- Mom, my feet hurt!
- Mom, it’s too hot!
- Mom, are we there yet, can we go home?
- And teen-speak: “Oooh. A tree. Yay.”
What they need is a distraction. Something to keep them entertained long enough to forget their feet and enjoy the journey. I’m thinking a treasure hunt would be the perfect thing to encourage more MOVING and less WHINING!
The perfect solution to keep the younger kids interested in the ‘treasure’ and the bigger kids involved in the ‘hunt’! Whoever invented geocaching surely had kids?
Best GeoCaching Android Apps (Paid and Free Options)
(And LetterBoxing for the less techy folks too…)
- OpenCaching.com (free) — From the makers of Garmin, OpenCaching.com is a website where you sign up, sign in and start looking for caches nearby. Download the free app and use your smartphone’s GPS to go find the treasure. You can also deposit your own ‘cache’ complete with trinkets and dollar store ‘treasure’, logging the coordinates back at the website.
- Geocaching.com ($9.99)— GroundSpeak’s Geocaching.com is considered the largest website for caches. The $9.99 price tag of the official app had me head-scratching though? Researching for a cache via the online site is free.. & you could use a regular GPS tool or input the coordinates into your phone’s map system directly. Warning: even on the ‘free’ website they will attempt to upsell you to the ‘premium’ account. I asked around and my friend Stacey (mom to 5 kids!) said:
“We tried other apps, but this one has it ALL and seamlessly integrates with the website. It has more than earned its cost value back in fun!! One of the things I adore about this app is how absolutely precise the satellite tracking is with where the cache is registered – once you get to the general area, it will totally help you walk right up to the spot. Of course, you still need to be clever enough to see where it’s hidden, but it takes more of the annoying parts of the “wild goose chase” out of the equation. And again, I *love* how seamlessly it works with the website – we also make our log notes right from the app, etc. We’re huge fans.” Stacey Nerdin—TreeRootandTwig.com
- Munzee.com (free)— This site/app is more of a game with the combination of a treasure hunt (for points) and using a GPS to locate the ‘Munzee’ (treasure).
- When a ‘Munzee’ (usually a container with a simple QR code) is located you add points to your score, turning this into a worldwide game. You can ‘deploy’ your own ‘Munzees’ just like you would create a Cache and when people find your digital QR, then treasure points are added to your account as well as to them! Great idea for grown up geeks as well as kids!
- C:Geo FREE
- Unofficial simple app for your Geocaching.com account. Another way to skip the high price tag. Especially if you simply want to try out a cache search while on a camping vacation or at Grandma’s house for a day!
- LetterBoxing.com FREE (And No GPS Needed!)
- The websites devoted to letterboxing are much less techy and the instructions to locate a letterbox come with driving directions and then actual ‘treasure hunt’ clues. Instead of using a GPS to locate a LetterBox you have to use your noggin to figure out the clues!
- When you locate a LetterBox instead of exchanging trinkets you use the stamp inside the box to stamp a log-book you bring along. Most people also create their own ‘family stamp’ to add a stamp to the log-book inside the letterbox. There might be an email address inside the box as well, encouraging you to respond to people who left the box. There are several LetterBoxes near us, we’re checking this out this weekend!
Have you and your kids been GeoCaching? What do they most like about it?
What’s your favorite app?
Would you pay for an app to locate GeoCaches?
In a former life Carissa Rogers was a molecular biologist. In her current life she is the chief researcher of blogging karma, parenting dos (and some don’ts) and for spice she pretends to be a photographer…a mom of all trades. Carissa is passionate about technology for kids and she is a Famigo Parent Adviser and monthly blog contributor. You’ll catch her writing all her goodncrazy thoughts on her blog: GoodNCrazy.com. She has three good kids and one crazy husband. Connect with her on Twitter: @CarissaRogersThanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama through your feed!
Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
We’ve done some letterboxing, but never with an app to help. I think this would definitely add a cool aspect.
I have always loved the idea of geocaching ever since my dad bought his first (bulky) GPS and decided to go alone. He told us about the little trinkets he found, and since then I’ve wanted to get out there. Ashamedly, I accidentally BOUGHT that $10 app you mentioned above thinking it was a trial version! I’ve yet to use it however, since I’m waiting for someone to go with! It does seem very in-depth though. I appreciate the comments and hints you get from those who have registered at the website and the ease with which you can “map” a geocaching path to multiple sites. Great post!