Send the kids on Safari!

With the kids home for the summer (or about to be home), finding new and exciting things to do is a constant struggle. Over the course of the summer, I have the pleasure of having the cousins, nieces and nephews here at the mansion and I somehow find myself sounding like my own mother … saying

Why don’t you just go outside and play?


Backyard Safari Outfitters has made going out to play not only loads of FUN, but educational as well.  Bugs, frogs, birds, fish and turtles all make their home just outside of the mansion. We happen to live on a large pond, and have a never ending array of Sand Hill Cranes, turtles sunning themselves in the back yard, and all sorts of wildlife just waiting to explore.

Over the weekend, “J” came to visit (with her mom – one of my friends) and there was no one else around to play with (everyone else had plans). I knew that this was the time to pull out all of the Backyard Safari gear that I had received, as she LOVES animals (if you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she ALWAYS says “veterinarian”).

We pulled her hair back in a ponytail, so she could go into the bushes without getting all caught up and put the Cargo Vest on her. Armed with a bug vacuum and periscope (and a snack)  “J” set out on her REAL backyard safari.


What she found:

• Toads hiding in the reeds by the pond
• Monarch butterflies
• Turtles (that scurried away when they saw her)
• 2 Rabbits
• Fish jumping in the pond (she said that she heard the “splash” and saw the ring, but missed the actual fish)
• 2 SandHill Cranes – “J” said that they were VERY loud
• a variety of bugs (which were “vacuumed” into her bug vacuum)
• :LOTS of geckos

Using the field guide that came with the periscope, :”J” was able to find the different areas in the neighborhood where wildlife would be found. I also set up my small netbook so that we could look up what she saw and learn a little more about each creature.

Because there is an ever changing safari just outside of our door, this is a set of science and exploratory toys that will NEVER get “old”, as each day will bring new FINDINGS.

All of the Backyard Safari Outfitter “equipment:” is sturdy and very well priced (with prices starting at under $5.00).  Imagine the fun they can have at the beach, the park, when camping, hiking and even in the winter snow with this gear?

As with all of Summit Toys’ products I like the fact that play can be an exploring,  learning experience and FUN at the same time.

Thank you to Summit Toys via Team Mom for providing these toys for this review. I was in no way compensated for this post and all opinions are strictly my own.