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Motivate Kids with Hi-Tech Hide and Seek

 Having trouble getting your kids to drop the video game and get off the couch?  Get them interested in the great outdoors with geocaching, a hi-tech game of hide and seek that combines an old-fashioned treasure hunt with modern technology. Discover geocaching.

 Motivate Kids with Hi-Tech Hide and Seek

 Get your kids walking with geocaching, a growing game that combines an old-fashioned treasure hunt with modern GPS technology?

 You are not far away from secret treasure. Stuck inside a nearby culvert, hanging from a tree along your favorite walking trail, or tucked behind a park sign—geocaches are everywhere. If you live in a metropolitan area, it’s a safe bet there are hundreds of caches within a 20 mile radius of where you are right now. That’s right—hundreds of hidden treasure boxes and secret containers.

 Traditional geocaches are hidden in waterproof containers, like an ammo box or Tupperware. These boxes are filled with inexpensive trinkets. You might find stickers, a paperback book, a set of barrettes, bouncy balls, Happy Meal toys, a necklace or more. Geocachers are invited to trade items, taking out one thing and leaving something else in its place.

 For kids, geocaching is all-around fun! From the challenge of the hunt to deciding what to trade, geocaching turns walking into a game, with a destination and reward. Plus, it helps them develop problem solving and critical thinking skills.

 Getting Started

All you need to find a geocache is a handheld GPS unit and Internet access. Log into www.geocaching.com and enter your zip code to get a list of caches in your area.

 You’ll need to sign up for a free membership and create a code name. Let your kids help name the family team.

 Pull up a cache online and then enter the longitude and latitude coordinates into your GPS device. Now you’re ready to start the hunt. Your GPS will tell you how far away you are and point you in the right direction.

 Your GPS will keep counting down the distance between you and the cache, 500 feet…200 feet…50 feet…20 feet. Sometimes the GPS will lead you right to the treasure. Other times you’ll have to search around a bit. Many cache listings come with secret coded messages that you can decrypt for extra hints to find the cache.

 If you’re new to using a GPS device—don’t worry. Most models are easy to use. Handheld units can be purchased at sporting goods stores, electronic shops, or at major discount retailers. A basic, portable GPS can run as little as $90.

 Two Kinds of Treasure

For some (kids especially), geocaching is all about the hidden stuff. For others, geocaching is a way to discover new parks, trails, and green spaces. State parks and wildlife areas are popular hiding spots, but plenty of caches are hidden right inside neighborhood parks too. Check it out. You’ll probably find a new hiking spot you never knew existed—right in your own community.

 Beginner Tips

·          Get an easy to use GPS.

Shop at an outdoor supply store where the clerks will know all about geocaching. They’ll help you find a unit that fits your techno-abilities.

·          Check recent cache logs online.

Sometimes caches get moved (by people or animals.) If someone else has found the cache recently, you’ll have a better chance at a successful find.

·          Check the cache type.

If you’re geocaching with kids and you are just getting started, stick to traditional caches that are big enough to hold trading items. Micro caches (often hidden in film canisters) are harder to find and only contain a paper log to sign.  

·          Pack insect repellant and sunscreen.

(But you’re moms. We didn’t have to tell you that.)

·          Be prepared to bushwhack.

You’ll probably have to stray from the designated trail—even if just for a few yards. Wear pants and socks or pack a protective lotion, like büji Block™ to help guard against poison ivy or poison oak. If you or your kids are exposed to poison ivy or poison oak, wash with büji Wash™, a specially developed cleanser designed to dissolve the plant oils and wash them off the skin to stop an allergic reaction before it starts, or for fast effective relief of a current reaction.

·          Think logically.

Your GPS may not lead you directly to the cache. If you can’t find it right away, stop and look around. Look for logical places to hide a cache like a hole in a tree or a rotting log.

·          Pack stuff to trade!

Kids will love swapping their old ‘junk’ for a new treasure.

 Try Before You Buy

büji® is partnering with geocaching.com and Minotaur Maze Exhibits to sponsor a traveling Geocaching exhibit that will introduce new families to the game of geocaching. Visitors will use provided GPS devices to navigate a maze and solve puzzles to find four hidden caches. The exhibit will be traveling to museums and science centers throughout the US and Canada. Find out if it’s coming to a center near you at geocaching.com

 Or do an Internet search to find your state geocaching association and inquire about local community education events.

 visit www.bujiproducts.com for more information on büji® poison ivy/oak products