April 29, 2009

Boys on a Budget- Letterboxing




Ever hear of letterboxing? I hadn't either, until a friend had told me about it about 2 years ago. And apparently at that time in my life I had too much happening, so we never took it any further. But, now, my boys are gonna need activity this summer. And not running around mama while she's pulling her hair out, kind of activity either.


Letterboxing is kind of like Geocaching, if you have ever heard of that. Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.


Well, letterboxing is a simpler version of that. And you don't need a GPS system. Which is great for us, because we don't own one! LETTERBOXING is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming "treasure hunt" style outdoor quest. A wide variety of adventures can be found to suit all ages and experience levels.



To get started, you’ll need a “trail name,” rubber stamp, pencil or pen, small sketch book, one or more ink pads or brush markers, a simple compass, and clues.

So, basically you can click on a map, to which state you want to find the letterboxing boxes. When you find a location, you can get some very simple clues to find the box or you can get some with more elaborate directions. You end up stamping your book with the stamp found in the box, and stamping with YOUR stamp in the notebook found in the letterbox. To see exactly how this works, go HERE. I just didn't want to have to type everything our that has already been said very well.

So, there it is Letterboxing, a fun (cheap) family activity!

Have you ever tried letterboxing? If you have did your family like it? We will be doing this, this summer. We will keep you updated on it!

5 comments:

Heather said...

This sounds very interesting. We don't own a GPS either, so hadn't done any geocaching. Maybe we'll give Letterboxing a try. Thanks for posting the information.

Nessa said...

We were just discussing geocaching last night and had to rule it out due to lack of GPS. I am glad to hear about letterboxing! Thanks so much for sharing!

Megan said...

Yep, We got our stamp and everything but haven't ever done it! There are several boxes to find around here!

Bovee Family said...

We love letterboxing!!!! The U.P. has some of the most gorgeous places to find boxes.

Just wasting some time while I'm in the hospital. Thanks for the prayers and letting me know you were thinking about me.

Blessings,
Christi

The Gaertegang Homestead said...

Never heard of it...I will check out the link to get all the details so I can better understand it...THanks for the info!