Children these days spend too much time on phones and computers, which we can all agree isn’t always the best for them. It is vital to find creative and engaging ways for them to spend time outside. It helps motivate them every day and grows their sense of adventure. Introducing your child to metal detecting is a great way to do this.
You need to create a scenario for him or her that allows them to get into doing it. There are so many benefits of metal detecting, and it is not difficult at all getting them interested in it. Read more below on how to do it.
Buying The Metal Detector
Obvious, but until you do it then it would be difficult to start. There are so many metal detectors available online and in toy stores everywhere. The one significant determinant of what you buy mostly depends on your budget. However, metal detectors are not expensive; hence, you can get an excellent one for an affordable price.
The other important thing to consider is the age of your child. The metal detectors are not all the same, some are quite advanced, and their level of detection is different. You can categorize the age groups into two that is; children age 4-9 and those above ten years old. For the younger children, you can get a cheap detector for even under $50. The quality isn’t excellent, but it is good enough.
If your child is ten years and above, you will have to invest more, but you can still get an excellent device for under $100. They have more features such as eliminating false signal, are fully automatic, and can detect items that are deeper in the ground. Many of these can identify items up to three feet deep if they are large and eight inches for coins.
Hide Some Treasures for Them to Find
If you don’t want your children exploring too far, and they can go too far, then you need a way to control where they are searching. An easy way to do this is by hiding some treasures that they can explore and find. Remember that these have to be metallic so you can work with coins, toys, and any other pieces that they would find interesting.
You have to remember to hide them when they are not around since if they see you do it, then it loses its edge. Do not be too obvious about where you hide and if you dig around, make sure to cover the holes entirely. If you have several children, then you can make it a competition where the person with the most treasures gets a prize.
Treasure Hunting
You can only use your back and front yard so many times before they get bored, so you have to expand the search area. You can involve your neighbors and make it a huge treasure hunt competition. Ideally, in treasure hunting, your children will get clues on how to find the hidden treasures. The clues can be something fun and interactive, such as riddles that they have to solve.
It’s a lot of work but think of your child running around outside as opposed to being stuck on the couch. You can even look for some treasure hunting card games that can help you to create the riddles. At the end of the competition, there should be the grand treasure ad whoever gets to it first becomes the winner. If you do an excellent job with the riddles, this should keep them busy for a while.
Metal Detecting at the Beach
Out on the beach is the best place you can get your child more interested in metal detecting. Allow them to bring their detector on your beach day and try to find any interesting things. Who knows, they might stumble upon something exciting, remember how Jumanji started?
Alternatively, you can also do the hiding yourself and hope that they will find them before going home. This is a great way to encourage problem-solving skills as well as giving them some great exercise. The best part is that there is the ocean, so they often get a break from all their detective work. You can also try out metal detecting with your child; it is an excellent opportunity to build teamwork and cultivating a healthy relationship with him or her. Just remember if they’re going to be getting wet to make sure your detector is waterproof.
Go on an Adventure
Metal detecting doesn’t have to be a surprise; you can make it an adventure and look for interesting places to go exploring together. Look for any old unused schools and residential areas, lakeside, or even on a hiking trail.
Do this together so they are engaged and they can build some excitement since children love exploring the weirdest places. It is essential to point out that this is more suitable for older children who need a little bit more to get excited.
If you can get your metal detector, it is a great way to bond with your children and maybe even educate them on a thing or two. Please don’t make it boring. It needs to be fun and enjoyable for them to get into it.
You may end up finding some antique pieces and relics which you can find out more about when you get home. Don’t forget to check if you need permission to explore some areas, so you don’t get into trouble.
As a parent in this age, you have a lot of responsibility to help your children realize that there is more to life than the screens they’re on always. It is not an easy job, but activities such as metal detecting could help your child learn this. It allows them to connect with the environment, friends, and animals.
They also find a sense of adventure, which is excellent since he or she will need to get out once in a while, which is better than most do. Don’t just buy them the detector and keep it there, take the first step to encourage them and they will follow suit.