KitsapScouts

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We generally do this, too, when we actually take something. I'm always with kidlets when we geocache and the swag is definitely a high point of the hunt.

Us, too! I like the dorky little things, especially the odd "kid-made" bracelet or trinket. Coins from other countries would be great, but I think the OP is talking about the (frankly, rude) people who "trade" a current penny for swag. Yep, it gets disheartening to put in relatively good stuff and see nothing but sticks, gum, pennies, and rubbish.

We do, and we've introduced a lot of kids to geocaching. We skip the micros. They're NOT fun for kids. That's okay as long as there are still "regulars" to find in the area.

I guarantee you that someone's business card is NOT trading fairly. ONE good item would have been a fair trade, not a hundred army men. Kudos to the dad who understood that they had nothing of equal or greater value to trade.

No, not bad people. But people who "trade" their business cards have to be incredibly self-centered individuals. Leave it WITH swag, leave it WITHOUT taking anything, or don't leave it. Swag is part of the game for many people; if it's not for you, there are thousands of micros available. Play your own game, but don't do things to hinder others from playing theirs.

Why is that? It's incredibly annoying. You don't have to leave swag; just sign the logbook. But if you're going to leave something, leave better than you take (no, a wet sticker is not "better" than anything other than a business card.) We do appreciate things that little kids have obviously made, like the pipe cleaner bracelet, but leaving a penny is just rude. At the very least, a bag of army men costs about a dollar and will get you through 50 caches.

Fantastic idea!

>>Placing my business card in a geocache is not against the guidelines. << I don't see a problem with that unless it's the ONLY thing you left. The problem is with people trading DOWN instead of up. Yes, many people don't care about swag, but kids usually do. We recently took some kids out to a cache that purportedly had good kid swag. Found it with nothing but cheap little 1/4" cutouts left. Worst was that the finders before us were a girl scout troop, so it seems pretty obvious they grabbed all the swag. Shame on their troop leader. Worst swag ever - used earplugs. One of the best was a book of Wendy's frosty coupons.