metal detecting kids

[savant365]

Hello everyone,

I have been on this site for a few weeks now and I am really impressed with some of the finds made and posted here. I love to go out and MD and take my daughters along for diggers. Recently one of their friends came along and had a really good time with us also. I was wondering if anyone has ever been involved with any groups or clubs specifically for kids and metal detecting. If so I would love for some information or ideas for starting a club for kids. Anything that gets my girls outside and away from TV, computers, video games, etc. Looking forward to your input, Charlie

 

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[WV Hillbilly]

Cheers Charlie , I can't help with clubs ect but I'll give you a big thumbs up for what you want to do . No wonder so many of todays children are obese couch potatoes . Television & viedo games are the worst thing ever to happen to our children . I'm sure there's someone on here that can advise you . HH

 

[Sandman]

It's not just kids that are addicted to video games. I am using my Xbox 360 to play Oblivion, The Elder Scrolls waiting for the real spring to get here so I can do some serious detecting.

Anytime you can help kids with a hobby is good for the soul. I've put on a couple classroom presentations and was glad to do it.

Good Luck,
Sandman

 

[gold fish]

Sandman, oblivion is the best game ever, the sad part is that I was playing(while very tired) about a month ago, and actually tried to equip my metal detector.......seriously.

Kudos, Charlie, that's one of the coolest purposes I've heard for MDing yet. Maybe you could try doing a local drive to get people to send in unused or extra detectors for the kids to use.

 

[deeotto]

I don't know about setting up a kids club but I would sign my 2 girls up for it. We civil War reenact as a family. It gets the kids away from the tv and teaches them other ways to occupy their time. Now when they have time at home they play with paper dolls and other games that they are familiar with from reenacting. They still watch tv and play on the computer but they have other interest too. Also they know more about the CW than their teachers.
I do think a detecting club is a great idea for kids. Best of luck

 

[savant365]

Sandman, oblivion is the best game ever, the sad part is that I was playing(while very tired) about a month ago, and actually tried to equip my metal detector.......seriously.

Kudos, Charlie, that's one of the coolest purposes I've heard for MDing yet. Maybe you could try doing a local drive to get people to send in unused or extra detectors for the kids to use.

Thank's, I thought about asking for donations of old/unused detectors or any other equipment for the hobby but I don't like posts where people seem to be "begging". I didn't want to be put into that class on here. I really enjoy this site and would not want to do anything to alienate myself. But asking locally is a very good Idea, I will check at the church and a few other organizations and see what they say. Great idea keep 'em coming everyone, Charlie

 

[Gypsy Heart]

If they have a Boys and Girls Club in your town they are always looking for some leaders and they recieve donations to furnish equipment for different activities....fishing rods...etc so dont know why metal detecting ,especially with History attached wouldnt fly with them.....

 

[savant365]

If they have a Boys and Girls Club in your town they are always looking for some leaders and they recieve donations to furnish equipment for different activities....fishing rods...etc so dont know why metal detecting ,especially with History attached wouldnt fly with them.....

Good point Gypsy, but I don't really want to deal with all the politics involved with organizations like BSA and GSA. Please don't take any offense if you are formerly involved with any of these orgs. This is just something I thought would be a good idea for 1 or 2 weekends a month. No dues or badges or anything like that. It's just that there is a very limited amount of activities for kids say age 10 to 15 in this area. There are some groups like the Elks lodge and Lions club that will probably be willing to contribute but they always want to over do everything it seems. I want to do something that is actually just for fun. It seems the more involved orgs. get the less it is for the kids and becomes more of a "status" thing for the adults who are running it. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting down anything that these groups do for the community. They are very diligent and honest groups. The Elks hold a fishing contest just for kids here every year and it is a blast. It is designed for kids only and it is absolutely free. They get donations for prizes and every kid gets something and has a great day fishing. BUT, this is only ONCE a year.
We have several city parks here and I have already gotten permission from the park and rec maintenance director to MD any city parks, as long as the holes are filled in it won't bother them a bit. I guess the best thing I can do is just have my girls invite a few friends and see if word of mouth will take it from there.
I still want ideas tho, please keep sending them, Charlie

 

[funkman]

what about through your daughters school(s). If you have an old site to go to maybe the social studies teacher would willing to arrange something....heck the teacher might want to go herself/himself! MAybe you can hit the field of the school with the class.

Funkman

 

[julesjunk]

Savant,
Although this isn't exactly on the lines of an organized club, but quite by accident, I found myself hosting a hunt for kids last fall. My nephew is 8 and was having several of his buddies over for a sleepover/campout for his birthday. My uncle and family live on the edge of a small town with a 5 acre back yard. Anyway, I have an old cheapo Sears detector that I always take with me for my two nephews to use while I try to find something in this field (A stately stone 1865 home with acreage, and my oldest coin find thus far is a 1958 wheatie, but that's another story:-) Anyway, the point I'm getting at/what I learned is that kids 7-9ish are easily satisfied when it comes to detecting. I couple things I learned?....... one, you don't have to bury the coins to keep their interest. And two, digging up a piece of a farm implement is just as exciting for a kid as a gold coin would be for us big kids.
Here's what I did. I made the kids all look away, and I took a handful of pennies and slung them out into an area. Then the kids drew numbers to see who went first. Then each child had five minutes to see how many pennies they could find. (I snuck more pennies out into the grass for the ones who had to go later) I gave them prizes of candy bars. I had ten or so different flavors, and the one who found the most got to choose first, etc.
Having to do it all over again, I'd try to secure more detectors. I think it would be more fun to watch them, and more fun for the kids if they were competing at the same time. Just some thoughts..........
Congrats to you for your thoughts/efforts to get kids outside.
Regards,
Jules