Observation Gifts

• Buy a creative bug lover a "lady bug land kit." This kit comes with a clear plastic dome house for the lady bugs. Inside the dome is terrain that looks like grass and a trail with a path. Pink-spotted larvae, food and other accessories come in the package, as well. The child receiving this kit will enjoy watching her own lady bug colony grow right at home.
  
  You can also buy a butterfly netted house with larvae and other accessories for a little girl who loves butterflies. She can watch the butterflies grow in every stage and eventually let them go. A boy might enjoy an ant farm, worm observatory or insect collection kit that includes specimen jars, nets and a magnifying glass.
  
  

Crafting Gifts

• Buy a creative, crafty child a gift that allows her to showcase her artistic talent. She might like a shadow box that includes a box, crafting supplies and embellishments. A finished shadow box is like a scrapbook that hangs up on the wall. Kids can glue pictures, silk flowers and other keepsakes in the box.
  
  Other crafting gifts include full scrapbook kits with an album and paper, bead-making kits, wooden animals and a paint set or a felt kit with a how-to book. Some of the complex kits come with instructional booklets and idea suggestions.
  
  

Glow-In-The-Dark Gifts

• Glow-in-the-dark gifts open up a world of imagination once night sets in. A dinosaur-loving boy might enjoy glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs rather than standard plastic toys. Buy a hanging glowing space ship along with matching stars and planet stickers for a girl who wants to be an astronaut. You can use twine string to hang up the space ship and adorn her walls with clusters of stars to simulate the galaxy.
  
  A glow-in-the-dark rotating globe would work well as a gift for an older child who enjoys the wonders of the world and travel. These globes look like a standard map of the world during the day time, but at night the globe emits glow-in-the-dark constellations. The entire globe glows, but the constellations emit more light.
  
  

Outdoor Play Spaces

• Play tents and tunnels are out-of-the-ordinary gifts that work well for small children. Parents can set these up in a backyard for kids to play inside the tent and tunnel. The tents are often shaped like animals, such as frogs or large lady bugs.
  
  Children also like outdoor playhouses that focus on a specific theme. Buy a princess castle house or country cottage for a little girl who loves to play with her friends outside and have tea parties. Some play houses are large enough to accommodate small kitchen toys and appliances. Boys might enjoy an outdoor play house that looks like a farm house or pirate ship. These houses come in all shapes and sizes. Choose these types of gifts for an outgoing child who loves playing outdoors.