Caching with the Kids

[+Elemaris]

OK, I have yet to start geocaching (my GPS is a birthday gift from my wife--she hid it in the closet until August 25th). So in the meantime I am getting as much info as possible, Checked out the idiot's guide a a few other books from the local library, soaking up info like a sponge and am eagerly anticipating our first GPS family adventure!

 

My question is, when my family and I find our first cache, does everyone in the group take something-leave something, or just one exchange for the group? Do you let the kids take turns? I can hear the fights now: "I want the duckie keychain, Isaac got to get the red emergency poncho last time, and Emma got the plastic Cinderella toy" WHAAAAAAA!

 

Edited August 3, 2007 by Elemaris

[+T F T C]

There are no hard rules regarding trading. You can even take something without leaving something. You won't get "disqualified," although you'll be a jerk.

 

The rule of thumb (a suggestion, not a rule of the game!) is to "trade up", if you feel like trading at all. Take something, but leave something a little nicer. How you want to divvy up the taking/leaving among your party is completely up to your discretion.

 

I personally hate the "trading stuff" part of geocaching.

[+mousekakat]

However many things you take out, put back in...

 

Dollar store is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful thing

 

Personally, I'd let the kids each take something, as it is part of what makes it exciting for them and helps keep them interested.

 

I've got a 7 1/2 old and a 14 month old. The oldest gets to pick, the youngest couldn't care less, lol, and I let the oldest pick what to put back in the cache.

 

Right now we're doing a LOT of decorative glass flowers that are pressed from a piece of molten glass that we get from the Dollar store here in Sweden (yes, there is a Dollar Store here, how funny is that, lol) and I pay roughly 1.25 for a bag of 25 of them. They are a couple of inches across and about an inch thick and cost just pennies and are really pretty to leave in spite of their low cost. Kidlet enjoys picking out the "perfect" color to leave . I keep up with logs of caches we visit and I see that the glass flowers are one of the more popular swag items we leave

 

Have fun, that's most important!

[Neos2]

Try the keep the value of the trade at least equal. If you take out three $2 items, whatever you put back in should be worth at least $6

 

I've seen people say things like "Took the unactivated geocoin and the iPod, and left a matchbook from the hotel we stayed at last night" or "Took the antique necklace and the geocaching trailer hitch cover and left a potholder the kids made on their QuickLoopyLoom"

 

It makes me shake my head; thjere is no way they could ever think that was a fair trade. The sad part is, I'm not exaggerating much.

 

I often leave geocaching buttons, carabiner clips, small compasses, and tiny-but-bright flashlights. Those things fascinate me and depending on how "good" they are some of them cost me $10 or so. Most items cost me less than $1. I often leave things even if I don't take something, just to fill out empty caches. And they do get empty, or filled with useless things. I figure the person who gets there after me ought to be at least as pleased as I was to see what is in the cache.

[+BlueDeuce]

I was (and still am) pleasantly surprised that when I explained trade requirements to my kids they got it the first time. I'll tell them before we leave that they should find something in their toys that they no longer want, but some other kid would, to use for trade. It's never junk and they trade even.

[+OEnavigators]

OK, I have yet to start geocaching (my GPS is a birthday gift from my wife--she hid it in the closet until August 25th). So in the meantime I am getting as much info as possible, Checked out the idiot's guide a a few other books from the local library, soaking up info like a sponge and am eagerly anticipating our first GPS family adventure!

 

My question is, when my family and I find our first cache, does everyone in the group take something-leave something, or just one exchange for the group? Do you let the kids take turns? I can hear the fights now: "I want the duckie keychain, Isaac got to get the red emergency poncho last time, and Emma got the plastic Cinderella toy" WHAAAAAAA!

 

 

It's not that bad at all. I had the same fears when we started. It turns out the kids just LOVE rummaging through the containers. It doesn't matter what it contains. Now they hardly trade at all. Unless something cathes their eye. They also enjoy choosing what to leave. It teaches them a lesson in sharing that we've seen them practice at home.

 

So let them trade away and choose their own trade items. Your whole family will have a blast!

[+BlueDeuce]

 

It's not that bad at all. I had the same fears when we started. It turns out the kids just LOVE rummaging through the containers. It doesn't matter what it contains. Now they hardly trade at all. Unless something cathes their eye. They also enjoy choosing what to leave. It teaches them a lesson in sharing that we've seen them practice at home.

 

So let them trade away and choose their own trade items. Your whole family will have a blast!

 

Exactly.

[+GreenMountainTreasureHunters]

OK, I have yet to start geocaching (my GPS is a birthday gift from my wife--she hid it in the closet until August 25th). So in the meantime I am getting as much info as possible, Checked out the idiot's guide a a few other books from the local library, soaking up info like a sponge and am eagerly anticipating our first GPS family adventure!

 

My question is, when my family and I find our first cache, does everyone in the group take something-leave something, or just one exchange for the group? Do you let the kids take turns? I can hear the fights now: "I want the duckie keychain, Isaac got to get the red emergency poncho last time, and Emma got the plastic Cinderella toy" WHAAAAAAA!

 

 

We're total newbs, but other families I've spoken to say they let each kid trade something if they want. Whoever found the cache gets first choice. We've only found one cache with trading items so far, and one of my kids didn't see anything he wanted, so he didn't trade. The other two did.

 

We're trying to figure out the family accounts thing. We will likely cache in many different configurations. (already have two different combinations) For now we just have a family account, but I suspect that everyone will want to keep track of their own finds soon enough. But I hate seeing 5 logs on a cache for a single family's or group's find. I loved the suggestion someone posted here a while back about having a family account and then "sub" accounts for each member. Then when you login to the family account to post a find, dnf, note etc. you could just check off which of the family members (sub-accounts) was present...

[+briansnat]

My question is, when my family and I find our first cache, does everyone in the group take something-leave something, or just one exchange for the group? Do you let the kids take turns?

 

Everyone can take something as long everyone leaves something. You don't have to sit there with a calculator and estimate the cost of each item to make an even trade. Just make sure the cache is as well stocked when you leave as it was when you got there.

 

You will find that caches tend to fill up with junk after a while and sometimes your kid might not even be interested in trading. But if it is nicely stocked just be sure it still is when you leave it.

[+Tsmola]

I personally hate the "trading stuff" part of geocaching.

 

Ditto, I've only traded a single time. I can't remember the last time I looked through a cache's swag or even travel bugs, I usually sign and go.

[+mousekakat]

Most items cost me less than $1. I often leave things even if I don't take something, just to fill out empty caches. And they do get empty, or filled with useless things. I figure the person who gets there after me ought to be at least as pleased as I was to see what is in the cache.

 

I think that is really important.

 

Most of the people who trade are the ones who have kids. We've cleaned trash and junk out of many caches and refilled them with fresh swag. We don't have a lot of funds, but we do it because we know how much the kids enjoy finding neat little things and because we have our own kids who enjoy finding things.

 

I think it's just good "geo-manners" to do so. One cache we removed matches, lighters, a stupid paper measuring tape that was all crumpled in a ball, and literally trash that was left in the cache and refilled it with 5 or 6 dollar store items - blow up bath toys, pads of paper, pretty glass rocks, and other goodies. Found another cache that had a 3/4 full pack of smokes in it and we removed that, as well. Did a cache a couple of days ago where it was almost empty and at a very family friendly place, so we also restocked it.

 

I think as long as you trade "nice" the value isn't as important... the trade up/even thing comes into account more if you're taking an obviously expensive item.

 

Just be sure to not leave food items or things that can make the cache wet/sticky/nasty in any way!

 

Enjoy!

[+The Silver Snitch]

Well we are on the other side of the world. Have take kids with us ranging in age from tiny to teens.

The tinies =That's why you geo cache....treasure!!! 8 upwards.=.. right into being the clever one to FIND IT! also into swapping but getting more choosey.....Teens=..rarely swap, always look.. loving the hunt, the places and finding them now....Not to mention hiding their own!

We have a code word so all get a chance to spot it...We say "I'm Hungry" when we've spotted it...that way every one gets to find it......especiallyif it is cameoed or clever.

I don't think there is ANYTHING else where all kids in the family, no matter the age range get a kick out of it!Have fun...!!

[+Team Teague]

We carry enough swag that both kids (6 and 2 1/2) can trade if they want to, but we try to have them take turns. We also have told them after inspecting the contents that we aren't giong to trade, etc. The kids like to leave quarters in the cache's and they are easy to carry in our bag. If there are travel bugs, and we can help fulfill their journey we discuss if we want to take them, letting our 6 year old usually make the decision on where we place it.

 

Stacey

 

OK, I have yet to start geocaching (my GPS is a birthday gift from my wife--she hid it in the closet until August 25th). So in the meantime I am getting as much info as possible, Checked out the idiot's guide a a few other books from the local library, soaking up info like a sponge and am eagerly anticipating our first GPS family adventure!

 

My question is, when my family and I find our first cache, does everyone in the group take something-leave something, or just one exchange for the group? Do you let the kids take turns? I can hear the fights now: "I want the duckie keychain, Isaac got to get the red emergency poncho last time, and Emma got the plastic Cinderella toy" WHAAAAAAA!

 

[+TrailGators]

Make sure you look for regular sized caches with kids. Kids will get bored if they find too many caches with no goodies inside. Then make sure the kids bring goodies along to trade. It's a great lesson for them. Then let the kids take turns on who picks first. This will cause you to visit more caches which keeps the fun going because woever is next will want to find one more cache! Good luck and have fun!

[+Tacodoctor]

i always have my kids (9 and 5 yrs.) choose something from home or at the store that they think would be useful or fun for someone else and then when we get to the cache they can decide if they want to trade. We always go over trading equally or trading up. For example, if my 5 yr old chooses to take a "cow eraser" as swag she knows she can't take the nice purple flashlight.

 

I chalk it up as a fun lesson in fairness and sometimes even giving up something of your own for something else.

[+Elemaris]

We (my son and I) did our first cache this weekend with another family that had a GPS. We took a homemade signature coin and a quarter. We left a nice carabiner/compass/keychain and a handy bungee cord loop. The rest of the cache was pretty much a sad mix of junk. I like the signature coin made by "the snail"-nicely done! I think I will eventually do this once I come up with something really nice, but for now I have a nice mix of first aid kits, carabiner keychains, compasses, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and mini flashlights, each worth $1-2.

 

I agree that there are some important teachable moments with kids in regards to the cache exchange part of geocaching: fairness, giving more than you get, unselfishness, sharing, self control, etc, etc.

 

Thank everyone for the responses!

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

We cache with a 6 year old and a 4 year old. Generally the rule is to simply take as much items/as much value as you put in. So we just do that and split what is taken among the kids.

 

Don't worry, 90+% of "traders" are people with kids since it is mostly "dollar store" items anyway.

[+Jim McDonald]

Last time we were in MO, we took my daughter, son in law and grandson out for a few caches. Our 4 yr old grandson had a ball picking out swag, then trading at the next one. Later I overheard him telling his playmates" My grampa found treasure!" He had a blast and learned if you take something, leave something nice in return.

Jim and Cheryl McDonald

Edited August 7, 2007 by Jim McDonald

[+6coondawgs]

We were at a family reunion a couple weeks ago and I had read of a cache that was an actual treasure chest. So I took my three kids and about 15 other nieces and nephews (and assorted other in-laws) to find it. They all thought it was amazing that we could find this in the woods. All the kids had to have their own toy, luckily I had a full back pack of swag to trade just in case. Normally my kids just decide if they want anything based on what's there. About half the time the item they chose isn't so cool anymore by the time we reach the next cache and they trade it again (kinda like a McTravel Toy:).

[+Sevilon]

Just to add to the above responses, I always have a bag of swag in our geocaching backpack, and I have told my kids that they can take an item from the cache and then replace it with an equal item from my bag, or they can just choose an item from my bag. Either way they get to choose something, making caching that much more fun to them; and either way the cache is left with as many items as we found it with.

[+GreenMountainTreasureHunters]

Just to add to the above responses, I always have a bag of swag in our geocaching backpack, and I have told my kids that they can take an item from the cache and then replace it with an equal item from my bag, or they can just choose an item from my bag.

 

I make my kids bring their own swag to trade. (I also bring some stuff so I can add if the cache is getting low, or if I'm a bit doubtful about whether the kids really traded even/up.)

 

They have plenty of appropriate items that they are willing to trade away; If they run out of their own stuff to trade, I'll take them to the dollar store to buy some more. But I think *they* should be putting something in if they want to take something, and not me (though like I said, I will top up a bit too)

[namiboy]

I personally hate the "trading stuff" part of geocaching.

 

Ditto, I've only traded a single time. I can't remember the last time I looked through a cache's swag or even travel bugs, I usually sign and go.

 

pretty much the same here. i am not into trading, out of the 30 i've found there was 1 that had something i actually wanted so i just put some kaysh in there for it. i usually have my 8 year old daughter with me and she is the same way, i tell her she can trade if she wants, but she never does. the big excitement for her is to find it and sign the log.

[+onfire4jesus]

My youngest two are 2 and 4. The others are grown and have kids of their own.

 

So far when I've gone caching with the four year old, I've brought the swag to replace what he picks out, but sometime in the near future, he will have to bring his own. When I go by myself, then I usually bring back something for each of the kids.

 

I've gone caching with my grandkids and friends of the family and we usually have each child take turns picking something out. If we're only doing one cache, then I would consider them each take something out and leave an appropriate number.

 

I had a fun trip in June with three pre-teen boys who were friends of my oldest son's family. The first cache we found whoever found the cache first got to pick something out. The second one, of the two remaining boys, the one who found it first got to choose. In the event that the boy who found the first one found the second one, then I selected who got to choose (in this case one of the boys had been caching with me previously so he would have gone last if I had need to select.) At the third cache, the boy who hadn't had a turn got to choose regardless who found it first. It worked out great! Each boy found a cache first and each boy got a turn manning the GPSr. I look forward to repeating the experience.

 

I also went with my 5 year old grandson just the two of us. The first cache, he got to pick out something. The second cache, he picked out something for his sister.

 

I always leave something regardless of whether I take something (if the cache is big enough). In some cases, I have been known to take trash out of the cache (paper toys that have become wet, a bottle top that someone left presumably because it was good for buy one/get one free on the next purchase, except it had expired two years before I removed it.) One cache I found I felt like dumping everything in the cache except the log in a CITO bag and dropping all my swag in the cache. I resisted, but I took a rusty piece of metal that as far as I could see had no purpose and dropped in a toy.

[+firefighterjake]

I rarely make any trades, but I do often drop in my signature item and will occasionally drop in a ball, carabiner, etc. to fill out a cache that I particularly liked.

 

I guess my own rule of thumb has been to take something and leave something of equal value . . . sadly it often seems caches get filled up with junk . . . if I see another rock in a cache. . . .

 

So in answer to your question . . . if it were me I'd let all the kids make a trade if they wish . . . but a tit-for-tat deal where if one thing is taken out, another item goes in. Just my opinion.

[+shmidly1909]

HAH! YOu can but make sure everyone brings swag!

[+RokMartian]

My kids are in their teens, so my experience may be a little different. I would recommend doing a couple of caches by yourself (or with a partner) before doing it with your kids. That way you know what you are doing with your gpsr.

 

The first one I tried to do with my family, I had no idea what I was doing and I was really frustrated - I spent half an hour trying to figure out my gpsr and my kids quickly got bored. Now they really do not want anything to do with it, no matter how hard I try to talk them into it.

[+deafnut]

My kids are in their teens, so my experience may be a little different. I would recommend doing a couple of caches by yourself (or with a partner) before doing it with your kids. That way you know what you are doing with your gpsr.

 

The first one I tried to do with my family, I had no idea what I was doing and I was really frustrated - I spent half an hour trying to figure out my gpsr and my kids quickly got bored. Now they really do not want anything to do with it, no matter how hard I try to talk them into it.

 

 

 

Ditto it ... it happen to me ... when i got first staff encougrage me to fgo out anf find and bring them to show them tomorrow and it work ... kid try to have fun with me but they don"t like geocaching oh wellll