Where to take my grandkids

[papa4713]

Hello I just bought a metal detector. I wanted to have something fun to do outside with my grandkids. I am going to try the Newburgh lock and dam today. If anyone has suggestions for a beginner with the kids. I would appreciate any other areas that you could recommend.

 

[gismapper]

@papa4713 Sounds like you'll all be learning...what a great thing to do with them! My honest opinion is...start at home. Yours, theirs...doesn't matter. Bury some coins and some trash (wads of aluminum foil, soda can pull tabs, nails...stuff you'd be likely to run into). I wouldn't pretend it was all "already there", because i wouldn't want to set a unrealistic expectation that every hunt will make them rich. But let them know it's a practice run to see what the machine can do.

Chances are that there will be some naturally occurring items in the lawn already, anyway. But the most important aspect of hitting your own private property first is to learn how to replace the dirt and grass as though you were never there.

I practiced on my own yard and friends yards for weeks before I hit any public places. Leaving holes, loose dirt, and dead vegetation is a bad look for the hobby at best, and can get public places restricted from metal detecting at worst. So just take the time to learn how to fill holes and cover your tracks.

Beaches are also a good idea, since it's really hard to make a mess in sand. Also, playgrounds that use wood chips and the like...really easy to smooth it all out after getting a target out.

Once you've gotten good at leaving no trace of your activity, elementary school grounds are usually good. School kids drop a lot of change. Also, little league baseball fields, where spectators sit...especially where younger siblings roll down hills or wrestle in the grass while waiting for older siblings to finish their games.

There are probably a bunch of good YouTube videos on how to learn to retrieve targets responsibly. As well as some posts on this forum.

It's a great hobby and a ton of fun for kids.

 

[gismapper]

Hello I just bought a metal detector. I wanted to have something fun to do outside with my grandkids. I am going to try the Newburgh lock and dam today. If anyone has suggestions for a beginner with the kids. I would appreciate any other areas that you could recommend.

What detector did you get?

 

[OldManDetectingMetal]

I take my grandkids to parks, their own yards, campgrounds, where ever they are. My gear is in the car. I have an extra detector (kid sized for them, and now a digging tool.) My wife or one of my children/in-laws "seed" the ground ahead of us. We find lots of coins, treasure etc. The surprising thing with seeding coins is that they will slip into cracks or holes in the ground and we will actually have to dig for them. We'll dig if a signal shows as worth it. They find lots of surface finds, they are all looking with their eyes also and quite often find non-metallic, non-seeded things. We clean up all the trash from where ever we are. We camp and practice cleaning up campsites with the whole group before we leave, so that comes naturally. They get to put the amount of time into it they want. The benefit of parks and doing it where ever the family already is gives a built in alternative activity. Having "their own" detector plus allows for lots of them to participate at once. If they want lots of grandpa's attention they can get that too. I can supervise to make sure they don't make a mess if we are in a public place, that they have the proper permission etc.

 

[gismapper]

Hello I just bought a metal detector. I wanted to have something fun to do outside with my grandkids. I am going to try the Newburgh lock and dam today. If anyone has suggestions for a beginner with the kids. I would appreciate any other areas that you could recommend.

Also, one other thought. Not to make it an expensive hobby, but if you didn't already get a pinpointer, those can REALLY be helpful. Is the target still in the hole, or is it in the dirt pile? Coins turn brown after being in the ground for a year or so. Makes it just about impossible to see them sometimes.

A pinpointer...even a cheap one from harbor freight...can really speed things up and keep you from giving up on a target. Just a thought.

 

[OldManDetectingMetal]

As additional thoughts - what you are interested in isn't necessarily what will excite them. Things that would go in the junk pocket of my pouch are often what we spend the most time talking about and what they want to take with them. (My rule is that anything we find - subject to parental approval - is theirs, along with choice from my finds pouch which has enough in it so even if we find nothing of interest no one goes home disappointed. One of the hottest finds among the granddaughters are croc jibbitz. The most interesting for my grandson that goes with most often was a railroad spike that I dug just because I wanted to know what the signal was (it was deep and really out of place).

 

[diggin4clad]

Take them to a place where you are bound to dig up a few, or even many, shallow clad coins. Examples would be schoolyards and sports fields like baseball and soccer. Finding some coins will keep them interested.

 

[Xxray]

woodchip playground, beach

 

[Jeep TJ]

I love taking my grandkids detecting. I'll bring spare change and toss it when they're not looking. Keeps their attention longer that way. If you go to parks and playgrounds, they can play for a few minutes when they get bored and then come back to detecting. Most importantly, just have fun and enjoy the quality time.

 

[too_pointer]

My sons never caught ( the bug ). !!! grandkids I have.!!!
too_

 

[History Hound 1]

Welcome to the hobby. Tot lots are always to good place to start. Usually shallow coins and not alot of trash. Good lluck.