Enhanced Student Outdoor Learning Kit

These weather-resistant closed-cell foam sit pads are comfortable and easy to carry. They fit in a student backpack, making it easy for educators to move students into a comfortable learning space outdoors. They stay pliable in cold weather to keep your students comfortable.

Please note: If students pick at these, or if they are rubbed on very rough surfaces, this will decrease the life of the sit pad. For a more durable option, check out our more durable and recycled sit pad.

"Easy to carry around and access while outside. Kids can carry outdoor learning seats easily with a clipboard." - Teacher, Southeast Kootenay School District 5

Ethical Elements: Options for repurposing sit pad. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: We knew we had to find a good quality but affordable sit pad if we wanted to open an outdoor learning store. After years of cutting up foam camping pads, we found this one! Way more comfortable than a camping pad, and we've tested this one in all conditions, and have had great feedback.

These lightweight & affordable backpacks allow each student to store & transport their outdoor learning equipment & resources. The size of main pouch is 45cm high x 32.5cm wide x 25cm deep. Straps can be manually adjusted for length. They are suitable for grades 3+ (including teachers!) but can be adjusted to make shorter for younger/smaller students.

Care Instructions: Hand wash in cold water with like colors. Hang or lay flat to dry only. Do not machine wash, do not machine / tumble dry. Do not bleach.

Ethical Elements: Made from recycled pop bottles, and sourced for a socially ethical supplier. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: After looking at dozens of options, this one rose to the surface as one that was affordable, modelled sustainable practices, fit a variety of ages, and have an adequate volume. And we were very pleased to work with a company that has very high ethical standards to source this!

Are your Basic Backpack straps a little long for the little ones? Never fear! The straps are incredibly easy to adjust! Watch how below!

These journals feature all-weather & recyclable writing paper that sheds water and enables you to write with a pencil anywhere, in any weather conditions. A versatile option for any conditions that Mother Nature throws at you!

Colours: We have access to both yellow and green, but access to colours varies considerably from our supplier and so we will provide you with the colour available at the time of order.

Ethical Elements: Recyclable paper. Offered in partnership with Take Me Outside, a Canadian non-profit organization committed to raising awareness and facilitating action on nature connection and outdoor learning in schools across Canada. 50% of the proceeds of this go to Take Me Outside Canada.

The Inside Scoop: We know that writing outside can be a limiting factor for outdoor learning, especially in the rainy season! So we were thrilled when our friends at Take Me Outside got in touch with a solution. We know that this will help many to take their learning outside, despite the varied weather our country offers us!

Help your students focus in on the incredible world of the small! This 3x magnifier is large, durable and user-friendly for all ages. The magnifiers are sourced from a local supplier (see below). Read more about our ethical policies & practices.  Keep track of your magnifiers by adding a lanyard to make this a hands-free carry-and-go item for your students.

The Inside Scoop: It kills us to see those cheap plastic magnifiers that schools tend to use that get so scratched up. As a result, after months of looking for a magnifier that was durable, strong, scratch resistant and super user-friendly for all ages, we found one right under our noses! Our friends Jaye & Shelli carry this one at their local office supplies shop. And Jaye knows something about strength... he is a Canadian Paralympian for track cycling! Check him out here...

Lanyards are sold separately: 

1. We offer an Every Child Matters lanyard with a breakaway function. These are designed by Strong Nations in collaboration with Algonquin artist Don Bonner. It features the message "Every Child Matters" and a feather design.
2. We also offer an Explore Your World lanyard with a ‘breakaway’ function is made from organic cotton, so have been grown without pesticides from plants that have not been genetically modified. They are exceptionally soft and 100 percent biodegradable.

Standard mesh dip nets are perfect for collecting small fish, tadpoles, and aquatic invertebrates. This net features a rigid vinyl-coated twisted wire handle that can be bent if required. If blue nets aren't available due to high demand, we will send red nets instead unless you indicate otherwise in your order notes.

The Inside Scoop: We looked high and low for months for a basic aquatic dip net that was affordable and available in the quantities that we'd require. In the end, our friends at WildBC were able to direct us to a company that's in our area, and is great to work with!

This beautifully illustrated guide highlights over 140 familiar and unique species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects and other invertebrates, trees, shrubs and wildflowers. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, pocket-sized folding guide is an excellent source of portable information and ideal for field use by naturalists of all ages.

Ethical Elements: Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: We have used these guides for decades with students of all ages. And a few years ago we worked with our partners in British Columbia to get these out to test them with 200 classes, and had great reviews!

Take your class on a tracks and traces wildlife scavenger hunt! This Animal Tracks & Traces Guide provides a beautiful simplified field reference to the tracks, signs, and scat of over 65 familiar North American species. It also features a ruler and and is laminated to provide weather resistance.

Ethical Elements: Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: We have used these guides for decades with students of all ages. And a few years ago we worked with our partners in British Columbia to get these out to test them with 200 classes, and had great reviews!

These 8x21 National Geographic pocket binoculars are suitable for children ages 6+. They have a compact and attractive design. Their fully coated BK-7 optics and solid mechanics enable a true color picture replication. These models have diopter compensation and foldable eyepieces for kids who wear glasses, and they also come with a functional bag.

Ethical Elements: Offered in partnership with National Geographic, with all proceeds going back into conservation efforts. Read more about our ethical policies & practices.

The Inside Scoop: We tested out numerous models over the years, and for the price, this is one of the best quality student binoculars available. While they don't compare to your $200 binos, for kids they are easy to use and the optics are reasonably good. Certainly a high quality option for this price!