Basically, you follow the instructions to find a hidden Letterbox. This consists of a plastic container with a stamp and notepad. You carry your own notepad and stamp it with the Letterbox stamp, location and date. You then put your stamp on the pad in the box, sharing the date and where you are from. You seal it back up and hide it for the next Letterboxers to find.

Many hunts involve long or short hikes and can be found, literally, all over the country. I happened to find a series especially for children in Hood River, where the hunts were at various parks. Perfect for a first attempt. I’d even remembered to throw a stamp and mini-notepad in my purse just in case we ended up going on a hunt.

Sure enough, after dinner we decided we needed something to do. We grabbed the hotel phone book and headed off to our first destination. I read the clues and let the three youngest children try and follow them. They had to listen carefully, know N, S, E & W, left/right, count paces, and be observant. It was a blast!

We were afraid the boxes may have been taken. The hunts we did were originally a series of five, but the website listed two as missing boxes. Fortunately, both boxes for the hunts we did were still intact. Unfortunately, I’d assumed the Letterbox would include a stamp pad. It didn’t’. I was able to write in inkpen on our stamp and use it successfully. The one in the box was well enough inked to work on our pad. By the second hunt I remembered I’d brought markers for the kids and grabbed one out of the van. It worked perfectly to ink the stamp. In fact, I’m leaving it, the stamp and our notepad in my purse for any spur-of-the-moment hunts we may decide to do later on.

As long as you have access to the Internet you should be able to print off instructions for nearby hunts. And if there aren’t any in your area – consider creating your own for others to enjoy!

Well…I’d intended to post darling pictures of my little ones proudly displaying their discovered box, but it appears I’m unable to get the pictures off that card for some reason. I guess you’ll just have to use your imagination. (They’re really cute kids!)  J

Dena Wood is a homeschooling mom to five children, ages 19-5, and resides in eastern WA State. She is co-owner of Trigger Memory Systems (home of Times Tales!) and works as Customer Service and Schoolhouse Store manager for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. She also does a bit of freelance writing when she gets the chance.