Caching With Young Ones

[+Sinbad7Seas]

I have been bookmarking caches that I have done with my family and noted all the caches I have done with my young boys. In the last 14 months my sons Timmy (3-4) and Michael (5-6) have gone on 44 caches and have done a great job.

 

These were the most difficult caches they completed:

West Peak II (2/3)

Triple Oaks (2.5/2.5)

Millers Pond (2.5/2.5)

 

About 3 months before we started geocaching we did a challenging hike when Timmy was still 2 and I was shocked how well they did. They really enjoy geocaching and I am very proud of them. I always make sure we have enough snacks, juice, water and rest as needed and don't push them too hard. I want to make sure they keep enjoying this. They love finding the "treasure" and trading toys.

 

So let's here more stories of young cachers as they are the geocaching future!!!

 

Michael and Timmy at Millers Pond, Durham, CT

 

-Sinbad7Seas

[+4leafclover]

I took both my girls out last Friday, in freezing temps (oops), but they are 13 and 5...and they completed a 21 find day with several significant hikes thrown in.

 

I always feel real proud when they do good, too.

[+Jester2112]

I enjoy geocaching. I enjoy geocaching with others. I LOVE geocaching with my buddy Little Boo:

 

 

Although she's only 4, she can keep up with the best of them, but only as long as she's allowed to be "line leader."

 

Our most scary cache to date together would have to be Econfina Creek Trail. Lots of lessons learned on that one as far caching with her, and without her too. Ever since, the old geopack is stuffed to the gills with stuff including flashlights, bugspray, etc. She's learned so much about the outdoors thanks to geocaching and I've learned so much about her just by being there with her.

[+Lil Elephants]

We've got 200+ with our Lil Elephants. Youngest (currently 5 months) was caching with us at 1 week. He gets carried by Momma & the 2 year old usually gets carried by Poppa. Not because he *couldn't* walk, but we usually want to walk a bit faster than he can. We do sometimes let him walk on the really short ones. It's sometimes not worth getting the backpack out and loading him into it. The 8 year old gets to walk. He usually does great.

[+BadAndy]

I like taking kids caching. They make great swag.....

 

Jokes aside, my kids are all grown and out of the house. I have another few years before the grandkids are big enough to carry a gps so I'll get back to you.

Edited December 2, 2005 by BadAndy

[Geo Quest]

I pretty much have to take my kids. I can't find anything without them. During my last geocaching excursion my son was up in a tree goofing around (or so I thought). I was ready to go log another failed attempt when I told him to come down so we could go. "Shouldn't we at least sign the log book first, dad?" he said as he pulled the container from a hole in the tree. I can get us to the general location but it takes my kids to find 'em for me!

[+frivlas]

I almost always take my kids with me. They are 4 & 5, both boys. They have been doing this since we started 7 months ago. Now they ask to go hiking and caching. Gotta love it. There are some times that they aren't so keen on it. We got a late start on a hike in an OSP the other day. We were over a mile from the car when it got dark. Dad ran back to the car to avoid a parking ticket and the boys and I walked back 1.2 miles uphill hill in the dark by flashlight. When they realized that they could hear owls and crickets, they thought it was cool. Another time, I took them on their version of a deathmarch....just over 3 miles uphill for 6 caches....the good news, the 3 miles back to the car was all down hill. For the most part, they are really good sports and I enjoy having them along.

[+The Golem]

I went out with my kids last week, ages 4 and 2. I gave my son (4) the GPSr and said "go and find the cache" while I turned to put my daughter wellies on. By the time I'd unbuckled her from the car seat he was running back holding the cache!

Granted it was within 20 yards of the road but I was impressed none the less...

[+Sinbad7Seas]

Cool stories. As with us, for the most part things go well. There is the occasional whining or fall and crying but nothing serious. The exercise and education values like exploring new places and seeing different animals are great. Only thing is we have to keep going further and further out to find good kid caches. The kids even enjoyed the recent Coin Quest challenge and loved revealing the daily treasure map piece.

[+frivlas]

So, do your kids have their own caching IDs? Mine share one. Lil Checkers

[+StarBrand]

I've got a 3 year old that just LOVES to cache and is quite good at it. We have a new 5 week old that will go out on his first hunt tomorrow.

[+The Source]

I have two boys ages 10 and 14 and a daughter who just turned 5 last month. The have been caching with me since Sept. My daughter always has to wear the caching back pack and carry the backup GPS and any printouts if we have any. She regularly hikes 2 or 3 miles in a day when we cache.

 

J

[+Titansfan]

Both my girls are registed cachers and enjoy the hunt and getting the opportunity to be outside.

[+HugoBear]

My two (A&T) are way into geocaching. They just got Grandpa (Papa) involved too.

 

These two adventurers went on a 5x5 3 mile bushwhack hike willingly and without a single complaint! I was so amazed, proud... adjectives fail me. They're awesome kids. Y'all should get some.

Edited December 3, 2005 by HugoBear

[+1NatureMom]

Hey Sinbad! Your lil pirates are cuties!

 

My 1NatureGirls are 8 & 11; they have been caching since they were 5 & 8! As time goes by, and they grow, we attempt more types of caches. And now they have & carry their own gear! YES! They've added camelbacks to their list to Santa!

 

My oldest likes to stroll along the trails to absore all of Nature~she can identify oodles of bird calls & likes to see rock formations into cartoon characters! Without her keene nature sense, we'd miss some of the beauty of the experience. And she loves science; she has seen what she's learned about ie..vernal pools. I even took her to a cache location for a school project on Osprey Nests! lol (GCGPDH) She got an A+! She doesnt like to trade swag anymore~she's content with the hike.

 

My youngest is the TRAILBLAZER!! She's out for the adventure & the dirt! Newts & frogs are her speciality & sometimes even a snake! I have learned to check her pockets before entering the house! There is no mountain that she does not want to conquer, no tree she can't figure out how to climb, no stream she can't cross! I have learned to not hold her back as much (it's not ez~she's only 8). But her adventureous spirit just came with a price~recently she received a very minor wrist fracture at THE KEY TO THE WELL OF SOULS (we were headed out to your cache after!) She made the rock climb like a pro, then just slipped on NOTHING! The trail was as clear as carpet! Go figure~she's fallen off her bike harder. She wasnt in pain, just mad she couldnt make the rock climb back down herself! Good thing Momma knows 1st aid. We'll be back up there to finish, watch for our logs!

 

......You know you're a cacher when: you sign your daughter's cast with your caching name! lol.... I did! She loved it!

 

I know my 1NatureGirls, they are different spirits, and I know what caches they're capable of. We take our time & plan accordingly. Each comes away with their own experience & memory. At dinner, it's amazing to hear their different views as they shared the same cache/hike!

 

Keep caching together! Never underestimate them! It's totally amazing!

 

 

CAN YOU SEE THE ELEPHANT?

Edited December 3, 2005 by 1NatureMom

[The 4 Elements]

Im 13 and I got with my dad, and i like it when HE does good. =-) we both do alot of work and we are both great at geocaching, i handle the GPS and he carries stuff...lol.

[+radioscout]

I've often been caching with scout groups.

It is very important to search the cache on your own bevore you start the hunt with the group so you know that the cache is still in its place and you know there it is and you can help the kids if they have problems.

So cachers did'nt do this, searched fout hours and did not find the cache. The kids sayed that they never again will go geocaching.

[+flannelman]

I take along two kiddos with me. My daughter is 7 and my son is 5. We go on short and long hikes( just did 4 miles for 2 caches yesterday) and they just love to be outside. There can be some complaining at times but usually drinks and snacks take care of that. I really enjoy taking them out to find treasure as they put it.

[WideOpenVTwin]

I did my third cache today, took my 2 year old, she loved it! However, I did have to explain to her that she is only borrowing the Jeep TB! (She keeps saying "My Jeep is like Mommy's".

She made the hike up a rocky trail, despite a slight drizzle, and smiled the whole way. We will be doing plenty more together.

 

Samantha, 2yo, Summer 2005

[+BlueDeuce]

How challenging?

 

Well, I took my 9 year old daughter caching up some 50 snow covered steps. I was sucking wind just to keep up with her.

[+workerofwood]

I have four kids, aged 4-13. Four VERY different personalities. They have each tried caching, and the three oldest have their own IDs, but it fits best with my 8 yr old son ("Darth Ronnoc"). He'll hike anywhere and puts some adults to shame...

[+saxdiva and mr. vibes]

No kids of my own, but I took a friend's 12 Y.O. daughter caching last summer and she was immediately hooked, even though our first attempt was a multi that we ended up taking a DNF on. The second--which we found--was an ammo can in the woods, and I think that was the clincher. If she didn't live on the other side of the country I'm sure I'd have another cache partner.

 

Turns out, though, that I'm getting a niece or nephew (we'll know tomorrow) next May. Babysitting? No sweat... just get Auntie's hiking boots and we're off!

 

-Leanne

[+Lizooki]

With us , it is a FAMILY thing. We usually have at least one of our 2 daughters w/us.

Our oldest.....13, new teenager, is your typical un-interested-in-anything-the-family-does-teen. Our 9 year old loves it and she is a cache-finding demon.....i have to hustle when she is along or I won't find any at all!

 

Matt

[+Cait&aly&unc]

My nieces and I often go caching as a way to pass the time. It's pretty cool to hang with them and they love the swag that people place in their caches. We are over 60 find's now and they have been with me for more than half of them. If Caity has the gps in the car, Aly gets it in the field and vice versa. Caity is 8 and gets a little distracted at times. Aly is 10 and does a little better...unless Caity can spot the cache first. On a good day the competition can be fierce. I wouldn't trade the time we spend together for anything. I think a gps for the girls is in the future.