - Vet Set**

Animal lovers and explorers love to care for the same animals too. This adorable set comes with everything your little veterinarian will need to take care of the animals. It also has a animals as pretend patients.

### **Safari LTD Wild Toob**

Safari makes great pocket-friendly animal figures that can be used in numerous pretend play scenes. Combine with play dough, dirt, sand or throw them in a sensory box you will have child entertained for hours. The TOOBs come many in many themes : wild animals, farm animals, prehistoric animals, bugs.

### **Melissa & Doug Fold and Go Mini Barn**

**Animal Planet Mommy and Baby Play Set**

Does you kid group all his/her animals into little families? A tiger always has a mommy, daddy and a sibling? This would be perfect for an animal loving kid.

### **Animal Planet Super Treehouse Playset**

Look how fun and gorgeous the play set! This is endless hours of animal play for your little people. If you are a DIY person, check out this amazing homemade tree house for the animals from **[Childhood 101](https://childhood101.com/diy-kids-our-treehouse-play-scene/).**

### **Schleich animals**

All animal loving kids should own at least one of these glorious Schleich animals. They are well-made, accurate high quality animal figurines which parents and kids will love at the first sight.

**Special Mention : Homemade gift for your explorer.** I have a perfect homemade gift for a little explorer. Go check out Debbie at Go Explore Nature. An awesome blog about being with kids outdoors and connecting with nature. She has a tutorial for an amazing **[roly-poly terrarium](http://www.goexplorenature.com/2010/05/fun-friday-build-roly-poly-terrarium.html).** It is very simple to make and the receiver would be thrilled. (Can't say much about the parents!)

 I don't want leave you without any gift related to our beloved pre historic animals : Dinosaurs For a comprehensive list of dinosaur gifts, please visit **3dinosaurs.** For a fantastic list of dinosaur books to give your dino-obsessed kid please visit **Montessori Tidbits** Happy Holidays and hope these suggestions serve a base for all your gift shopping needs. Don't forget to check out these great gift suggestions from my favorite blogs. [**Fun Gifts Beyond Toys** by No Twiddle Twaddle](http://notwiddletwaddle.com/), [**Book + Toy Companion Gifts** by What Do We Do All Day?](http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/), **Best Art Supplies for Kids** by To Train Up a Child, [**Gifts to Inspire the Imagination** by The Pleasantest Thing](http://www.pleasantestthing.com/)**,** [**Educational Games** by True Aim Education](http://www.trueaimeducation.com/), **Basic/Traditional Toys** by Creative Playhouse, [**Therapeutic and Fun Gift Ideas for Child Development** by Creative Learning Fun](http://www.creativelearningfun.blogspot.com/), [**Top Toys for Babies** by B-InspiredMama](http://b-inspiredmama.com/), [**Top Toys for Curious Kids** by KC Edventures](http://www.kcedventures.com/blog), **Educational/ Headache Free Toys for Christmas and Hanukkah** by CAUTION: Twins at Play, **4 Gift Ideas for Everyone: Want, Wear, Need, and Read** by Home Learning Journey, [**Gifts that Inspire Pretend Play** by Connecting Family and Seoul](http://www.connectingfamilyandseoul.com/), [**My Favorite Books and Toys for Preschoolers** by Mama Miss](http://www.mamamiss.com/), [**Educational Toys for Preschoolers** by The Freckled Homeschooler](http://thefreckledhomeschooler.com/), **Montessori Inspired Toys** by Smiling Like Sunshine, [**Gift Ideas for Older Kids (9-12)** by Kitchen Counter Chronicles](http://www.kitchencounterchronicle.com/), [**Toys for the Classroom** by Teach Preschool](http://www.teachpreschool.org/), [**Gift Ideas for Budding Readers** by Mom 2 to Posh Lil Dives](http://momto2poshlildivas.com/), [**Stocking Stuffers: A Teacher's Top 10** by Kindergarten & Preschool for Parents & Teachers](http://kindergartenbasics.blogspot.com/), [**Book Ideas for Everyone on Your List** by Pragmatic Mom](http://pragmaticmom.com/), [**Toys that Stand the Test of Time** by Mamas Like Me](http://www.mamaslikeme.com/), [**Top Board Games for Kids and Families** by Coffee Cups and Crayons](http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/) Note:

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