Treasure Hunting

I don't know about you, but my kids... they love video games and electronics! They love the Wii, and the PS3, and the 3DS, and the Ipod, and the computer, and anything else with buttons and a blinky screen ... even legos are more exciting than outside! And this is good in the case of not being left behind by technology and hand-eye coordination, BUT, well... lets just say it's not so good for getting out in the sun and exercising. 

It's summer darnit! They need to ride their bike, and run around, and play tag in the backyard, and draw all over the driveway in chalk! I don't expect them to do these types of things every day, but I don't expect a fight when I suggest them (or, let's be honest, when I INSIST that they get OUTSIDE for a change). 

Sooooo I asked my sis (who has amazingly active kiddos) what she would suggest because, honestly, I need to get out too and I would eventually like to end up hiking and backpacking overnight with the family! but there is no hope of this if they continue to be squirmy about any bug (oh. my. goodness. It's a teeny tiny FLY! It won't hurt you!) and about slight variations in temperature! her suggestion?

Geocaching.

I tried it with just my kids a few weeks ago but didn't have much luck. We found the Geocache... I just didn't have luck with the complainy-ness of the kidlets. "It's hoooooottttt" (it was warm but geesh, we were only outside for about 20 minutes!), "My legs are tired!" (after walking one block in a subdivision?), "I have to pee!" (We've only been gone from the house for 3 minutes!!!). Mind you this was all from ONE child. Grrrrr.

So I let it slide for a while. 

Then yesterday, as I was babysitting the 5 extra kiddos, I needed to go pick up one of them from summer school. The other kids wanted to go to a park. So, I thought... hmmm I know of a park with a couple of Geocaches, maybe I can attempt to find one while we are there! After picking up #5 we headed to the park.

Needless to say, all 5 kiddos (mine were at home with dad) seemed to really enjoy it! "Are there any more around here?!" Why, yes!  In fact there is another in THIS park! So off we went. We tried 3 and only found 2, but most of the kids found it fun. 

So today when we picked up #5 again we took a vote and the majority of the kids wanted to go again (this included my kiddos)... so we did! And even the 2 kids that weren't too excited about going ended up getting out of the A/C'd van and helping us search. So they can't hate it THAT much, right?! 

One of the kids really wanted to continue when all the others were done so I made him a deal... I'll be going by tomorrow (when I'm not babysitting) and pick him, and whoever else wants to go, up to go look for another Geocache. :D 

At very least I'm getting the kiddos all out of the house, so I consider that at least a small win!