Adventures with a 5 yr old (His first detector?)

[MakingMemories]

Hello from my Kid and I

As most parents will say, my son means the world to me and I take him on many adventures from fishing, to shooting photography in the glades, to now metal detecting. I dont bring him along to watch but to actually participate and learn. He has his own fishing rod since he was 3yr olds, His own Camera and soon to be his own metal detector. I went one a few small hunts with him and allowed him to use my Xterra even though it is too large for him. He has also used my hand held detector to locate the coins and I taught him to properly dig them out. However he only has found a used & abused penny, but it is the start of his collection. He cherishes as if it was a golden coin, because it is his first treasure. I cannot wait until he discovers some old coins, so that he can learn the history behind them.

To me that is so important, because I strongly believe that a child should have the most amazing experiences growing up that define him and teaches him that there is a world of opportunities that exist before him. This is why I want him to be part of all I do, as my father did with me and perhaps as he shall do with his own child in the future.

So now to my question from the MD Kings, What would be a good starter detector for a small child? I can see me taking him everywhere with me and I really want him to enjoy it far more. Something that works and can be altered to fit his size, something he can have fun with? Something that doesnt break the bank but works great enough for him to find coins.

BTW I do appreciate and respect your opinion and suggestions.

 

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[MakingMemories]

I would say any of the Bounty hunters would be a great start for Little Man! They are inexpensive and you can get them from Walmart website. They are simple and easy to use. He will love it! Great to See a Dad spending Quality time with his son!

Thanks, that means a lot. My dad used to do all these amazing things with me and I want my son to experience all the stuff I and he have interest in. Who knows today he may be a treasure hunter and tomorrow an archeologist finding lost cities

 

[BosnMate]

Yes sir, now's the time to make memories, they grow us so fast, and in a moment they are gone making a career and family. I did the same with my son, and it all ended to quickly. He's darn near 50 years old now, and we didn't have tectin time in those days, but my grand kids have benefited from the modern technology. Got to love the enthusiasm of kids on each find.

 

[bigfoot1]

I got my daughter a bounty hunter jr. when she was 5.its light,small,simple and surprisingly capable.was about $50.00

a couple things I learned;
1)keep the hunts short and always have a secondary activity at the ready.
2)its ok to seed a few coins,he still found them and it keeps it fun.
3)if he is into hot wheels or whatever make sure he finds one.
4)have several sites to choose from and let him pick once in awhile.

you are onto something big,some of my daughters best memories of daddy time were when we treasure hunted together.she is now 15 and has other interests but still talks about some of our trips.
tip of the hat to you..

 

[MakingMemories]

a couple things I learned;
1)keep the hunts short and always have a secondary activity at the ready.
2)its ok to seed a few coins,he still found them and it keeps it fun.
3)if he is into hot wheels or whatever make sure he finds one.
4)have several sites to choose from and let him pick once in awhile.

Those are awesome ideas, thank you for your input. I will most definitely try those and I will surely allow him to pick some spots. I am going to shop around for a Bounty Hunter Jr. unit for him immediately. He is the kind of kid that appreciates everything that is given to him ande cherishes them wholeheartedly.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Dry sand and wood chips in tot lots may be easier for him to dig in.
You get the Golden Dad award! Nice job!

 

[MrMikeJackie]

Look into Minelabs new Go Find series. Perfect for the little guy. Good luck and good looking kid!

 

[MakingMemories]

Look into Minelabs new Go Find series. Perfect for the little guy. Good luck and good looking kid!

Eeeeek almost $200 to invest a 5yrs old first machine is steep. I think the Bounty Hunter Jr may become a better investment since kids tend to break things or lose interest in them, Thanks for the tip however..

 

[callmez]

How about a Tesoro Compadre? A very capable machine, lightweight, adjustable. As I recall you can pick one up for under $150.

I was a kid detector with my dad, 35+ years ago and only recently got back to playing around with metal detectors. I think you will want to get him a unit that he can really do well with, not something that you'd be needing to upgrade in short order. If it had say a smaller coil, that might be easier for him to swing and also could work as a 2nd unit for you when he's not along and you're working an area with a lot of trash targets.

My boy just turned five and he doesn't seem to have the patience yet (though he likes playing with the pinpointer). I think that I really got interested when I was 6 and 7 and am hoping that this will be something that he and I can do together. I'm with you 100% on the Dad-Son adventures, we do a lot of them too!

 

[MakingMemories]

I actually bought a Bounty Hunter Jr and an Garrett Ace 350 for myself from someone. I dont have really top of the line machines cause I cant afford them yet. However that will change when I find GOLD I strongly believe once you start yielding profit, invest that profit into better things to yield greater profit.