Took My 23 Month Old Son Geocaching

[+nfa]

Hi,

 

While vacationing in Maine last week, I took my son geocaching with me for the first time. He had a great time riding on my shoulders on the walk into the cache locations, and hunting around for the cache containers (he neither knew what he was looking for while rooting around in the leaves and sticks, nor did he care).

 

He found a matchbox car, or somethig like one, in each of the 3 caches we visited, and has been playing with them ever since (he never saw one before we went out caching, as far as I know).

 

Overall, it was a wonderful experience for Ben and me, and we both look forward to going out again in the near future. I did notice a couple of things however:

• the terrain rating shoots up a couple of points with a wiggly, 35 pound passenger on your shoulders
  
• the difficulty rating also bumps up a notch or 2 as Ben doesn't have the patience for a 45 minute hunt, and can wander off of a cliff if not watched
  
• I need to bring more trade items along with me when Ben comes along, as we both want to trade in every cache
  
• toddlers provide excellent geocaching cover
  
• Ben and I both got more exercise than we would have during a regular afternoon's activity
  
• 1/1 caches are suddenly more interesting to me now
  

I would be interested to hear other people experiences geocaching with their toddlers.

 

nfa-jamie

[+Robespierre]

use a leash...seriously, use a leash!

[+clearpath]

I've had the pleasure of caching with my 10 year old son, Ryan. He likes to be outside and enjoys hiking and seeing new places. He's very picky about the cache swag and only takes something if it unique or unusual. Occaisionally, I'll get a chance to take my 5 and 7 year old together. They are thrilled to look through the cache containers and will always find something to trade. With school, sports and scouts we don't get a chance to cache together that much.

[+nfa]

use a leash...seriously, use a leash!

Hi,

 

Thanks for the idea...I have one of those retractable leashes for my dog, and it would probably work pretty well for Ben.

 

nfa-jamie

[+c0yote & co]

Just started this year, so my only experience (so far) is with my 3 yr old - he doesn't have a problem with 2 mile walks, as long as we take time to stop and look at whatever peaks his interest. We nearly always "trade up" vs. "trading even" because he has a nack for taking broken hot wheels, etc.

 

As far as 1 or 2 year olds caching, I'll have to get back to you next year on that. My youngest is only 2 months old, but he's got a few caches under his belt, including a Project APE cache. (All of those caches were along a stroller accessible gravel trail, and had my wife, sister, mother & father along - so there was always someone who could stay with the stroller while the rest of us "found treasure").

 

p.s. It's nice to have two lists of caches to do

1. Regular sized, 1-2 terrain caches

3. Micro's and everything else (for when you're out by yourself)

[thorin]

use a leash...seriously, use a leash!

Wow that's gotta be fun and exciting (especially for the kid) when you have to leash him like a dog.

 

Thorin

Edited August 19, 2004 by thorin

[+Jeeters]

Wow that's gotta be fun and exciting (especially for the kid) when you have to leash him like a dog.

I dont' go for it normally (like when you see leashed kids in the mall), but I think out on the trail where cliffs and whatnot pose a danger, it's perfectly fine. It's nothing more than a 'junior version' of a safety line like what mountain climbers use between themselves.

[+Momyar]

I think the harness that you use for kids are wonderful. Used one with my daughter. It was easier on both of us. She didn't have to have her arm raised over her head while we walked and it also gave her more freedom. But gave me the comfort of knowing she wasn't going to slip from my hand and take off.

 

I say go with it! You'll probably enjoy it much more and the child will have more freedom to explore the things that are on their level.

[thorin]

Wow that's gotta be fun and exciting (especially for the kid) when you have to leash him like a dog.

I dont' go for it normally (like when you see leashed kids in the mall), but I think out on the trail where cliffs and whatnot pose a danger, it's perfectly fine. It's nothing more than a 'junior version' of a safety line like what mountain climbers use between themselves.

Ok I suppose I can agree on that point. Though I'd still wonder how the terrain could be so bad for so long that you can't just hold their hand or pick them up.

 

I know I'm sounding horrible here. I do see the value in using it for short periods as a "safety rope". It's just the leashed children in malls (like you mentioned) that really drive me nutts. And the earlier part of the discussion sounded more like put it on and leave it on.

 

Thorin

Edited August 19, 2004 by thorin

[+fly46]

Wow that's gotta be fun and exciting (especially for the kid) when you have to leash him like a dog.

I dont' go for it normally (like when you see leashed kids in the mall), but I think out on the trail where cliffs and whatnot pose a danger, it's perfectly fine. It's nothing more than a 'junior version' of a safety line like what mountain climbers use between themselves.

Ok I suppose I can agree on that point. Though I'd still wonder how the terrain could be so bad for so long that you can't just hold their hand or pick them up.

 

I know I'm sounding horrible here. I do see the value in using it for short periods as a "safety rope". It's just the leashed children in malls (like you mentioned) that really drive me nutts. And the earlier part of the discussion sounded more like put it on and leave it on.

 

Thorin

How about because you can't exactly hold a wiggling toddler in one hand and then try to open the cache container/sign the log book/etc... Have you ever tried it, because let me tell you... I have enough trouble juggling baby/sippy cup/diaper bag from house to car (not my kids)... As for the mall thing, I'd never use one in a mall... I'd also never let go of a child in a mall that's busy enough to lose him in.