Is Metal Detecting a Good Hobby for Kids?

Metal detecting is a good hobby for anyone that is looking to introduce a new activity to their kid(s) and it will offer many benefits to them. 

Metal detecting will keep kids engaged, get them outdoors, teach them new life skills while also learning historical information, and will even help them make new friendships along the way.

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Metal Detecting Benefits for Kids

Get Outdoors

Every parent knows how difficult it can be to try and coax their kid away from the TV or computer screen these days or even worse, trying to take a video game controller away during the final battle.

Metal detecting is a great alternative to be able to convince kids to put down that TV remote or gaming controller and to go enjoy the great outdoors to get some fresh air.  Kids already have a natural tendency to dig in the ground and get dirty.  Why not give them a metal detector that will help tell them where to dig?

As a parent, you could even make metal detecting in to a game in of itself.  I would do this by hiding a treasure of sorts (with metal in it of course) out in the yard, drawing a map for the kid(s) to follow, and having them go out and search for it with the metal detector.  

This is a great educational exercise for kids as well because they are learning to read a map and use the surrounding geography to help locate the treasure while also using having to use technology (the metal detector) to assist them in locating their hidden treasure buried just beneath the ground.

Learn A New Skill

Metal detecting is a great opportunity for kids to learn a new skill. Kids growing up in today’s day and age are no strangers to technology and in fact, once they get their hands on a metal detector, they will most likely be able to understand and operate the controls faster than most adults!

When it comes to technology, kids are fearless and don’t mind just smashing buttons and moving dials to see what happens and quickly learn from it.  This approach of “diving head first” while learning and practicing a new skill can really help speed up the learning curve for kids.

Adults are a bit more hesitant and scared that if they hit the wrong button or adjust a setting. They think they may end up breaking something or that they will not be able to get it back to its original state. 

When it comes to kids however, they love to explore new things including computer programs, equipment, and other pieces of technology so that they can better understand it. This makes a metal detector the perfect tool for any kid to be able to learn and master a new skill.

Explore New Places

Metal detecting can give kids new places to explore that may not be as typical as a playground or soccer field where kids may more commonly go to play.  

The hobby of metal detecting may take kids in to the woods to find an old stone wall foundation with moss growing along it, something that looks like a Hobbit house, and will open up their imagination of what that wall used to be or who built it.

Even when taking a family trip or vacation, bringing the metal detector along is a great way to get out and explore the places you’re visiting with your kids and who knows, you might even find something valuable enough to pay for the trip!

Learn About History

The more a kid metal detects, the greater their desire to find quality relics and treasure will be and because of that, they will begin to research new and better places that they can go that will increase the likelihood that they will find those items.

Even at a young age, kids learn to be resourceful when they are trying to accomplish a task and researching places to metal detect is no different.  As they research, they will start to learn about all of the local history that surrounds them.  How they research for that history is up to them.

The school library, the internet, talking with parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends are all possible and easy resources to seek out in getting assistance to acquire the information and knowledge of possible locations that they can take their metal detector to and swing for treasure.

Make New Friends

Being a modern day pirate and bringing in your treasures to school that you found over the weekend for show and tell will have any kid being the talk of the playground.  

The wonders of what lies beneath our feet and what could potentially be found gets everyone curious, so it will come as no surprise that others will want to come and talk to the kid making all the discoveries.  Other kids will have so many questions and look in amazement at the treasures unearthed that it will be impossible for them not to connect on a more personal level.

Kids already have great imaginations and the idea of playing and having a true mechanism to go on REAL WORLD TREASURE HUNTS creates the perfect scenario for kids to play and build those young friendships. 

Before you know it, there will be an entire band of little merry pirates roaming across the playground in search of their next adventure to find treasure together!

An Adventure for Kids

It is very clear that metal detecting is a great hobby for kids and one that they will enjoy. It is the perfect hobby to provide kids with a whole new set of adventures and they will have a blast searching for their next piece of treasure and history! 

Now they just need a metal detector to be able to go out and find it! Stay tuned for my recommendations on selecting a great metal detector for kids which will be coming in the next blog article.

But for now, check out any of the articles below for my recommended metal detecting gear that would be perfect for any new or experienced metal detecting enthusiast.