Backyard Safari Outfitters is a must for All Around FUN

Let me start by mentioning (from my eight year old daughter, Patience) – you don’t have to be a boy to have outdoor fun like this; it’s fun for all kids…girls included!!

My girls are the girliest of girls. They love frilly things and makeup, perfume and hair bows. They love playing dress up and hosting model parties in their bedroom. They are forever asking me to join them in their fashion shows and love it when I offer to apply their makeup and do their hair. Oh, but all that changed the minute we received our package of toys from Backyard Safari Outfitters.

It only took five seconds for the girls to tear open the packaging and rip out the toys. What surprised me most, in the beginning, was that even though they were eager to go outside and begin their outdoor adventure, they sat on the couch and began reading the pop-up field guide that was included. They told me that they needed to know what to do before they went outside to explore (gotta love their “grownup” attitudes sometimes- it’s too cute).

After the reading was done, they were off to the back patio where they were sure to find bugs, insects and any other furry little creatures (yuck!). I got the shock of my life when they came in sporting a crab spider. Yep, they used the bug vacuum to suck it up and brought it in for me to see. After I jumped out of my seat and was able to compose myself, I told them they how great they were and that they needed to march back outside and let the little thing go. Next they came in with a cricket, then a fly, then a lady bug. What’s cool about the bug vacuum is that it has a magnifying glass so that you can see what you’ve captured. Check this out; this is a picture of the cricket my girls brought in…

Isn’t that cool? You see, the bug vacuum comes equipped with two containers, each sporting a magnifying glass. When you catch a bug; you simply turn the little dial on the side and unlatch it from the vacuum. Then you can observe your findings before letting them go. The picture above is a view from the top of the container, in magnifying mode. It definitely makes for a fun experience when catching those insects. My girls had so much fun with this- and still are. 

Okay, so this is what we received in the mail:

 The infamous Bug Vacuum-

SNEAK UP ON BUGS AND SUCK ‘EM UP!

There are THOUSANDS of crawling, flying, buzzing bugs in your backyard – catch them LIVE with your Bug Vac! Look at bugs UP-CLOSE with built-in magnifying Glass! CAPTURE CORE attaches to the Bug Habitat (sold separately) for easy transfer of your insects.

FEATURES:

2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS

PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

AGE: 5 & Up

ARP: $19.99

PROS: Absolutely, hands down, one of the most fun to play with (adults included). Aside from freaking out with the little things being sucked in, it was so much fun looking through the magnifier with the girls and observing the bugs.

CONS: Sorry guys, I have no cons to add. This is, for the girls and I, an amazing product and we have had such a blast playing with it.

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LAND AND WATER MEGA VIEW PERISCOPE-

A VIEW TO A THRILL!

This full-view periscope allows stealth viewing over boulders, high bushes, backyard fences, and around corners. Three rugged, light-weight sections telescope for a reach over 4 feet high to let you see all those out-of-reach views.

EXCLUSIVE WATER FEATURE! Flip the Mega View Periscope upside down and a full 16 inches is submersible for underwater viewing—on docks, poolside, lakes or beaches. A fish eye view…but without all that water in your ears.

FEATURES:

THREE NESTED SECTIONS EXTEND OVER 4 FEET

WIDE-VIEW FACE PLATE FOR BINOCULAR VIEWING

ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HAND GRIPS FOR STEADY, VERTICAL HOLDING POSITION

16 INCH WATER-TIGHT SUBMERSIBLE SECTION FOR UNDERWATER VIEWING

AGE: 5 & Up

ARP: $24.99

PROS: Overall; the land and water mega view periscope was a hoot to play with. The girls, and even their big brother were trying this baby out. It’s big!

CONS: As much as we enjoyed playing with the periscope, the girls had a few problems with it staying extended. Each time they went to try and look at something that was out of reach; it would come back down on them. As long as we didn’t extend it, the kids had a lot of fun. They even used it to spy on their brother- from their room. It was pretty funny.

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THE ESSENTIAL FIELD GEAR CARGO VEST-

THE ESSENTIAL CARGO VEST

It’s your most essential piece of field gear. It’s rugged, and tough enough for all your outdoor adventures. Plenty of cargo pockets means lots of space to load up. Six D-Rings and two shoulder epaulets let you clip and hang more essential gear. A large zipper pocket stores your trusty binoculars and a clear-view chest pocket stores your Pop-Up Field Guides™. The back of the vest features a one-size-fits-all adjustable strap and two extra mesh pockets for storing extra gear. It’s the must-have for every BACKYARD SAFARI™ kid.

FEATURES:

RUGGED POLY-TWILL FABRIC WITH REINFORCED DETAIL

4 CARGO POCKETS WITH VELCRO CLOSURES

1 TWO INCH DEEP ZIPPER POCKET WITH MESH-NET OUTER POCKET

6 D-RINGS

CUSTOM ZIPPER PULLS

CARGO SHOULDER EPAULETS WITH SNAP CLOSURES

ADJUSTABLE REAR STRAP

2 OVER-SIZED MESH-NET CARGO POCKETS IN REAR

PLUS CLEAR-VU FRONT POCKET CONTAINING ESSENTIAL FIELD POP-GUIDE

AGE: 5 & UP

ARP: $19.99

PROS: This vest will complete any outdoor adventurer’s attire. The girls had so much fun using it. They were filling every little compartment available. It is definitely worth the cost. It can be used both indoors and out. The girls were even playing imaginary explorers in the house. They have definitely enjoyed having this vest around.

CONS: I’ve got nothing for you here. The vest is a practical gold mine in terms of durability, texture, pocket overload and and storing capabilities. The girls love not only the color, but the way it looks on them when they wear it.

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It has been decided that I will be shopping at Backyard Safari Outfitters soon. The girls and I went to their website and had a look around. They have a list already written for what needs to be purchased next. Their imaginations are already soaring with what will be experienced next. They can’t wait and neither can I…

Disclosure: The girls and I received a few toys from Backyard Safari Outfitters (through Team Mom) for the purpose of my review. Receiving products will never influence my thought and opinions. I write based on my experiences and those experiences alone. Thank you.