Curiosity is one of the greatest aspects of a child’s mind. It can either be a blessing or a curse if you’re a parent with kids who love nothing better than exploration and discovery! Feeding this curiosity in a healthy way can sometimes be a challenge for parents, especially when running low on ideas and inspiration for their next activity. Cue metal detecting! Not only is this activity a fantastic hobby for adults and enthusiasts - it’s a brilliant one for kids to take part in too. Below, we take a look at some of the reasons why.
The Great Outdoors.
It’s no secret that getting kids out of the house can be extremely beneficial for their growth. It can improve their physical development, fuel their imagination, and educate them too! There are so many different sites to explore when you can get out further afield, but even if you need to stay closer to home, your kids will thoroughly enjoy detecting in your garden or around your neighbourhood too. Getting out in your local area will help children to learn about their hometown and its history - not to mention helping them navigate their way back home again!
Tools For Their Curiosity.
If you often catch your kid on a mission to find little creatures around the house, four leaf clovers in the garden, or some kind of treasure when you’re out and about, then they probably have a natural curiosity for life. Metal detecting can be an intriguing way to feed this curiosity. There are no limits to what you might find - even though it sometimes seems that all you find are coins! Nevertheless, a child's face will light up every single time they discover a new piece of treasure, no matter how valuable. What kid doesn’t love a good old dig in the dirt? Encourage them to get stuck in, putting no limits on their eagerness to explore.
It’s Educational.
From planning preparations to completing a hunt - the whole journey of metal detecting is a great education for children. Have them join in the planning of the next treasure hunt - deciding where you will go and what you will need. When it comes to picking up the machine and actually using it, there is an opportunity to teach eager minds about the science behind metal detectors. They may be simple machines, but they are still amazing to young minds. Once the treasure is found, big or small, common or rare, there is yet more opportunity to learn about the discovery. It might be a coin dating back a few decades, or even a piece of war memorabilia. Whatever is found, they will love researching it and even learning about what life was like when it was first placed there. This is a great opportunity to learn about your local history too.
Creating Quality Memories.
Metal detecting can also be a wonderful activity to do as a whole family. The quality time spent enjoying the hobby together will create lasting memories that children will look back on fondly in the years that follow. It might be that you take it in turns with the one detector, or you might have a few, enabling you to detect at the same time. Whatever it looks like for your family, you are sure to have a great time as you make the experience your own and create special memories to be had time and again.
Choose the right detector.
If you’re serious about metal detecting, your kids will want to be too! Many kids detectors on the market are only toys and your kids will have a greater experience with the real thing. When choosing a metal detector that will be suitable for your kids to use, there’s a few things you need to keep in mind: it should have an adjustable pole, a lightweight design and easy-to-use controls. We recommend the Garrett ACE 200i, an entry level detector that is suitable for all ages.
We hope you enjoy getting out there with your kids and that you are able to enjoy this awesome hobby together. The activities children enjoy in their childhood can have an effect on their adult years too - who knows what passion might be sparked as they step out, detector in hand, with the whole world ahead of them!