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“Treasure hunt, we’re going on a treasure hunt?” Imagine that response from your little ones. That is exactly the reaction I got when I introduced my son to geocaching. We had a few free hours one afternoon and were looking for something to do outside.  I have been hearing a lot about geocaching lately and wanted to try it out. A teacher at ISTE 2010 that was geocaching with her students told me about a geocaching site where I could find more information.  This is also a great video series that gives a history of geocaching and more information.

The Short Version

Geocaches are hidden containers that range in size from micro to large. Goecachers hide these containers in places all over the world. You can visit the geocaching site above to find those closest to your home.  Some are easy to find and others can be a bit difficult. They are mostly hidden in parks or wooded areas. The caches often contain trinkets for young children to exchange. When you find a cache, you are supposed to sign the log and if they have trinkets or prizes to share, you take one and put your own item in to replace the one you took. After you are finished, you place the cache back where you found it and head out to find your next treasure.

Most geocachers use hand held geocache devices. We purchased a Geomate Jr. at Target, but that was before we knew about the geocaching app. We were having a hard time reading the Geomate Jr. and I remembered that the site said you could use a cell phone too. I quickly looked for an app on the ipad and what do you know, there was a free geocaching intro app.

I downloaded the app and we were on our way. What fun! The app showed us exactly which direction to go and the first cache we found was only about a half mile from our house in the township park. The intro app allows you to find three caches before you have to purchase the full version. The full version is $9.99, but much less expensive than the geomate. I think the app is a great option. The only issue you might have is if your mobile service gives out in less populated areas.

So, if you are the adventurous type and are looking for a fun outdoor activity to share with your family, check out the geocaching app and get started. Don’t forget to bring some small trinkets to share, and wear a hat and clothing appropriate for trekking through the woods.

Here is a short video to show you our treasure hunting experience.

Make sure to check out our posts on the ifish pond and word game apps, too!

Related posts:

1. Welcome to Featured Apps!
2. Featured Apps – Word Games

Tags: apps reviews, education, geocaching, treasure hunts

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 at 12:01 am and is filed under Ann Leaness, Learning Activites, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.