This is something fun we used to do when all my children were at home. Sometimes I just wanted to reward my kiddos after a day of work with a fun, screen-free activity, but couldn’t afford to take them to an amusement place. They wanted to be motivated by something more than a hike or a visit to a city park. So this activity fit the bill perfectly. That’s because it combines the physical exercise of hiking and/or walking, reading comprehension, getting out in nature, and the thrill of discovery.

This activity is called “letterboxing.” It’s basically exchanging imprints from stamps, often custom-made, in a blank book that your provide, from different hidden locations. So it’s kind of like collecting “stamps” in your own “passport book” from “treasure boxes.” You get directions to find a little box or container, and it will have a rubber stamp inside for you to stamp your book. Then you stamp the book in the box to leave your imprint. Go to letterboxing.org, then click on your state, then your city or a city close to you, get the directions, get blank book and ink pad, and your own stamp, then start exploring. It’s a great exercise for you and your children in teamwork and following instructions.