If you're looking for day trip ideas which will get your kids into the holiday spirit, you should give geocaching a try. In case you are unfamiliar, geocaching is the process of using GPS devices to find caches of hidden treasure, and there are over a million geocaches in America. After a geocache is found, the person who finds it takes its contents and leaves more treasure behind.
Since Christmas is about giving and receiving and geocaching is about discovering treasure and leaving treasure for others to find, the winter holidays are the right time to go geocaching with your brood. When you find an affordable GPS device, choose holiday-themed trinkets and make sure you have the right supplies for your kids, you will boost the chances of enjoying a wonderful day trip.
Find an affordable GPS device
In terms of supplies, you will need a GPS device, but you may have one of these already. It is possible to use smart phone GPS systems, but smart phones do lose signals sometimes in more remote areas. Handheld GPS devices are what most dedicated geocache fans prefer.
Once you have a GPS device, you will be ready to sign up for a free basic membership. When you Google,
how to get started with geocaching,you will find the official website at the top of the search engine results. Visit it to sign up. Once you are registered, you will be able to punch in your postal code and search for geocaches in your locality. Once you select one, you will be able to enter its coordinates into your GPS device.
Choose holiday-themed trinkets
To get your kids in the holiday spirit, consider choosing holiday-themed trinkets from dollar stores or other very affordable stores. Popular trinkets for geocaches include pencils, pens, keychains and stickers, all of which are available in holiday versions.
Your kids will feel like Santa while they put holiday-themed goodies into empty geocaches. They will also enjoy the thrill of unearthing hidden treasure, which might just have a holiday theme.
Bundle the kids up and bring food and drink
This outdoor activity is educational and healthy. Kids learn new skills as they breathe in fresh air and exercise. Make sure your children are dressed right for the weather.
Wear a knapsack packed with bottles of water, nutritious snacks (trail mix, energy bars, fruit leathers) and other essentials, such as a first-aid kit and trinkets for geocaches. Keep the trip very local, so kids get to experience their community in a whole new way during the Christmas season.
Plan a geocaching trip this Christmas
Now that you know how to get started with geocaching, from finding a GPS device to choosing holiday-themed trinkets to bundling your kids up warm and bringing the right supplies for them, you will be ready to plan a fun day trip during the winter holiday season.
Geocaching is all about the thrill of the hunt. It is a fun adventure which costs very little money. Since it is also about giving and receiving, it will get your kids in the holiday spirit.
Article by Jocasta Collie
