Give gifts that get your kids off the couch

While it seems that most kids want to spend their time sitting in front of a video game, often it only takes a bit of a nudge from Mom or Dad to get them out of the house and into nature. C. Boyd Pfeiffer has some suggestions for outdoor gifts for children that can help get them off their rear parts and into the great outdoors. It's pretty basic stuff but a worthwhile thought none the less.

If they are very young, a rod/reel combo, cap or tackle box featuring SpongeBob, Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Spider-Man, Superman or Barbie can be a big hit, according to Dee Taylor of Tochterman’s. For older children, a plain spinning or spincast combo from a major manufacturer is always a good choice.
Even small tackle boxes are “big,” since kids equate tackle boxes with being a “real” angler and having a real fishing kit, just like Dad’s. Many youth tackle boxes are equipped with the essentials, such as a stringer, bobbers, sinkers, hooks, a few simple lures, etc.

I would also not be afraid to get a fly rod into a kid's hands at a young age. Most kids of 9 or 10 years old can be taught a simple roll cast that works well enough to take fish at a local farm pond. We have an article with a few tips to help you.