Go Geocaching

Geocaching: Tech Fun Heads Outdoors!
By Sharon Miller Cindrich

Q: My son was invited to go “geocaching” with a friend and his family. What is geocaching, and is it appropriate for an 8-year-old?

A: Geocaching is a popular outdoor tech activity – it’s kind of like a treasure hunt, in which the hunt is the real treasure. Geocachers use GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite technology, plus latitude and longitude coordinates, to find “treasures,” or “caches,” hidden around their neighborhood, community, state – even the world. It’s a fun family activity—at almost any age—that combines mapping skills and geography with walking, hiking and exploring.

Here’s how it works: a family uses a GPS receiver, which costs about $100, and then visits a Web site, like Geocaching.com, for cache coordinates. Caches are rated by difficulty and clues are often given, so you can choose an adventure that is just right for your family (from an easy jaunt to a wilderness hike). Families then program the receiver with the coordinates of the cache and use the receiver to navigate their way to the location.

If your child is asked to go along with another family, you should ask where they are going and how they should dress (long pants and tennis shoes should be worn in the woods). Make sure an adult is going along. More tips for “Getting Started with Geocaching” can be found at Geocaching.com.

If your own family wants to give Geocaching a try, ask if you can borrow a friend’s receiver. It won’t cost them anything except battery power, since the GPS signal is free to receive and you can find a cache with a free account online.

Sharon Miller Cindrich is a mother of two and the author of E-Parenting: Keeping Up with your Tech-Savvy Kids.