Buying for a Mini Traveller this Christmas? From tech to take on the plane, to games to keep them busy in the car and toys to get them exploring outside, There We Go blogger Katie Gregory has rounded up some Christmas gift ideas for the adventurous little people in your lives. There are some travel and adventure-themed gift ideas for families, too, so everyone’s covered this Christmas…

We also have some ideas for Christmas Gifts that aren’t toys for Outdoorsy and Travel-Loving Families!

Please note prices shown are correct at the time of writing but will vary.

BAGS FOR MINI TRAVELLERS

boppi Tiny Trekker Kids Suitcase, £46.99
These colourful hard-shell cases are nice and light for kids to pull along with the extendable handle, and within the size limits for carry-on bags – although it’s always worth doble-checking your airline’s requirements. We tested the dog design with cute fluffy ears, although there are lots more bold and playful designs to pick from. Team it with a matching boppi backpack (£19.99) and they’re all set for an overseas adventure.
Buy now: https://amzn.to/3MONjWY

Osprey DAYLITE™ JR rucksack, £45
Osprey sell a range of bags for young explorers that have all the features of a ‘proper’ adult rucksack. The Daylite Jnr has a ventilated back panel, dual side mesh pockets for water bottles, and a chest strap with a built-in whistle on the clasp. We like the handy front pocket with integrated key clip, and the neat 9L capacity is ideal as a day bag for a younger child. If you’re buying for an older child or want something bigger for overnight Scouts trips, try the Ace 50 (£200). It’s ergonomically designed for 8-14-year-olds, with all the features of a grown-up backpack.
Buy now: https://www.osprey.com/gb/osprey-daylite-junior-f23#color=One%20Size

Kind Bag Hackney 2.0 Mini Backpack, £55
Fashion-conscious travellers will appreciate this dinky daybag from Kind Bag. Made from 12 recycled plastic bottles, it has carry handles with hidden magnets, an anti-theft pocket between the back padding and main compartment, and an inside pocket with a zip for valuables. The padded back pocket is just the right size for an ipad or tablet, which makes this ideal for days out. There are medium and large sizes available, too, and a really nice choice of pastel colours.
Buy now: https://www.kindbag.co/collections/hackney-backpacks-recycled/products/mini-backpack-sage?variant=43938263138521

CLOTHES AND SHOES FOR MINI ADVENTURERS

Monsoon London fleece ivory hoodie, from £25
This fleece oversized hoodie is perfect for chilly winter nights – or early-morning flights. Available in sizes from age 2 to 13 years, it’s covered in an all-over London print that looks great teamed with the matching London flannel pyjama set (£26). If the capital is too close to home, head all the way to the North Pole instead with Monsoon’s Arctic pyjama set (from £26). These PJs are made from organic cotton, covered in Arctic animals, and 5% of the net proceeds from their sale goes to WWF-UK.
Buy now: London Fleece Hoodie Ivory | Girls’ Nightwear | Monsoon UK.

Craghoppers Kids Brandon Hooded Jacket, £65
If you’re buying for a child who loves outdoor adventures, or you’re heading off on a ski trip, this kids’ coat from Craghoppers is a great choice. It’s super soft and filled with sustainably made synthetic down, which means they’ll be warm and toasty in temperatures up to -20oC. It’s finished with a durable water repellent coating, and we love the bright Macaw Red colour option. You can also extend the sleeves by two inches by unpicking the hem, so it’ll last as your little one grows.
Buy now: Kid’s Brandon Hooded Jacket – Macaw Red | Craghoppers UK

Mountain Warehouse Jupiter Kids Adaptive Waterproof Walking Boots, £39.99
The Jupiter Kids Adaptive Waterproof Walking Boots from Mountain Warehouse are a nice gift option as they don’t look like ‘traditional’ walking boots. The pink style has a cute leopard print, and the orange option has a subtle camo print. The adjustable strap fastening makes it easy to get a good fit, and the water-resistant upper and IsoDry membrane keeps feet nice and dry without getting sweaty. If you’re buying for an older child who can do their own laces, try the Canyon Kids leather waterproof walking boots (£42.99).
Buy now: https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/jupiter-kids-adaptive-waterproof-walking-boots-p49528.aspx/orange/

GIFTS FOR TECH-LOVERS

Voxblock, screen (and wifi) free children’s audiobook player

Voxblock is the screen-(and wifi)-free audiobook player for children 3-12. With tangible books that slot into the easy-to-use player and zero connectivity, Voxblock encourages independent listening with no need for grown-ups! Founded in Scotland by parents Tom and Rebecca, Voxblock is designed to immerse children in the joy of stories without the distraction of a screen while simultaneously improving their literacy skills.

Perfect for Christmas morning with no complicated set up required, kids can simply open and use!  

The Voxblock Starter pack contains a Voxblock player, bumper and three stories for £59.99.  Buy at voxblock.co.uk.

Instax Mini 12, £79.99
The Instax Mini 12 camera is a nice idea for travelling tweens and teens, who can snap selfies and print mini photos on the spot. It’s easy to use – just twist it on, twist it a bit more to turn on close-up mode, and twist it again to turn it off – and it has automatic exposure and flash control. Factor in a tiny mirror and cute pastel design, and it’s a great gift option for your favourite selfie queen.
Buy now: https://amzn.to/47C19E1

Paper + Word Paradise Switch Sleeves, £32
If you know someone who totes a Nintendo Switch around when they’re away from home, these Switch Sleeves from Paper + Word are perfect. They’re handmade in the UK from funky fabrics, generously padded, and have a fold-over flap to keep a Switch safely inside. You can buy different sizes and shapes for books and other tech, too, and Paper + Word plant a tree for every order.
Buy now: Paradise Switch Sleeves — Paper and Word

L.O.L. Surprise! Children’s wireless headphones, £12.99
These wireless headphones for kids are a great stocking filler at £12.99. Our tester loved the fact there are no wires to get tangled up in while travelling, and we were pleased to see a kid-safe volume limit, with control buttons on one of the headphones. They’re comfy to wear and suitable for age 3 upwards. Our little L.O.L. Surprise! fan was delighted with the fluffy cat ears.
Buy now: https://www.cardfactory.co.uk/l.o.l.-surprise%21-childrens-wireless-headphones/76086.html

IDEAS FOR TRAVEL-LOVING FAMILIES

CEWE large landscape photo book, from £21.99
Got endless travel photos stored on a memory card, on your phone or in the cloud? We had a go at designing a CEWE photo book and loved seeing our travel memories brought to life. You can download CEWE’s software or design it on the site, and the interface is easy to use – choosing which photos to feature is the tricky bit. There are lots of templates to choose from and a choice of book sizes, shapes and finishes. We were really impressed with the final result at a very reasonable price.
Buy now: https://www.cewe.co.uk/photo-books/large-landscape-photo-book.html

Popsa photo tiles, from £12
These 20x20cm tiles arrive framed – either white or black – and ready to hang with no nails needed. Just peel off the backing and stick them wherever you like, then re-stick them when you fancy a change. We particularly like the Instagram-style grid shape, which looks great in a child’s or teen’s room, and loved how easy it was to turn our travel memories into wall art. Just choose your prints, upload via the Popsa app or on a desktop, and our tiles arrived the following week – ready to hang.
Buy now: https://popsa.com/products/photo-tiles/

‘My First Passport ‘ – Personalised Child’s Drawing Passport Holder, £41
This handmade leather passport holder is decorated with your child’s design, so each one is totally unique. You’ll be sent a template to complete and return, then Create Gift Love will print your child’s drawing onto a passport holder that can also be personalised with their name in gold foil. This is a great personalised gift idea that could work for any age, and something they can keep forever.
Buy now: https://www.creategiftlove.co.uk/collections/draw-your-own-childrens-artwork-gifts/products/my-first-passport-personalised-childs-drawing-passport-holder

Mini U miniatures travel kit, £9.99
This travel toiletries kit from Mini U includes the brand’s bestsellers – a Tropical Berries Hair & Body Wash, Honey Cream Shampoo and Honey Cream Conditioner in a travel-friendly size that can go in your hand luggage. The products are gentle enough to use on little ones, but work brilliantly for adults, too, and come in a re-useable wash bag. We also love Mini U’s Strawberry mermaid gift set (£8.98).
Buy now: https://www.miniu.co.uk/product/miniatures-travel-kit/

Extraordinary Travellers, The Clock Thief, Adventure Story, £4.99

las noticias de última hora Coming live to you from Barcelona, Spain, we have breaking news. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia is floating above the city…” When all eyes are focused on an incredible floating cathedral, the Clock Thief gets to work. Who is the Clock Thief? And why is he stealing these treasures? Sounds like another test for the League of Extraordinary Travellers. In this race against time, Lucy and Tom journey across Spain, past and present, to solve the mystery. Can they help the King of Spain find the missing treasures? T

he Clock Thief is the second adventure in the Extraordinary Travellers series by Karen Beddow and Lyndsay Macaulay. Karen Beddow describes it as, a page turning mystery adventure with some Spanish bits – the kind of story that I loved to read as a child, but with a little more culture.

Extraordinary Travellers, The Little Museum, Adventure Story, £4.99

A magic map, a clever invention and an exciting race through France. The Little Museum is a page-turning travel adventure story for boys and girls aged 8-11 with a little bit of French thrown in for good measure. When Lucy and her younger brother, Tom, find out their mum is part of a group of Extraordinary Travellers they have no idea how much their life is going to change and what adventure awaits them. Join them on their quest to discover why the Eiffel Tower has disappeared, what else the Little Museum is going to contain and why the President of France needs their help to find the missing treasures. Karen Beddow describes it as, a page turning mystery adventure with some French bits – the kind of story that I loved to read as a child, but with a little more culture. To read the first couple of chapters and find out what’s in store click here!

Lonely Planet The Maps Book, £14.99
This new release from Lonely Planet takes readers through the history of maps, from the first sketches on cave walls to the maps we use on our phones. As well as teaching kids how to read maps there’s info on making maps and cartography equipment, and this is a nice book to read through together. There’s also a Amazing Ancient World Atlas (£14.99) and Bird Atlas (£11) if you’re keen to extend their map knowledge even further.
Buy now: https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/en-gb/products/the-maps-book

PRESENTS FOR OUTDOORS ADVENTURERS

The Den Kit Co Forest Den Kit, £65
Boost their bushcraft skills in the garden or park with The Den Kit Co’s Forest Den Kit. It contains everything kids need to build their own dens in a water-resistant backpack. There’s a camo tarp, groundsheets, mallet, pegs and jute rope, as well as fun extras like camouflage face paint and an enamel camping mug. The Den Kit Co have also just introduced a Grow Your Own Tree kit, and we love their bushcraft party kit, too.
Buy now: https://thedenkitco.com/collections/den-kits/products/forest-den-kit

Mesa XL tabletop solo stove, £99.99
This genius Solo Stove creates a mini fire on the go – so adventure-loving families can take it camping, take it to the beach, or roast marshmallows over it in the garden without having to light the BBQ. It comes with a tabletop stand so you can elevate it slightly, and burns mini firewood or pellets. We love the sleek stainless steel design and heat-resistant coating, and the fact it burns smokeless thanks to a clever airflow system.
Buy now: https://solostove.com/en-gb/p/mesa-xl?sku=SSMESA-XL-SS

Xootz LED quad skates, £39.99
Keep up the outdoor adventures over winter with these LED Quad Skates by Xootz, which recently won the Active Toys category at the BlogOn Awards. The LED wheels are motion activated and are brilliant on dark winter nights, and you can choose from green or pink designs with adjustable touch and close fastenings. They come in a choice of two sizes – one adjusts from shoes sizes 9-12 junior, and the other goes from 13-3. If you’re in the market for roller blades instead of quads there are in-line skates available, too (£36.99) and we love the colour-your-own Sketch Ya Deck skateboard (£32.99).
Buy now: https://www.xootz.co.uk/quad-roller-skates-led-green.html

Voited Mini Traveller blanket, £69.90
This clever blanket is lightweight, insulated, and water-repellent, and we love how multifunctional it is. You can use as a cosy blanket, stuff it into the pouch to make a pillow, or fold it in half to make a snuggly sleeping bag using the poppers around the edges. You can also use these to snap two blankets together to create a double sleep sack or an absolutely ginormous blanket. There are a choice of colourful designs, but our vote goes to the gorgeous new little leo print.
Buy now: https://voited.co.uk/products/mini-traveler-camping-blanket-little-leo

LifeStraw Go Series, £55
Made from stainless steel or recycled, BPA-free plastic, the LifeStraw Go is a water bottle with a double filtration straw that protects against bacteria, parasites and microplastics while improving taste. That means you can fill it up from any fresh water source – whether that’s a waterfall or an airport bathroom – and know you’re drinking safe water. We love the choice of colours including some nice bright options, and the fact the membrane microfilter lasts up to 4,000 litres – or about five years of daily use. A great option for a seasoned traveller.
Buy now: https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/p/lifestraw-go-2-0-1l-water-filter-bottle-B4KJ390041.html

PUZZLES AND GAMES FOR TRAVEL-MAD KIDS

Squishmallows Take 4 card game, £19.99
If your kids are obsessed with Squishmallows but you’ve run out of space for the huge squishy characters, this is a great alternative that won’t take up too much space in your bag. The aim is simple: grow your squad as fast as possible by collecting four different Squishmallows Squad Cards to win. We like the fact play time is quite short – about 15 minutes max – so it’s great for killing a bit of time on the go.
Buy now: https://www.game.co.uk/en/squishmallows-take4-card-game-2907838

Jigraphy football map £19.99
Buying for a football fan? This clever 300-piece jigsaw map will have them learning their UK and Ireland geography without realising it. There are 148 numbered footballs on the finished map, and each one represents the stadium location of a different team. Work out which ball represents which team with clues, team colours, and names of major towns and cities to complete the puzzle. Each one is made to order, making this an extra special gift.
Buy now: https://www.happypuzzle.co.uk/jigsaws/uk-and-international-jigsaws/jigraphy-football-23-34

Boppi round world map jigsaw, £16.99
boppi’s 150-piece round jigsaw puzzles are made from 100% recycled card and great for children aged 5-8+ years. We love the map of the USA and world map, which are covered with illustrated landmarks, and there are lots more playful designs to choose from. They’re all presented in a recycled card gift box – perfect if you’ve run out of time for wrapping or you’re sending it straight to your recipient.
Buy now: https://amzn.to/3R7jXpz

TOYS FOR MINI TRAVELLERS

DIY Puffy Charms, £19.99
We love the fact this craft set includes everything kids need to create on the go, with no messy glue, paint, or extra equipment needed. The self-adhesive charms stick together to make shoe charms, bracelets, necklaces and pencil toppers. Because they’re supplied on sheets, the contents of the box can be put into a zip-lock bag for travel – so you’ve got something to keep little fingers busy for hours.
Buy now: https://playmonster.co.uk/collections/ann-williams-craft-tastic/products/diy-puffy-charms

Tamagotchi Uni, £49.99
A toy they can wear on their wrist that won’t take up any space in their luggage and will keep them occupied? Enter the Tamagotchi Uni – the newest generation of the classic interactive virtual pet. This version allows you to connect with otherTamagotchi Uni owners via an in-device social platform, and comes with new features and characters and an all-important wrist-strap to wear and play on the go.
Buy now: https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/fashion-and-dolls/tamagotchi/tamagotchi-uni-purple/p/224938

Aquabeads deluxe craft backpack, £34.99
Toys that include a carry case are handy for little ones on the move, and this Aquabeads set takes things a step further with a hard-shell backpack. Inside there are 1,000 shiny, star and solid beads in 40 colours, and they can be used to decorate and personalise the backpack. There’s also a flip tray, double-sided Aquabeads pen and template sheets inside, and we managed to squeeze in a few more crafty bits to keep our tester busy on a long journey.
Buy now: https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3106640

Miraculous Chibi Miracle playset, £14.99
Similar to a Polly Pocket set, this palm-sized playset from Bandai will appeal to fans of the TV show Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. The moving pieces are fixed, so it’s only the two characters you need to worry about losing while on the go, and there are different sets to collect. The size and price make this a nice gift to encourage hand-eye coordination and imaginative play while you’re out and about – without having to cart a huge toy set around.
Buy now: https://amzn.to/47GIruX