Ready to get started? To help make your outdoor explorations easier,  we have created a backpack toolkit containing items you will need to do all kinds of outdoors games and activities, and have tons of fun. An official WILD Family Nature Club backpack is available for purchase, but you can choose to build your own club backpack using the lists below. 

First, buy a new backpack, or choose one you already own, and then fill it with the items on this list:

WILD Family Nature Club Toolkit

• This guide outlines how to start your own WILD Family Nature Club and gives you helpful hints to make it easier and more organized. The guide is currently available in six languages. To download a copy check out WILD Family Nature Club Toolkits.

Activity Cards

The activity cards that we include with the backpack are weather resistant and printed on durable materials, but you can print your own versions of these activity cards for free! The following activity card files are available in the Activity Card resource folder:

• Day at the Beach
• Nature Play
• Raccoon Circles
• WILD Family Nature Club Activities

Equipment

Many of the remaining items that we include with the backpack can be sourced at your local dollar store, or similar:

• Vegetable Peeler
  • A safe tool that can be used by children to whittle sticks.
• Muffin Tin
  • Great for gathering and sorting items such as bugs, plants or rocks.
• Flint
  • Creates a small spark when you hit the two pieces together. This is used to start a fire.
• Tubular Webbing
  • Can be used to create some stability for children while walking over something. It can also be used for balancing activities.
• Paint Markers
  • These markers produce paint and are perfect for outdoor drawing/decorating activities. They allow children to bring an indoor activity to the outdoors.
• Twine
  • Perfect for making outdoor forts.
• Clear Stretchy String
  • This string can be used for many craft activities or as a help with fort building.
• Darning Needle
  • This large needle is good for any type of craft. It can also be helpful when making forts.
• Tweezers
  • Perfect for grasping small things that fingers might not be able to get a hold of.
• Hand Shovel
  • Great for digging around to explore what’s beneath the surface.
• Magnifying Glass
  • Used to make anything under the glass look bigger. Perfect for looking at small bugs or plants!
• Journal
  • Can be used to share thoughts, feelings, and reflections on the day or from previous activities.
• Crayons and/or Pencils
  • Writing tools that children can use to write in their journal.
• Small Hand Net
  • Can be used to help children catch bugs or other creatures.
• Tarp (4ft x 6ft)
  • Perfect for children to use in building their own outdoor forts.
• Bug Box
  • Used to contain any bug friends that might be found. Only keep bugs inside for a short amount of time!
• Spray Bottle
  • Used to help keep wet bugs damp, moisten soils, or anything else that can be thought of.
• First Aid Kit
  • Always be prepared with a first aid kit. Safety should be first and foremost, but accidents do happen.

The most expensive items in the kit, aside from the backpack itself, are the books. If you’d like to buy the books on your own, these are the ones we include in our backpacks:

• Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv
  • This book by Richard Louv describes the divide that has been created between today’s children and the outdoors. Richard introduces this divide as "nature-deficit disorder", discusses its implications, and explains why children need to be outdoors more.

• How to Raise a Wild Child, by Scott D. Sampson
  • This book by Scott D. Sampson is a guide on how to foster a stronger connection between children and nature. It contains engaging activities and advice for parents. 

If you are interested in purchasing one of these backpacks for use in your WILD Family Nature Club activities, please email [email protected].

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