Getting young ones involved in bird watching can be a great way to get more in touch with nature and away from screens. Luckily, there are plenty of fun (and affordable!) bird watching kits out there designed for kids, rather than seasoned bird watchers.
And with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2024 coming up on the 26-28 January, it's the perfect time to get out there and start spotting. Here are the best bird watching kits to get your children outdoors, from essential gear to fun activity sets.
Want to get your kids involved in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch?
Why not get them the 32-page companion activity book? It comes with tips on attracting and identifying birds, as well as lots of fun games and crafting ideas, plus 170 plastic-free stickers.
Best bird watching kits – ideal for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch
Flights of Fancy Bird Watching Nature Kit
Flights of Fancy promote the importance of getting in touch with nature and finding passion in old-fashioned hobbies. The Flights of Fancy bird watching kit includes everything an aspiring ornithologist would need. Included in the kit are 24 identification cards showing 72 common British and European birds, along with folding binoculars, a notepad and pencil, feeding recipes and a helpful guide.
This would make a perfect gift set for a young one hoping to discover more about birds and the natural world.
Look and Learn Birds
Buy from Amazon (£13.30)
A fun and simple way to get kids involved in bird watching, this kit includes a basic pair of binoculars along with a fully illustrated introduction to birds, a checklist and an interactive poster. The 64-page book provides a clear, easy-to-read reference for young readers with large pictures and simple text. It can be used as a guide to the most common birds and it even includes the most interesting things to notice about them.
The guide also includes some fun tips on how to become more involved with birds, such as making a hummingbird feeder and homemade bird treats.
Uong Outdoor Explorer Kit
This kit goes further than regular bird watching kits. It's an 11-in-1 explorer set that's perfect for accompanying outdoors exploration. Included in the kit is a pair of binoculars, compass, headlamp, butterfly net, whistle, bug viewing container, magnifier, bug catcher, pair of tweezers, and a carrying bag. Perfect for everything your kid would need in the outdoors.
Celestron UpClose G2 7x35 Porro Prism Binocular Birder Kit
For something a bit more refined, the Celestron Birder Kit includes a decent set of binoculars that have a magnification of up to 7x and are water-resistant. This would be ideal for an aspiring bird watcher who maybe already has a footing in the bird world, or is perhaps too old for the kits aimed at young children.
The Guide to Birds will provide a helpful reference for the common birds found in the UK and in Europe.
Make your own bird watching kit with this gear
A good bird watching kit usually includes binoculars, a notebook and maybe something to wear. We've found some of the best items if you're looking to create your own kit, so feel free to customise to find the combination that suits you.
Viking Badger Cub 8x21 Binoculars
This child-friendly pair of binoculars would make a great central piece of any bird watcher kit. The lens has a magnification of up to 8x and is packed into a lightweight, compact design. It also comes with a wrist strap and carry case, ideal for how reckless kids can be!
i-SPY Birds: Spy it! Score it!
The i-SPY Birds book is a fun, interactive way to get your kids into bird watching. With more than 140 varieties of birds to find, kids can score points by going outdoors and searching for them. Plus, if they score 1000 points, they can claim their i-SPY certificate and badge!
Attract birds to your garden by putting out bird feeders, bird boxes and water for drinking and preening – here are the best bird baths we've found.
The Collins Garden Birdwatcher’s Bible
Full of detailed visual profiles and colourful images, Collins Garden Birdwatcher's Bible is a comprehensive book of the birds of the world. It includes handy tips on how to attract birds, and guides on how to identify them by their calls, colours and behaviour.
National Trust Birds of a Feather pop-out book
This beautifully illustrated book combines useful information with a fun activity. Kids can pop pieces out of the book and slide them together to make 10 different 3D birds.
At the back of the book you'll find 22 pages of gorgeous illustrations, as well as information on everything from "habitats and diets to myths and legends".
Bird Watching Notebook
A notebook to track the birds you find is an essential piece of any bird watcher kit. This bird watching notebook is specially designed for this purpose, with 100 log pages with spaces for important details, like weather and habitat conditions - and even space for pictures or drawings.
Kids' Warm Waterproof Camo Jacket
If you want to go that extra mile and immerse yourself in the bird watching, then why not equip your young one with a camo jacket? This wildlife disguise will allow a careful and patient youngster to get up close as the birds move freely around them.
It's warm and waterproof too. Great fun for bird watching and ideal for hide and seek too!
We've also found a selection of stylish gardening jackets for men and women; see our choices if you're in the market for some new outerwear.
Want to get your children into gardening? You can also find more of the best gardening gifts for kids in our round-up.