If you haven't heard of geocaching before, it is an exciting way of exploring the area around you, finding new 'secret' spots, and getting the kids (and husband) excited about going on a walk!
Geocaching is a world wide treasure hunting game where you use GPS to locate hidden containers called geocaches. Geocaches are hidden from plain view all over the country ready to be found. Non-geocachers are called 'muggles' and you have to make sure a muggle doesn't spot you finding the cache (it really appeals to my inner dork.... who am I kidding my outer dork as well). Poppet loves going on a 'venture' to find 'treasure'!
All you have to do is find a geocache near you using www.geocaching.com, download the details to your GPS device (we use an IPhone), and find it! The cache can be any sort of (waterproof) container, and has a logbook in it for you to record your find, and sometimes a selection of 'treasures' for you to choose from (and replace with a treasure of your own).
Our geocache coordinates led us to a brilliant woodland park really close by to our home that we didn't even know existed. It was a lovely walk on its own but the added element of finding the geocache made it a great walk. We had the pushchair with us but had to abandon it eventually as the GPS led us down a trail through some bracken that got denser and denser and higher and higher. It was a proper adventure. The girls had certainly never gone that 'off-road' before!
Poppet came prepared with her explorer handbag; she had a pen in it to write in the logbook and a treasure to exchange (a little tin box with her prized shell collection - whoever gets that may be a little disappointed!).
We found the geocache hidden under a big old sycamore tree; it was a Tupperware box inside a camouflage bag (I've blacked out the name of the cache so it stays a secret!).
Poppet chose a little green clipboard from the selection of treasures in the box, this is now her most prized possession! She even slept with it for a couple of nights.
While daddy filled out an entry in the logbook, Poppet carefully put her own entry on her clipboard.
Little just loved the whole walk apart from maybe the mouthful of bracken.
In conclusion, try geocaching it's brilliant!
Poppet: 2yrs 7mos
Little: 11mos
Oh, why haven't I thought of doing this with my son? Duh! He's the same age as Poppet and loves hunting for 'treasure', I just figured I would need something more fancy than my iphone! Will have to give it a try :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, I know I was the same, heard about geocaching before but just skimmed over it as assumed we wouldn't be able to do it. Just make sure your phone is fully charged! We had one time we got to within 600m of the treasure and the battery went, a bit annoying!
DeleteLooks like you had an excellent adventure. We have been geocaching with our son for a while now and he loves it. Our last adventure led us to a great, big hollow tree in the middle of a cemetery. Fun!
ReplyDeletesounds great! I love the places it leads you to :)
DeleteYeah what a successful first adventure with geocaching! It's a lovely activity to get children out and exploring some beautiful locations. Thanks for linking up and sharing your family adventure with Country Kids.
ReplyDeleteit was a great success! we can't wait to do more. thanks
DeleteLove it :) love Geocaching :)
ReplyDeleteIt really does take you to places that you wouldn't have stumbled upon otherwise.
I think shells are a really nice thing to leave!
oh good i was worried we'd committed some sort of geocaching faux pas, being new to it and all!
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