Geocaching With Kids

Geocaching With Kids

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Posted 2018-04-18 by Renee Ferrisfollow


For those who haven't heard about Geocaching, be ready to be super enlightened about the next craze that will get adults and kids off the couch and searching the neighbourhood for hidden treasure!

Geocaching is an outdoor activity which requires the user to have a mobile phone with internet service to seek out little containers with small items in them around your neighbourhood, state and the world. It's fastly becoming a big trend and of course, children are right into it - who doesn't love the idea of finding treasure?

You will need to download the Geocaching app onto your phone and then search in your desired suburb where people may have placed a container (also called a cache). Once you find yourself a cache, there will usually be a pencil in there so you can log your name to prove that you found it.

The app will have instructions on where to go and a small hint as to where to look. If you are the one placing a cache, you can write your own hint and the rough location on where to look.

You may take items from the cache, however, it is good manners to leave something in return. Just don't take the logbook or pencil so that other people in the area can mark their sighting.

Items that can be left inside the cache are essentially up to the people hiding it, however, it is recommended that nothing of high monetary value is placed in there.

Pieces such as buttons, small toys, stickers, unusual coins or weird objects. Food is not allowed as it can attract animals and it could spoil if not found by a certain period of time.

My personal experience with Geocaching involved my nieces. I showed them on my phone how there was a cache located in a local park to us. We decided to take a walk (my youngest niece brought a magnifying glass with her) then we read out the clue and the girls and I went looking around for our cache.
My eldest niece was the one who discovered it - it was located inside a bush and inside we found a keyring, a European coin, and a small stone ornament with eyes. We decided to take the keyring and rock and left the coin behind. In return, we placed a postcard and a packet of lipgloss in the cache.

This activity was so much fun for all three of us because it got us outdoors and looking around like real detectives for "treasure". I was concerned if we did not find anything my nieces would find it boring, but it is all about the hunt and sometimes you may not find it but other times you will if you stick at it.

When we are together next, we are planning on making our own cache and then hiding it somewhere. This activity is great because you can do it anywhere and if you were really determined, you could go travelling around the state looking for caches if you had spare time.

The next time you are on holidays or in a different suburb to your hometown, take a look on the Geocaching app if there are any around you.

The Geocaching app can be downloaded from the play store for Android or App Store for iPhone. It is the one with the green symbol and will be the first to show up. Happy hunting!



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216981 - 2023-06-16 07:31:00

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