The Ultimate Kids Outdoor Adventure Packing List
Updated: May 17, 2022
Nothing makes a 5-year old feel more special than a costume and the chance to earn rewards. So when our family visited Yosemite National Park, I put together fun Adventure Packs for Itsy Bitsy and E-man. And you know what? It was the ABSOLUTE BEST $150 I spent toward the vacation.
If you have read any of my other posts about our family travel, you may have surmised that Itsy Bitsy is a bit of a rough and tumble princess. This means that any active toys I purchase for her need to be durable enough to withstand her intense play but inexpensive enough that I am not going to be upset when she loses something. Same goes for E-man, but even more so!
This is why I really like Backyard Safari toys. Thus far, we haven’t had anything break on us (fingers crossed), and between Itsy Bitsy and E-man, only one accessory was lost during our 5 days of exploring Yosemite. The kids really loved these adventure enhancing and inspiring toys. They were entertained the entire trip and truly engaged their imaginations while learning all about the world around them. To add even more fun Gigi, Aunty Coco, and I would help the kids to earn “badges” during the day that we then sewed onto their vests each night. SO MUCH FUN.
So how did I make these super awesome Outdoor Adventure Packs for two of my favorite 5-year olds? In the quacking easiest way I know how … with Amazon and a travel backpack. If your kid doesn’t already have a travel backpack, check out my blog Fat Mama's Favorite TWF and Family Travel Backpacks for tips on choosing the right packs for your travel style.
Here is a breakdown of what I purchased, the quantity, and the cost (not including tax or shipping).
Books and Games
Title and Author QTY/Price
Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?
1
$11.66
Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
1
$9.99
gofindit - Outdoor Nature Scavenger Hunt Card Game for Families
1
$12.50
Costumes and Toys
Item QTY/Price
Backyard Safari Cargo Vest Kids Outdoor Activity
2
$16.10
2
$13.45
Backyard Safari 6-in-1 Field Tools
2
$18.99
Backyard Safari Utility Belt Toy
2
$8.70
Total:
11 Items
$148.63
One of the things I like most about Backyard Safari toys is that all the toys have practical uses while still leaving room for open ended imaginative play. For example, when Itsy Bitsy and E-man first started exploring the Adventure Packs I put together for them, they knew right away what the items were … water bottle, vest, book, field tools … but they started coming up with their own uses for them.
“This is going to be my notebook and I am going to pretend these are all my notes I learned about the forest.”