7 Best Gift Ideas for Children: Prepper Edition
Cynthia KolfThe holiday season is the perfect time to give gifts that go beyond typical toys and entertainment.
What if you could surprise the kids in your life with presents that are not just fun, but also prepare them for real-world challenges?
These prepper-friendly gift ideas are designed to spark imagination, build confidence, and introduce essential survival skills—all wrapped up in packages that kids will love unwrapping on Christmas morning.
Why Prepper Gifts Matter
In an era of increasing natural disasters, power outages, and unexpected emergency situations, teaching children preparedness isn't just smart—it's essential.
These gifts are more than just presents; they're practical tools that can make a significant difference in survival situations.
By introducing kids to emergency preparedness in a fun, engaging way, we're equipping the next generation with skills that could one day save their lives.
Understanding Emergency Awareness
Children between 5 and 11 are at a critical developmental stage where they can begin understanding basic safety concepts without being overwhelmed.
Emergency preparedness isn't about scaring children, but empowering them with knowledge and confidence.
Psychological Benefits
Children develop emotional resilience through understanding emergency procedures. When they comprehend basic safety strategies, they feel more secure.
Knowledge transforms potential fear into a sense of control, helping children feel capable and less vulnerable during uncertain situations.
Preparedness training teaches valuable problem-solving skills.
By introducing survival concepts through age-appropriate activities, we're developing mental flexibility and adaptive thinking that extends far beyond emergency scenarios.
Age-Specific Preparedness Considerations
For children aged 5-7, the focus is on foundation building. This includes understanding basic safety concepts, learning simple identification skills, and developing basic communication strategies.
Learning objectives center on recognizing emergency sounds, understanding basic 911 concepts, knowing home address and parent contact information, and identifying safe meeting spaces.
As children progress to ages 8-11, skill development becomes more nuanced. This stage introduces more complex emergency scenarios, basic first aid awareness, and situational understanding.
Learning objectives expand to include simple navigation skills, understanding weather emergency procedures, recognizing household hazards, and developing effective communication strategies during emergencies.
Practical Skill Integration
Emergency preparedness for children should always be age-appropriate, non-threatening, and presented as an adventure.
The key is integrating learning with play, always under adult supervision. This approach ensures children feel supported and engaged while developing critical life skills.
Emotional Intelligence in Emergencies
Teaching children about emergencies transcends physical preparedness. It's fundamentally about developing emotional intelligence.
This includes recognizing stress signals, managing personal emotions, communicating effectively, and maintaining composure under pressure.
By focusing on these skills, we help children build a comprehensive approach to handling challenging situations.
Gift Guide
Finding the right gifts for children can be challenging, especially when you want to combine fun with functionality.
For parents, grandparents and other family members, caregivers, and educators interested in emergency preparedness, selecting gifts that subtly introduce survival skills is both a practical and thoughtful approach.
This guide focuses on prepper-friendly gift ideas for children aged 5 to 11—a critical developmental period where learning can be transformed into an exciting adventure.
These carefully curated suggestions go beyond typical toys, offering opportunities to build confidence, develop problem-solving skills, and introduce age-appropriate emergency preparedness concepts.
Sunshine Preppers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program affiliate program. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Survival Board Games
Learning through play games are an incredible way to teach complex concepts, and survival-themed board games are a great addition to any child's collection.
The How I Survived Game
The How I Survived Game from MindWare is suggested for ages 8 and up.
From MindWare "Your bed is floating in an ocean! Your dog turned into a zombie! Quick: how will you survive?
With only your brainpower and whatever 3 wacky objects you manage to grab, you’ll have to create your best plan of action. Make it clever, creative or goofy; whatever it takes to convince the judge to award you scoring rations.
The How I Survived Game is the weird and wacky think-on-your-feet game that your kids will love."
Wildcraft!
Wildcraft! is an herbal adventure game for ages 4 and up.
The Learning Herbs Store says about this game "Gather the family and go on an imaginary adventure foraging plants through forests, trails, and waterfalls! Wildcraft!, one of our educational games for kids 8-12, introduces the wonderful world of herbs to kids as young as 4 years old."
The Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail board game is a personal favorite. It is recommended for children ages 14 and up. However, if you have an advanced learner, they will enjoy this game!
From Pressman "It's 1844: You and your family have joined a wagon train in Independence, MO that is about to head to Willamette Valley to find your fortune in the West!
Players will place tiles to discover the trails, rivers, forts, and towns ahead of them that they will move through to this new land.
This scenic journey would almost be perfect... if it wasn't for the disease, drowning, rattlesnakes and other hazards that will plague you along the way.
You'll need to hunt for food to avoid starvation, and with limited wagon space, you may need to choose between supplies and family members to keep moving along the trail."
These games offer interactive lessons in resource management, critical thinking, and strategic planning.
These games simulate emergency scenarios, helping kids understand how to make crucial decisions under pressure.
Essential Tools
The Kid-Friendly First Aid Kit - DIY
A personalized first aid kit is more than just a gift—it's a confidence booster.
Create a compact emergency kit designed specifically for children, including essential tools like an emergency whistle, a sturdy flashlight, and age-appropriate first aid supplies.
Choose a container in their favorite color or featuring their preferred characters to make it extra special.
This kit teaches children the importance of being prepared and gives them a sense of empowerment.
Sunshine Preppers Mini Survival Kit for Children
In my store, I offer a kit that is a great option.
Our mini survival kit contains a long-lasting food bar and water pouch, a bright stick, survival whistle, and rechargeable flashlight, an emergency poncho, emergency blanket, and body warmer.
All items are tucked into a small red pack which is the perfect size to tuck into a child's backpack.
Sunshine Preppers Bug Out Bag Emergency Survival Kit
Transform emergency preparedness into an exciting adventure with our Emergency Bug Out Kit.
This gift is a great way to introduce the concept of survival kits while making preparation feel like a thrilling outdoor expedition.
For older children in the 10-11 age range, our comprehensive Emergency Survival Kit offers an unparalleled adventure in preparedness.
Packed with 14 servings of emergency food—including 4 servings of crunchy granola bars and 10 servings of dried banana chips—this kit is a young explorer's dream.
The 37-piece first aid kit is designed to handle minor cuts and scrapes, while water purification tablets, pocket tissues, a 5-in-1 survival whistle, mylar blanket, emergency poncho, 12-hour glow stick, and a pair of nitrile gloves complete the package.
As someone who was once an adventurous 10-year-old, I can confidently say this kit would have sparked endless excitement.
I would have immediately started planning my next "expedition" to the neighborhood park, imagining all the ways I could use these incredible tools.
For a child on the cusp of independence, this survival kit isn't just a gift—it's an invitation to explore, learn, and feel empowered.
Books
My Side of the Mountain
Knowledge is the most powerful survival tool.
Books like "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George offer more than just a compelling narrative—they inspire a love for outdoor skills and self-reliance.
As a homeschooling parent, I discovered this book's incredible power when assigned to my son, who typically avoided reading. Surprisingly, he was completely captivated by the story of a young boy living independently in the wilderness.
The book's vivid descriptions of survival, resourcefulness, and adventure spoke directly to his imagination.
My non-reader son couldn't put the book down, drawn into the protagonist's world of wilderness survival and personal discovery. T
his experience taught me that the right book can transform a reluctant reader into an enthusiastic explorer, making "My Side of the Mountain" a highly recommended read for children interested in outdoor skills and adventure.
ow to find safe, edible plants, build a shelter, simple fishing techniques, start a fire, navigate the wild, and perform first aid.
The story follows three children that are separated from their family during a camping trip and need basic bushcraft skills as they make their way back to their family.
Gardening Kits
Growing skills and confidence teach self-sufficiency through a beginner's gardening kit. If you have read my other posts, you know that I am a strong advocate that gardening is an essential if you prep.
Miracle Gro My First Root Viewer
My First Root Viewer is a nice indoor gardening gift for children over the age of 6.
The kit includes a clear root viewer planter, a drain tray, soil pods, and seeds for carrots, spring onions, and turnips (although seed selection may vary).
It also comes with organic soil, as noted on the contents list.
To make the experience even more fun, the kit includes instructions and decorative stickers for personalizing the root viewer.
As the vegetables grow, kids can watch the magic happen, observing the roots develop and stretch through the clear planter.
It's a hands-on way to learn about plants while sparking curiosity and excitement!
National Geographic Light Up Terrarium
The National Geographic Light-Up Terrarium Kit lets kids create their very own dinosaur habitat! With this engaging indoor activity set, children can grow a mini garden with a fun prehistoric twist.
The process is simple—choose a backdrop, decorate the terrarium, plant and water the seeds, and watch their dinosaur habitat come to life!
The terrarium’s wide-mouth design is perfect for smaller hands, making it easy to set up and work with the included materials. Plus, the panoramic view lets kids observe their habitat as it evolves.
The terrarium’s lid includes a USB-powered light, eliminating the need for batteries. It doubles as a cool night light, adding a glow to bedtime routines!
The set comes with chia and ryegrass seeds, a peat pellet, a spray bottle, colored pebbles, rock specimens, river stone, a faux succulent, two dinosaur figurines, and a reversible laminated backdrop.
This terrarium kit is not just an indoor garden—it’s an imaginative adventure that inspires curiosity and creativity in young minds!
Outdoorsy Kits and Exploration Tools
Inspire future adventurers with compact, kid-friendly exploration gear.
Consider items like a child-sized multi-tool, a beginner's compass, or durable binoculars. These tools encourage outdoor exploration and introduce basic survival skills. They're not just toys—they're gateways to understanding navigation, observation, and self-reliance.
Compass
This Coghlan's 1985 Carabiner Compass has several good features. It quickly and conveniently attaches to bags, belt loops or a pack making access simple. It has luminous directional markers on the 1.06 inch diameter face that aid reading in low light.
Best of all it is durable, practical, and affordable!
To pair with the compass, consider the book
Binoculars
If you’re looking for binoculars to spark a child’s curiosity, I have two great options to consider.
For younger children ages 3 and up, Kidnoculars by GeoSafari Jr. are a fantastic choice. These beginner-friendly binoculars are designed with kids in mind, featuring easy-placement goggles, 2x magnification, and a breakaway neck strap for safety.
They’re focus-free, making them simple for little hands to use, and the oversized, comfortable eyepieces—three times larger than standard ones—ensure a frustration-free experience.
Built tough to withstand active play, these binoculars are durable enough to last through years of exploration.
For older children ready for a more advanced option, the Let’s Go Binoculars for Kids are a solid pick. These binoculars feature 8x magnification, allowing kids to get a closer and more detailed view of birds, wildlife, and distant objects.
They also include a soft, adjustable neck strap and a protective carrying case, making them ideal for outdoor adventures or hikes. With a rubberized grip and shockproof construction, these binoculars are built to handle the wear and tear of active use.
Lightweight and easy to carry, they’re the perfect next step for kids eager to explore the world in greater detail.
Crafting Survival Skills
DIY Kits Hands-on craft kits can be a great way to teach practical skills. Look for projects like making paracord bracelets or creating basic survival pouches. These activities teach fine motor skills, patience, and introduce concepts of preparedness in a creative, engaging manner.
This fun paracord bracelet-making kit lets kids create the survival bracelets they can wear and share.
Designed as a great gift for boys or girls, this kit encourages creativity and self-expression, allowing kids to design bracelets as fun and unique as they are.
With easy-to-follow instructions, children can start braiding their first bracelet within minutes, building confidence as they master the skill.
The kit includes a sturdy paracord loom that makes strong, durable survival bracelets built to withstand heavy wear.
The Purple Cow Young Survival Science Kit offers a fun way for kids to explore the outdoors while learning essential survival skills through 12 engaging experiments.
This kit is perfect for kids who want to combine their love of nature with hands-on science.
With experiments suitable for ages 8 and up (with some parental guidance) or independently for ages 9–12, the kit provides a range of exciting projects.
Kids can learn how to generate water from plants, light a fire without matches, build a solar stove, and much more.
Each activity teaches valuable skills while sparking curiosity and encouraging creative problem-solving.
Choosing the Right Prepper Gifts
When selecting gifts, consider the child's age, interests, and current skill level.
The goal is to make learning feel like play, not like a chore.
Each gift should spark curiosity, build confidence, and subtly introduce the importance of being prepared.
Safety and Supervision
Remember that these gifts are educational tools. Always supervise children when they're using survival gear or engaging in outdoor activities. Take time to explain the purpose of each item and teach proper usage.
A Gift Beyond the Moment
These prepper-friendly gifts do more than entertain for a moment—they invest in a child's future.
By introducing survival concepts through fun, engaging presents, we're helping children develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and a sense of self-reliance.
The best gifts aren't just wrapped in paper—they're wrapped in potential.
This holiday season, give the kids in your life something truly meaningful: the skills and confidence to face whatever adventures—or challenges—come their way.
