How Outdoor Kids ® Began

Outdoor Kids ® was inspired by a mom's quest to find warm, comfortable and reasonably priced winter socks for her baby daughter. After searching high and low without success, the mom worked into the wee hours of the night drafting the Outdoor Kids ® business plan. Her hope was to create a company that made quality kids clothing and equipment easily available to families -- and make life a bit easier for busy moms and dads like herself. Thus, in January of 1997, Outdoor Kids ® was born.

Jenny, our founder, ran Outdoor Kids ® out of her home for several years. The inventory steadily grew as more colors and sizes were added. Busy moms and dads began asking her to carry adult clothing. And our customers' small children grew into teenagers and needed teen-sized clothing. Eventually, the house was overrun by UV suits, snow boots, ski bibs and sunglasses. Outdoor Kids ® had taken on a life of its own... By October of 2005, Outdoor Kids ® had grown so much that it needed a new home. Jenny and her family reclaimed their house, and Outdoor Kids ® opened its first retail shop that month.

We've been growing like crazy ever since. Outdoor Kids ® now carries a full line of clothing and shoes for infants through men's XXL. The equipment selection continues to increase each month.

Who We Are:

Outdoor Kids ® helps active families stay active by keeping kids and adults happier outdoors. We specialize in reasonably priced, high performance clothing and equipment for infants, toddlers, kids and adults – outdoor kids of all ages. If we help you spend weekends skiing and camping with your kids and friends rather than searching for essential clothing in malls, then we have succeeded.

Outdoor Kids ® is a small business. Our family of employees has grown from Jenny working alone in her house to many dedicated, knowledgeable staff members. Our Outdoor Kids ® staff believes in supporting one another, our customers, and the work we do. The company culture has not changed that much from its inception: it is inclusive and based upon an open and honest exchange of ideas and knowledge. We continue to be dedicated to helping folks find high quality, reasonably priced outdoor clothing and equipment year round.

The long term plan for Outdoor Kids ® includes establishing the Outdoor Kids ® Charities. We believe in giving back to your communities, the outdoors we all enjoy, and helping children in need. The Outdoor Kids ® Charities plan is in draft stage and once it has been finalized and the non-profit status set up, we will share that information with you on our website. We may not be big enough to solve world problems, but we can definitely strive to do our part.

The Outdoor Kids Staff:

Ben: Ben is Outdoor Kids' ® Webmaster and Senior Programmer. Ben has been with Outdoor Kids ® since its inception and has been critical in helping Outdoor Kids ® succeed. Ben has camped throughout the world since his earliest childhood days – climbing ruins in Mexico, camping throughout Europe and Canada, enjoying the redwoods and Sierras. Ben now teaches his own children how to enjoy camping, kayaking and riding while maintaining and improving Outdoor Kids' ® technologies.

Danielle: Danielle is our Customer Service Representative. Do you have a question about sizing, expedited shipping, or do you just want more information about a product? Feel free to call Danielle and ask! In between your phone calls, Danielle is designing UV swim wear for Outdoor Kids. Be sure to check out the 'UV Sharks' swim wear line new for Spring '07!

David : David has joined Outdoor Kids ® as our Marketing Director. We can all thank him for our new website design and the seamless integration between the website, our inventory control system and your shipping information. David is an avid photographer who enjoys taking camping trips with friends, snowboarding, mountaineering, & whitewater rafting.

Sida: Sida is Outdoor Kids ® ' Finance Director. In addition, she is a mean wake boarder and has brought her water sport expertise to us. 

Elisabeth: Elisabeth is the Manager of our new retail shop. She is a backpacking guide who uses her her knowledge and experience to help customers at the retail store. Elisabeth will be coordinating with outdoor programs throughout the United States. In her spare time, Elisabeth sea kayaks and river rafts.

Megan: Megan is our Operations Manager as well as our Junior Buyer in Training. Apart from work, Megan is an ardent angler and an outdoor adventurer.

Sharon : Sharon started at Outdoor Kids ® as a volunteer because she believed in the mission and goals of the company. Since then, she has assumed responsibility where needed and currently manages Outdoor Kids ® Amazon sales. Sharon is an avid sailor and snow skier and is busy teaching her own kids to enjoy the outdoors and life in general. Most importantly, she is a patient mom and dedicated friend.

Jenny: Jenny is Outdoor Kids' ® president and founder. Jenny has been enjoying the outdoors since she was a toddler. She has camped extensively around the world with her parents, siblings and now with her own children. She has real product knowledge in real life situations. Her outdoor expertise includes leading winter snow camping trips, cross country treks and backpacking adventures as well as years working as an environmental professional before starting Outdoor Kids ® . While running the business has reduced the hours she spends outdoors, it has not changed her commitment to kids' programs or protecting the environment.