Now that the days are a little longer and a little sunnier: I have a great outdoor activity for all the family to share.
Letterboxing
First started in England, this international game of 'hide and seek' spans the globe with over 5,000 boxes in the U.S alone. There are over a hundred letterboxes hidden in our local area.
So… lace up your shoes and get ready to go!
Here’s how it works:
1) Someone hides a box and then posts clues or directions to
the box on the internet.
2) Those who want to seek can read the clues and set out to
find the hidden box. While on this expedition you’ll need
a stamp, inked stamp-pad, a pen or pencil, and a simple
log book.
3) Once you find the treasure – stamp the book that was
enclosed in the letterbox to show you’ve found it. Then
stamp your own book with the stamp hidden in the
letterbox. Lastly, place everything discretely back in its
hiding place for the next adventurer.
The great thing about this outing is that it works for both the youngest and oldest member of the family. My son loved to help us figure out the clues when he was as young as three and older kids can carve their own stamps and hide their own boxes.
Here are clues to a local Salem box to start you off. Good Luck!
So… lace up your shoes and get ready to go!
Here’s how it works:
1) Someone hides a box and then posts clues or directions to
the box on the internet.
2) Those who want to seek can read the clues and set out to
find the hidden box. While on this expedition you’ll need
a stamp, inked stamp-pad, a pen or pencil, and a simple
log book.
3) Once you find the treasure – stamp the book that was
enclosed in the letterbox to show you’ve found it. Then
stamp your own book with the stamp hidden in the
letterbox. Lastly, place everything discretely back in its
hiding place for the next adventurer.
The great thing about this outing is that it works for both the youngest and oldest member of the family. My son loved to help us figure out the clues when he was as young as three and older kids can carve their own stamps and hide their own boxes.
Here are clues to a local Salem box to start you off. Good Luck!
To the tune of “I’ve been working on the railroad.”
“We’ve been visiting the train station,
in our hometown.
We’ve been visiting the train station,
the box is NOT on the ground.
Go and find the newspapers,
sold there just outside.
Reach on under the ‘Statesman’
and there our box you’ll find!”
“We’ve been visiting the train station,
in our hometown.
We’ve been visiting the train station,
the box is NOT on the ground.
Go and find the newspapers,
sold there just outside.
Reach on under the ‘Statesman’
and there our box you’ll find!”