What to leave?

[tunesgirl]

I have loved reading the forums and the possibility of finding a cache yet I have never looked for one myself. I want to be prepared and don't know where to start. What would be the very basics to start? I have located several stash sites near where I live. I have kids so would like to make this a family activity. What does one leave in a cache?

[Pup Patrol]

I have loved reading the forums and the possibility of finding a cache yet I have never looked for one myself. I want to be prepared and don't know where to start. What would be the very basics to start? I have located several stash sites near where I live. I have kids so would like to make this a family activity. What does one leave in a cache?

 

Geocaching 101

http://www.geocaching.com/guide/

 

What should not be placed in a cache?

 

People of all ages hide and seek geocaches, so think carefully before placing an item into a cache. Explosives, ammunition, knives, drugs and alcohol should not be placed in a cache. Respect local laws at all times.

 

Please do not put food or heavily scented items in a cache. Animals have better noses than humans, and in some cases caches have been chewed through and destroyed because of food items in a cache.

 

How do I find the cache and what should I do once I've found it?

 

There are many things to know about searching for a cache. For instance, did you know that there is a slight "error" to every GPS device due to technological limitations? Your device can get you close to the cache, but there are a number of things to consider as you get closer to the cache location.

 

When you find the cache, sign the logbook and return it to the cache. You can take an item from the cache if you like - just make sure to leave something of equal or greater value in its place. When you are finished, put the cache back exactly as you found it, even if you think you see a better spot for it. Finally, visit the cache page to log your find and share your experience with others.

 

Help Center

http://support.Groundspeak.com/

 

Help Center → Finding a Geocache

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.book&id=25

 

 

B.

[+-CJ-]

With kids its a bit different then when playing the game alone.

 

1. Kids enjoy "treasures" and may be disappointed with a cache which has nothing in it. So I would start with a traditional cache with a full-sized container. Not a micro/nano cache.

 

2. Plan your route with several caches along it. If one is muggled there will be chance for your family to grab another one.

 

3. (It's depending on the age of your kids) If your kids are small then think about preparing something that they will really not regret to leave in a cache. I mean, we adults often see nothing valuable in a small coin or a toy or stamp or any other stuff - and kids also don't pay any attention to these things at home. But when it's time to leave something in a cache your kids seem to value the thing you just took from your pocket a lot. "What a nice coin! I don't have such a coin! Why should we leave it? Ple-e-e-e-ase don't!" and so on. Thus, it's great to have a couple of such things in your pocket to say: "Hey, this is another coin for you".

 

4. My kids are hungry for things in containers - all that priceless steel rings, small toys, almost everything. If there are two kids the situation is worse because both want to take something. Thus, it's necessary to bring more stuff with you because the general rule is "if you take someting, leave something of equal or bigger value".

 

5. Please read about trackables. Travel bugs and (especially) geocoins are often the most beautiful things one can discover in a cache but they are not for trade. You should be really ready to move them to another cache (or cacher, depending on circumstances). So I suggest that you check the list of trackables in the chosen geocaches, read their stories/missions and explain their meaning to kids. "We cannot take this thing, it's going to Brazil. Since we're not going in that direction in the nearest future, we must leave this geocoin alone. This is the rule".

 

6. I would also suggest preparing your kids to the idea that the contents of containers are not the most important part of the cache. It's not easy and takes time but worth doing. My kids love searching and are happy when they find something interesting. At the same time, they are not disappointed when we fail at some geocaches. After all, we honestly searched for the container, visited some really nice place, enjoyed the time that we spent there, and we will do a useful job by sending a message to the CO that his cache is probably in trouble so other cachers will have their happy finds. And there are many other caches ahead! All this has been done by me to educate kids not to be disappointed by rusty/dirty/wet/rotten "souvenirs" that we sometimes see after another box is opened.

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

CJ, very well explained! Good job.

[+L0ne.R]

Do a google search for geocache contents and then click on images to get an idea about what people leave. Leave new, not broken small toys. Most people leave dollar store stuff.