10 Tips For Geocaching With Kids

10 Tips For Geocaching With Kids 

      It feels like just the other day I was changing diapers and chasing after toddlers. My Geokids are at that age were they want to be involved in the game as much as my hubby and I. My daughter is 5 and my son 8 both so intrigued with nature since babies. We have been hiking with our children since they've been infants, we're basically pro's at these outdoor adventure lifestyle with kids, so I thought I'd share some tips and tricks that we've incorporated out in the woods with our Geocaching Family to keep it fun for everyone. 

We would love to hear your stories about geocaching with children, how has geocaching with children changed the way you geocache? 

  

Virtual Caches Make Pretty Family Pictures

Start early in the morning
 Based on my own experiences when we start a kid-friendly geocaching trip we like starting early in the morning, right after breakfast usually. We find our kids have the most energy at that time. They're always eager to get out of the door and ready to start the day with the first cache they will find. 

My kids are always amazed by the sunrise and sunsets

Pack plenty of Snacks and have lots of water

BBQ's are our favorite way to meal plan, it's a lot of fun too

   Having a lot of snacks with you helps when your children start getting hungry. One thing we like to carry in our backpack would be a trail mix of some sort. It's something easy to make and doesn't take up to much room. Classic PB&J - Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches are another super easy snack to bring along with you on your geocaching adventures. Fruits and Veggies are easy to pack and bring along with you. Cheese and cracker snacks. Another thing we like to bring along with us is our portable BBQ and cooler, it's a lot easier to eat on the go then to rely on takeout and it's a lot healthier. Don't forget to bring lots of liquids like water and juice for your thirsty little hunters and for you too. 


P&G is the best for children
    Park & Grabs are easy caches to hunt for when you have kids. Not every day will be a great day for geocaching adventures.Where we live it's cold and rainy most times of the year. When the weather gets chilly we love being able to fall into an easy park and grabs to keep the smiles going. 

These are my kids' favorite caches 

Plan the trip ahead / Make a list 

Making a list will help a lot with each geo trip.

   Planing the trip ahead is one of the best advise I could give anyone hiking or geocaching with children. Knowing the route you will be traveling and have an idea of the caches you will find are an excellent way's to make sure everyone enjoys their time out. Making a list of important things you want to bring with you on the trip so nothing gets left behind. Make sure to bring an emergency first aid kit, accidents are prone to happen when exploring the outdoors with kids. 

Have a backup plan for when their legs get tired
   A few years ago we got a wagon added to the list of things we must have when going into trails with our kids. This has helped so much in trails accessible to the geo wagon. They enjoy sitting back and enjoying the ride when their legs get tired. Plus it makes for a nice spot to sit down and have a snack. When in trails that are narrow we plan the trip shorter knowing ahead of times that they will get tired, You can always return for smileys another time.

The Geo Waggon 

"Mommy - Daddy" Time

Mommy and Daddy "Geodates" sadly not all geocaches are kid-friendly, some are designed for the older treasure hunters. We find it's important once a month to plan a geocaching outing for the "adults" that's what we like to call it. It allows us to find the harder geocaches together and keeps us learning and exploring the world together. It's a nice hobby to share and I am so happy I have found someone so supportive of my crazy geocaching ways. 

It's not about smileys, take plenty of breaks
   When geocaching with kids we expect them to get tired a lot quicker then we will. Take as many breaks as you need to. We like to take advantage of break time to chat about the caches we just found, which ones are our favorites and the ones we like less. It's always fun to hear the stories that your kids will share with you. 

The geokids taking a break and looking out at the water

Allow your kids to be in charge 
   Both my kids love being in charge of the GPS, it's cute seeing them navigate through the trails in search of treasure. 

my son loves being the leader 

My daughter loves being in control of the GPS

Keep track of time

  We find keeping track of time has helped, you never want to go too far that your kids don't want to walk back to the car. Always keep track of distance and how long it took to walk each KM that way you will know when to end the hunt before any little treasure hunter gets too tired. 

Know when to call it quits
 Let's all face it, we know when our little ones are getting tired a lot better then they do. The last thing we parents ever want is a meltdown in the woods by our small hikers. Don't ever hesitate in calling it quits without finding all smileys you planned on finding. The rule we use is 5, we try and find at least 5 smileys and take it from there to see if we keep going or if it's enough for the day.

Happy Caching! And don't forget, if you want to see our daily post and geocaching fun follow us on Instagram 

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