Outdoors & Hiking Stocking Stuffers for Kids & Families

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Stocking stuffers are some of my favorite gifts to give and also to receive. And my kids adore them, too! I love giving a few useful little outdoors & hiking stocking stuffers each year.

Here are a few of our favorite stocking stuffers for outdoorsy kids and families – I hope they’re helpful!

Wool Socks

Good wool socks are something my kids get in their stockings every year – they’re the perfect outdoors stocking stuffer that get used all the time at home, while traveling, or while exploring nature. This is our very favorite wool sock brand (it’s a small, family-owned business with a lifetime warranty). This is one of my favorite outdoor stocking stuffers!

Where to Buy: Darn Tough | Smartwool | REI DT | REI Smartwool

Headlamp

Headlamps are so functional for so many use cases – camping, hiking in caves, reading in bed, or finding things in a dark hotel room. Plus, they’re just fun and my kids love each having one!

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon | Backcountry

Lifestraw Portable Water Filter Straw

There’s something so fun about drinking water from a stream or other fresh water source. Plus, it’s often a necessity while hiking or camping, and is super helpful when traveling to countries where tap water isn’t safe to drink. This portable water filter straw makes drinking clean and safe water easy and a perfect hiking stocking stuffer!

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon

Duct Tape or Tenacious Tape

As my kids like to say, “tape works for everything!” Duct tape has solved so many issues for us, from cars to our home to shoes. It’s great to have on hand. Tenacious tape is newer and less messy, and also comes in convenient patches for quick fixes.

Where to Buy: Amazon | Target | REI

Food/Drink/Snacks

Every adventurer has different preferences on energy, so investigate a bit to find out what your loved one enjoys. Things like energy gel, trail mix, or electrolyte packets might be a good idea.

Carabiners

Carabiners are imminently useful and we always have some clipped onto each kid’s hiking backpack. They’re perfect for hooking on jackets if they get hot, keeping water bottles from getting lost, and about a million other uses.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Walmart

Sanitizer Holder

We always like having a little hand sanitizer bottle on each hiking backpack. These are super cute and great for kids. Or you could buy a separate holder – there are tons of super cute styles (I may stick this one in my own stocking). This one is great for a teenager and I love this classy one for an adult. And this set is adorable for kids (and comes in a 6-pack).

Where to Buy: Walmart | Target | Amazon

Mitten Clips

Will you be doing some cold weather adventuring? Mitten clips are so useful. This style runs through the sleeves so they stay together and attached to the coat!

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart | Etsy

Mini First Aid Kit and/or Supplies (Bug Bite Thing)

It’s always a good idea to have a few first aid supplies along on a hike or outdoor adventure, and my kids love each having their own small one in their backpacks. This little portable first aid kit is great with a few basics. Or you could get one of these darling little adventure medical kits. I’m getting one for each of my kids’ stockings and adding a few extra medical supplies myself.

I also really love this active skin repair (hypoallergenic, unlike Neosporin, and works so well and gently) – would be perfect to include in a first aid kit or in a stocking on its own. The Bug Bite Thing would also be perfect to include (and is going in Dan’s stocking this year).

Where to Buy: Walmart | REI | Etsy

Compass

Navigation skills are great to develop, and a little lightweight compass is perfect for practicing.

Where to Buy: Amazon | L.L.Bean | REI | Walmart

Lip Balm

Lips get dry when in the outdoors! I love tucking a lip balm in as one of my favorite hiking stocking stuffers. I like natural ones like this, and my kids love flavored ones.

Where to Buy: Walmart | Target | Amazon

Beanie

My oldest likes to wear a beanie under his bike helmet for chilly mornings so he’ll definitely be getting one in his stocking. There are so many different styles available for every taste!

Sunscreen & Insect Repellent

My kids love carrying their own in their packs! The stick version of our favorite kids’ sunscreen is a perfect useful stocking stuffer idea. I’ll be sticking a mini version of our favorite insect repellent in my kids’ stockings!

Mosquito Head Net

Speaking of insect protection, these mosquito head nets are so helpful when in buggy areas. They fold up super small so they’re perfect for travel and outdoors adventure (or as a great hiking stocking stuffer ;)).

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon | L.L.Bean

Wet Bag

Wet bags aren’t just for cloth diapers anymore. 😉 These are great when exploring outdoors to store wet swimsuits, organize stuff in a hiking backpack, or clipping onto another pack. My kids don’t have these so I’m thinking of picking up a few for kids stocking stuffers.

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart

Sun Hat & Sunglasses

Older kids might like a plain baseball cap for this. But if you need a great and useful baby stocking stuffer for a family who loves exploring outdoors, this infant sun hat would make a great baby stocking stuffer – perhaps along with some baby sunglasses. (We have a sun hat from M that I’ll be reusing and including in S’s stocking!)

Pocketknife

If you have an older elementary and above kiddo, a pocketknife would be great to include with your hiking stocking stuffers. One of my kiddos is getting one for his 8th birthday next week and he’s going to be thrilled!

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Victorinox

Compressed Towels

We don’t often use these compressed towels and try to go with reusable whenever possible, but they can sometimes be helpful while traveling or on the road. I have some extras that I’m going to slip into my kids stockings for emergency use!

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart | Target

Small Trowel

It’s not the most glamorous of hiking stocking stuffers, but a trowel is very useful for proper waste management when out on the trail. This one is inexpensive and lightweight. If you want a sturdier one, this one isn’t too much more and we love how hardy it is.

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon

Quick Dry Towel

These are great for hiking, the beach, a lake, or any other outdoor adventure. An awesome addition to your outdoor stocking stuffers.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Backcountry

Wallet Multi-Tool

This would be a great outdoor stocking stuffer for an older kid or resourceful younger one. Great for performing a variety of tasks.

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart

Bike Bell & Gloves

If you have a kiddo or family member who loves biking, a new bike bell could be a perfect outdoor stocking stuffer for kids. (Here’s all our favorite bike gear for families.) Bike gloves would also be great!

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon

Hand Warmers

We love slipping hand warmers into a gift if we’re headed somewhere cold or need some cold weather hiking stocking stuffers.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Target | Walmart

Crampons

Speaking of cold weather stocking stuffers, crampons would be great as hiking stocking stuffers from someone in a place with lots of snow and ice (or if you’ll be exploring there).

Where to Buy: Amazon

Walkie Talkies

Walkie talkies are great for giving kiddos a bit of independence on the trail or while out exploring. They’re some of our favorite hiking stocking stuffers and you can split a pack between a couple kids to bring the price well into stocking stuffer range.

Where to Buy: Amazon

There you have it – some of our favorite outdoors and hiking stuffers for kids & families! Did you find any ideas that will work for your family? Or do you have other great ideas to add to this list? Please let me know in the comments!