I know, I know, this guide is three days late. But real life trumps blog life every single time and my kids needed my full attention—so they got it!  Our next guide is really just one big category. Here are our favorite picks for Wild Explorers & Mad Scientists!

1) Wild Explorer Club.
This one is a no brainer for us. We LOVE being in the Wild Explorers Club. As a mother, I appreciate that we can use it through the cooler winter months and we never “fall behind” because we complete levels as we can, when we can. Each assignment is stored and now my younger ones are working their way up. My older boys will probably be finishing this Spring. Oh my heart!!! The assignments have been fantastic and I love how much my children have grown and learned throughout the process. Also, every single month a beautiful magazine full of outdoor inspiration from other kids comes to our home. My boys disappear with that magazine for at least two hours and always come back brimming with stories and ideas.

2) A fully stocked Explorer Pack.
Pick a pack and pack it up!
Backpack: long lasting, durable and adorable, sensory friendly backpack/vest combo
Compass: pin on or the heavy duty whole enchilada real deal.
Lightweight regional nature guides: check local botanical garden or bird watchers club or plant store.
Swiss Army Knife: toy for a tot or the big time responsibility.
Granola Bars
A heavy duty natural sunscreen that WONT attract bugs or critters.
A sturdy water bottle for big kids or little kids.
A leaf press or small flower press (Easy to make at home!)
Adventure cards 
Jeweler’s Loupe for a closer look
A 3 in 1 pocket microscope, telescope and magnifier for the things you want to study but can’t take home!
Bird Call
THE WHISTLE FOR CHILDREN PRONE TO WANDERING. This has saved my bacon at least 7 times. This exact whistle can be heard a mile away. Stick it on a lanyard and make your wanderer wear it.
Bandanas: artsy or survival

3) Survival bracelet– compass, fire starter, emergency whistle, knife, french fry maker (J/k on the last thing)

4) Pertinent Reading Material

5) Backyard Goodness for the days when you can’t hit the trail.

For the Mad Scientist….

1) Frog-friendly Frog Dissection Kit

2) For the kid that lights up your life. 🙂

3) We love our Brock Magiscope that was gifted to us. They are very pricey though, here is an alternative that some people have recommended.

3) Owl Pellets. (Yup. Go big or go home.)
4) Hands on Periodic Table

5) Molecule Kit

6) A classroom skeleton — anatomy/practical joke resource

7) The History of Science
8) Chemistry Subscription.

9) Rite in the Rain notebooks for all observation needs. These notebooks are AMAZING.

10) A great read about a brilliant 11 year old female mad scientist and her adventures with her naturalist granddaddy. Have you read it? Have you? Ugh. I’m just finishing it and I L-O-V-E this book.