We get a lot of questions about [Tag]geocaching with kids[/Tag]. Most often, people want to know if there is anything special to consider when you are [Tag]caching with kids[/Tag] in tow. The short answer is yes. If you are planning your first geocaching outing with the [Tag]family[/Tag] there are three steps that you can take to make sure that the trip is successful.
Geocaching with Kids Tip #1: Keep it Simple
There are two ways to keep [Tag]geocaching[/Tag] simple for young beginners: save the technical explanation for later and make the first cache easy.
The first step when you [Tag]Geocache with kids[/Tag] is to look at the activity through their eyes. Keep it simple. Obviously, kids under five aren’t going to grasp the fact that you are going to download a complex set of grid coordinates to your [Tag]GPS[/Tag] receiver from the internet and then use billions of dollars worth of satellite technology orbiting the earth to find a place where another person hid a logbook in some Tupperware.
Instead, save the technical explanation and describe the plan in terms that a five year old will grasp: you are going to venture out into an unknown place seeking a hidden treasure trove that, with a little luck, you will be able to plunder in order to grow your collection of marbles, matchbook cars, or rubber bouncy balls.
Now, imagine the disappointment if the first Geocache turns out to be a DNF (Did Not Find). You can prevent this problem by making the first [Tag]cache[/Tag] an easy one. If you are taking children geocaching for the first time, this is the single most important step you can take to ensure a successful outing. It’s an important concept that applies not just to geocaching, but most [Tag]outdoor activities with kids[/Tag].
If you start with a cache that is too difficult and set the bar too high you will risk creating frustration. Save the hard caches for later. For the first timer, select a cache with a low difficulty (1.5 or less) and easily accessible terrain (less than 2). The low difficulty and terrain will provide an obtainable entry level goal. As an added bonus, go for the largest cache you can find. Large caches tend to accumulate larger toys.
Geocaching with Kids Tip #2: Have a Discussion about Trading Fair when Geocaching
Before you get to that first cache, it is a good idea to have a discussion about trading items of equal value. Be sure to do this before you find the cache. In our experience, [Tag]kids[/Tag] are tycoons by nature and trading a three cent trinket for a five dollar pack of AA batteries is an irresistible bargain. Set the expectations before you start. By establishing the like-for-like rules before you find the first cache you can avoid having to “introduce” a new potentially disappointing rule in the moment of victory.
Geocaching with Kids Tip #3: Define Travelbug and Geocoin
[Tag]Travelbugs[/Tag] and [Tag]Geocoins[/Tag] are items that are uniquely numbered and tracked by the [Tag]Geocaching.com[/Tag] website as they move from cache to cache. They also happen to be the nicest, shiniest, and most desirable objects that you will find in a geocache. When you take a [Tag]travel-bug[/Tag], [Tag]Geo-coin[/Tag], or other [Tag]trackable item[/Tag] from a Geocache, you become the temporary custodian of the object, not the owner.
With kids, you need to explain the concept that trackable items need to be given back, ideally within a couple of weeks. As with the discussion about fair trade, this conversation is best had before you actually find a trackable item.
The [Tag]Geocoin/Travelbug[/Tag] opens up a whole new dimension of geocaching for kids. Our children have temporarily adopted them, traveled with them, photographed them like the Travelocity travel gnome, cast them in leading roles in puppet shows, and followed their adventures online long after they are gone.
So that’s the formula. It’s pretty simple, really. Keep it easy at the beginning and set clear expectations about trading fair and giving back the trackables. If you follow these three tips, you’ll be fine. [Tag]Cache on[/Tag].
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