Have an Incredible Outdoor Adventure with Backyard Safari Outfitters {Review}

Although I'm sure that I'll end up saying the same thing next year, I can't remember a winter here in the Midwest that has dragged on quite as long as this one. The official first day of spring was ages ago, why are our snow boots not packed away yet? We should be LONG past still needing to reach for wool hats and gloves before going outside!

However, now that warm weather seems to finally be here to stay (knock on wood), I think my kids would hang out in the yard for most of the day if I let them. There's something about being outside in the fresh air that inspires them to run, smile and giggle as they point out every leaf, bird and blade of grass that strikes their fancy.

But that's not to say that they don't get bored. They can only stand there for so long with the same old bucket and shovel before they start to dream of breaking away and imagining themselves heading out on a real adventure. Are there kids that don't yearn to closely examine (i.e. poke, stare at, and collect) every aspect of wildlife that they can find?

Fortunately, we always know exactly who to turn to when we want to gear up with items that are rugged, fully functional and made for use in the field year-round. Whether your safari takes place in the park, at the campground, on the beach or even your own backyard, you'll be ready for action with Backyard Safari Outfitters.

With a huge collection of different gear and tools items, Backyard Safari Outfitters has turned traditional outdoor play into an incredible nature adventure every time kids walk out the door.

To encourage the educational aspect of exploring our world even further, each Backyard Safari Outfitters kit comes with a handy, pocket-sized Pop-Up Field Guide full of information and illustrations to really get kids interested in the science aspect of their exploration.

And when it comes to being interested, Big Sister E and Little Sister B were thrilled at the idea of heading into the great outdoors to see what we would find with the Backyard Safari Magnifying Glass, Critter Shack and Land & Water Lighted Habitat.

An essential tool for up-close examinations, the Backyard Safari Magnifying Glasses (approximate retail price $4.49) needed no explanation for my girls to grab one and start searching for specimens. Whether examining plants, animals or more...

...these child-friendly magnifying glasses are easy to hold and really work. They even have a built-in ruler on the handle so that measuring whilst you search and observe is quick and easy.

But once you've spotted frogs, fish, lizards, crawfish, snakes or bugs, it's hard to examine them when they can just crawl away, right? Instead the Backyard Safari Critter Shack (approximate retail price $7.99) is a perfectly simple and straightforward location to collect them for careful observation.

The clear-view housing is water tight and topped by a breathable mesh lid and carrying handle, making it easy for kids to pop off the top...

...and fill it with anything from grass to pine cones to sticks (to just about anything else) to form their own miniature habitat.

As this convenient temporary house works in both wet and dry conditions, it's really just that easy for kids to trap all sorts of small creatures inside and take a closer look.

The girls were both really excited to spend quite a bit of time examining all of the different parts of a fly when we managed to get one inside our Critter Shack!

We had quite the ceremonious time letting the fly go free after checking it out for a while as well!

For a longer, more permanent home for creatures of all kinds, the Backyard Safari Land & Water Lighted Habitat (approximate retail price $24.99) provides a 360° view of your own personal natural history museum.

Featuring a plastic sculpted terrain and an optional pool area (note: when unpacking your Habitat, be sure to not pull out and throw away the blue plastic that looks quite similar to the packing materials!) kids are able to observe amphibious creatures or land-dwellers in a life-like setting.

As an added bonus, this kit arrives with a coupon code to visit RibbitsGalore.com and order one free tadpole (plus $7.99 for shipping & handling) so that you can get started filling your habitat with a creature that can teach about metamorphosis as well as entertain.

While we aren't quite at the stage of life where we are looking to provide a home for a menagerie of exotic creatures, the girls were still enthralled with the removable scenic backdrop in this habitat and the way that it could easily be a home to bugs, frogs, turtles, lizards, snakes or more.

With a lockable flip-top (with light) as well as a separate port that allows bugs to be transferred directly from the Backyard Safari Bug Vacuum...

...the Land & Water Habitat has been another fun way for us to collect and observe the wildlife right outside our door.

A division of the award-winning Summit Toys, Backyard Safari Outfitters has all the gear that kids could need for year-round nature exploration. From just hanging out in the yard to heading off to hike the trails, each item can be used on its own or combined with other gear to encourage children to learn and have a great sense of adventure and exploration, all while being active outside and enjoying nature.

Backyard Safari Outfitters' unique items can be found in-store as well as online at Amazon and from Summit Toys. Backyard Safari Outfitters can also be found on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to stay connected and never miss updates on their innovative gear for ages 5 and up.

(Other than the information and aforementioned products that I was sent from Summit Toys in conjunction with my membership to Team Mom, I was not provided with anything or enticed to do this review in any way. This review is solely my opinion of this fun field gear.)