Forum specifically for caching kids?

[+beckerbuns]

Jeremy, how about a kids caching forum? I think with the growing popularity of the sport among kids, it might be a good idea.

 

What do you think?

 

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Becky Davis

San Jose, CA

Buy Tupperware for cache containers.

[mattfman]

That sounds like a very interesting idea-except I have not myself seen many kids go to the forums,but I must point to myself for I am only twelve. (which is a kid)I also do go to the forums,and post often,but whether there is many kids like me who do it is a question that we can only guess.

 

I think it should be given a shot and see if kids will use it.

 

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Did you say you want to go on ANOTHER geocacheing trip?

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[Jeremy]

I think there are some issues with running a kids web site (or section) that involve tightening down forums and whatnot. I'll look into it.

 

As an aside, kids will probably like Signal, who is currently promoting Cache In Trash Out.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

[Jeremy]

This is the COPPA we'd have to abide by before creating a kid friendly section.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

[+sbell111]

Very interesting. I never realized that there were specific additional requirements if the site was geared toward kids. Seems like a great idea, even though it would be burdensome to implement.

 

In my opinion, this subject kind of relates to all of the 'stomp a newbie' threads. Certainly one would cut a child more slack, for instance.

[+Renegade Knight]

I'm mixed on this one. There is nothing stopping kids from participating now. Just nothing specific to kids.

[+Dad and the Dynamic Duo]

quote:

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posted July 08, 2003 12:26 PM

That sounds like a very interesting idea-except I have not myself seen many kids go to the forums,but I must point to myself for I am only twelve. (which is a kid)I also do go to the forums,and post often,but whether there is many kids like me who do it is a question that we can only guess.

---

 

I'm not sure that I would have known that you were 12 unless you had mentioned it.

 

quote:

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posted July 08, 2003 02:21 PM

I'm mixed on this one. There is nothing stopping kids from participating now. Just nothing specific to kids.

---

 

To be honest, I never entered the forums until I had been caching for a year. Don't know why except that the banter on other forums was more than I could take so didn't explore this one right away.

 

Both my boys, 9 and 10 fully participate in the caching experience. They are involved in selecting caches to find, programming the GPSrs, hiding caches, etc. I think they would welcome a kid's section. It is too bad that there are a few bad apples out there that have preyed on children and created the need for the restrictions that Jeremy linked. The logistics seem to be a significant challenge.

 

As an adult, the forums are a fun way to learn the personalities of the screen names (or atleast what each of us wants the World to learn!) in addition to learning from others. I think kids would feel the same.

 

George

[+Woodbutcher68]

You might be able to set up a kids forum within Coppa guidelines by having a simplfied sign up for them. By only requiring their screen name, parents screenname, and things they like to do, maybe city and state, you could be within the privacy rules. If their parents aren't registered, they can't be either. (hard to enforce though) A few rules like not giving out personal info, should be monitored by the parents anyway. I wouldn't give them their own chatroom. That's where they get into trouble.

Just my .02.

 

Maps?!? I don't need no stinking maps! I got coordinates!

[+marinor]

such a disappointment after a really eye grabbing topic...

 

does anyone know where you can get an ammo box big enough for caching kids?

 

Life is just an illusion, albeit a very elaborate one.

[+Dad and the Dynamic Duo]

quote:

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does anyone know where you can get an ammo box big enough for caching kids?

---

 

I'm sure my youngest and perhaps my oldest would fit in this one. Now the real question is what would be a fair trade:

 

Took your first born

Left my jobless teenager with a 'tude.

 

George

[+Woodbutcher68]

There'd be more jobless teenagers with 'tudes than McToys out there!

 

Maps?!? I don't need no stinking maps! I got coordinates!

[+carleenp]

Because of some recent posts by kids that are specifically seeking out others their age, I'm bumping this back up.

 

I know there are some difficulties in creating a forum section for kids, but I see some merit in it. First, from some recent posts, I think there are some kids who would like to communicate with other kids. Second, I'm not sure that the general forum is particularly kid friendly. Yes, I suppose it is more up to parents to monitor whether their kids see that or not, but a kid area with some GC.com moderation aimed at kid friendly posts could be good there. I guess I would like to see kids feel at home posting, but also worry about all the safety and parental concern type of issues that are unique to kids to posting.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Because of some recent posts by kids that are specifically seeking out others their age, I'm bumping this back up.

 

I know there are some difficulties in creating a forum section for kids, but I see some merit in it. First, from some recent posts, I think there are some kids who would like to communicate with other kids. Second, I'm not sure that the general forum is particularly kid friendly. Yes, I suppose it is more up to parents to monitor whether their kids see that or not, but a kid area with some GC.com moderation aimed at kid friendly posts could be good there. I guess I would like to see kids feel at home posting, but also worry about all the safety and parental concern type of issues that are unique to kids to posting.

[+Sparky-Watts]

Because of some recent posts by kids that are specifically seeking out others their age, I'm bumping this back up.

 

I know there are some difficulties in creating a forum section for kids, but I see some merit in it. First, from some recent posts, I think there are some kids who would like to communicate with other kids. Second, I'm not sure that the general forum is particularly kid friendly. Yes, I suppose it is more up to parents to monitor whether their kids see that or not, but a kid area with some GC.com moderation aimed at kid friendly posts could be good there. I guess I would like to see kids feel at home posting, but also worry about all the safety and parental concern type of issues that are unique to kids to posting.

Bumpity-bump-bump-bump........

[+Renegade Knight]

Hey, Sparky, Sax, if you guys like this enough to bump it why don't you all start a kid friendly national forum?

[+wray_clan]

calreenp, GPSax, and Sparky, my greatest thanks to you for bumping this up.

 

 

I would be very excited & would definitely post lots--as I'm sure others would--if this became a reality. Jeremy, I hope that you seriously consider this.

Edited December 29, 2003 by wray_clan

[TimSkells]

im a kid and would really like a kids forum

[+TeamK-9]

In my opinion a forum for maybe not necessairily kids but younger people (0-18) would be awesome. I mean if you think there's not much of a user base you have to notice that quite a few members, (along with myself) are actually kids, who have never actually said they were adults, just never admitted they were kids. I don't understand why exactly we'd need to meet the Coppa guidelines, but if you think it's necessairy do whatever you need to do. I'm not asking for a separate site or even a separate page just for teens, maybe just a forum where we can congregate, we promise we won't even try to spray paint anything...

[+Team GPSaxophone]

one and here is two, and this is three threads with the purpose of finding other kid cachers (both of the first two were started by kids, too) that have been interupted by GPSax, Sparky, or both.

Sorry for interrupting, I didn't realize you were discriminating based on age.

[+wray_clan]

In my opinion a forum for maybe not necessairily kids but younger people (0-18) would be awesome.

Yeah, that's something that I think is correct that I didn't say.

[+Sparky-Watts]

three threads with the purpose of finding other kid cachers (both of the first two were started by kids, too) that have been interupted by GPSax, Sparky, or both.

Like we interrupted this one by bumping it back to the top of the list?

[+wray_clan]

Like we interrupted this one by bumping it back to the top of the list?

Sorry for interrupting, I didn't realize you were discriminating based on age.

 

Your apology is accepted. And, my sincere thanks goes out to you for bumping this. At first glance, I thought that your posts came immediately after carleenp's & were pointless. But they weren't, so thank you.

 

I've edited my post above.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Like we interrupted this one by bumping it back to the top of the list?

Sorry for interrupting, I didn't realize you were discriminating based on age.

 

Your apology is accepted. And, my sincere thanks goes out to you for bumping this. At first glance, I thought that your posts came immediately after carleenp's & were pointless. But they weren't, so thank you.

 

I've edited my post above.

Thank you for re-reading the thread to see that my intent was to bump it back to the top and not for any other purpose.

[LyonTamers]

I like the idea. By the way, I am an eleven-year-old .

[+sbell111]

This is a great idea. I imagine that it will be easier to implement now that there is increased hands-on moderation of the forums.

[+Renegade Knight]

It would be easier to do as a completely separate forum that is not attached to GC.com.

 

There is more to it than just the moderation. Complying would involve a significant upgrade to the site to track kids as kids.

[+sbell111]

Alternatively, you would need a forum where answers are given and RTFM comments are not.

[+MedicP1]

Why not just create a different 'name' (like the 'tadpole' one) for those under 18 and have a tick-box 'under 18 yrs' in the profile set-up area for those creating their identity. That way when they post to any thread it will alert others that there is a youngen participating in the chat. It will at least give everyone a chance to tailor their comments and more importantly the flaming that might arise from a 'youthful' opinion. It would still fall to the parental units to monitor what their kids are viewing and is by no means meant to put the onus on others to police the content.

[the 5 little bears]

hey just think then we could probably get michael jackson into geocaching

[TimSkells]

new group for geocaching kids

 

if your a kid that caches please join

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kidcachers

[+bons]

If we create kid only forums where you would have to track kids, and members would be age-verified, then would it be possible to have "adult only caches" (much like member only caches)?

 

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Honestly, when I was a kid, I hated being treated like a kid, especially by adults who didn't seem to be showing a lot of that maturity that they seem to think kids don't have. One of the things I like about the net is that I can treat everyone by the knowledge and maturity they display, instead of by their age. I'd rather an immature child or immature adult got a lesson in growing up than a mature intelligent teenager got ignored for no reason other than a checkbox.

[+Renegade Knight]

If we create kid only forums where you would have to track kids, and members would be age-verified, then would it be possible to have "adult only caches" (much like member only caches)?

I see where you are going with that but I don't think you could realisticly do that except in very limited circumstances.

 

Caches themselves are subject to the least common denomonator of who can find them accidentally. Thus it would not be appropriate to have anything in a cache that a child could not possess.

[+Sparky-Watts]

If we create kid only forums where you would have to track kids, and members would be age-verified, then would it be possible to have "adult only caches" (much like member only caches)?

 

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Honestly, when I was a kid, I hated being treated like a kid, especially by adults who didn't seem to be showing a lot of that maturity that they seem to think kids don't have. One of the things I like about the net is that I can treat everyone by the knowledge and maturity they display, instead of by their age. I'd rather an immature child or immature adult got a lesson in growing up than a mature intelligent teenager got ignored for no reason other than a checkbox.

So true. Some kids in the forums are easily recognized by their level of immaturity and lack of respect, and some adults are often misidentified as kids for the same reasons. I've carried on very respectful, intelligent conversations with very young kids in forums and chatrooms,and if they hadn't told me, I never would have known they were so young.

[+Will+Bill]

Will is 12 and I agree with Bons.

If we create kid only forums where you would have to track kids, and members would be age-verified, then would it be possible to have "adult only caches" (much like member only caches)?

 

------

 

Honestly, when I was a kid, I hated being treated like a kid, especially by adults who didn't seem to be showing a lot of that maturity that they seem to think kids don't have. One of the things I like about the net is that I can treat everyone by the knowledge and maturity they display, instead of by their age. I'd rather an immature child or immature adult got a lesson in growing up than a mature intelligent teenager got ignored for no reason other than a checkbox.

[+Sparky-Watts]

Will is 12 and I agree with Bons.

If we create kid only forums where you would have to track kids, and members would be age-verified, then would it be possible to have "adult only caches" (much like member only caches)?

 

------

 

Honestly, when I was a kid, I hated being treated like a kid, especially by adults who didn't seem to be showing a lot of that maturity that they seem to think kids don't have. One of the things I like about the net is that I can treat everyone by the knowledge and maturity they display, instead of by their age. I'd rather an immature child or immature adult got a lesson in growing up than a mature intelligent teenager got ignored for no reason other than a checkbox.

I guess it was the same when I was a kid, but I tended to migrate towards the adults at any gathering I was at, because they would converse with me on a more intellectual level than others my own age. I was usually readily accepted into the adult circles after only a few minutes of showing respect and maturity beyond my years.

[+Will+Bill]

I checked out the Yahoo group, and it is little used and not very usefull.

[+Renegade Knight]

If somebody makes an honest BBS out there and hosts it (preferably a state local or national group) Terracachers will link to it.

 

While Yahoo is nice it's not friendly for taking a look around to see if you would like to join.

[BeadBoy]

I support a 0-18 forum where we (18+under) can have a non-pyrocitic forum (not that they aren't funny) I disagree with tagging young members if they can carry on an intelligient conversation than thats good it should be voulentary, if you want it to be known you should have a second mini-avatar to show you're below a certain age.