As you enter the middle of what looks to be a fun and exciting summer for all, you may start to hear the sounds of boredom from your kids. Not boredom already you say!  Yes, it can happen quickly in the lives of my 8 and 11 year old sons. They have been to summer camp, swimming at the pool, trips to Montana and Oregon and yet still the “I’m bored” phrase enters our lives. But, hold on to your hats, I am about to tell you about the number one boredom buster of the summer.  Are you ready? Geocaching!  What’s Geocaching you ask?

Geocaching is a modern day version of treasure hunting or hide-and-seek. This sport has been around for 11 years and geocaches can now be found on all 7 continents. A “geocache” is usually a waterproof container with a variety of items inside which finders take and replace with other trinkets they have brought. Participants in geocaching use aGPS or Global Positioning System to find geocaches. The geocache coordinates are posted online on various listing sites such as geocaching.com.  This is a particularly fun inexpensive day out for the family.

Thanks to their grandmother, my boys each received a GPS and geocaching guide book last Christmas.  Recently, they were able to test out their skill for the first time in Montana. They checked online to get a few coordinates, packed up some trinkets of their own and off they went.

After no time at all they found their first geocache. It was right where the coordinates said it would be. They were amazed, excited and ready for more. The second cache they looked for was not there. Sometimes vandals or unknowing individuals will remove the container.  This only adds to the thrill of the hunt. They moved on to their next one and found it!

Montana Geocachers: Cam & Rory

After two days of geocaching in Montana they boys have found 5 geocaches and collected 2 notebooks, a knit cap, baseball and football cards, and a wrist watch. They are hooked and are asking when they can go again. And the good news is they can go anytime! Montana, Utah, Oregon wherever they may be this summer, there is sure to be a geocache nearby.

Cam & Rory’s Mom