Geocaching.
Following a map, even if it is a GPS enabled phone is treasure hunting to a boy of three. Every parent should try this, and if you don’t own a smart phone a GPS device is fairly affordable. I think you can get one for under $50, and I may look into investing in one rather than use a phone.
Our trip started with a little dress up of a pirate hat and an eye-patch, though that came off after the car ride to the park because a toddlers attention to surroundings and the loss of depth perception is just a combo platter nightmare. So we left that little number behind.
300 meters from the car, not far, except pace is set by the shortest legs and a detour out to the island across a man-made rock bridge. Not the brightest idea but we did snap a few cute photos in the middle of the island, no smoke monster on this deserted isle.
By the time we traveled the remaining 220 meters he had soon to forget about his quest and was talking lunch. Chicken on the picnic tables. Problem is, we have no chicken with us, maybe we can catch one in the woods. After all I am I guy, I have it in my blood to know how to de-feather and skin a chicken with a sharpened rock tool, if I could just find a caveman to give me a crash course in outdoorsman life. O.K. we got this.
So the GPS counts down to 10 meters, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 ,3… it’s right here somewhere.
Scanning, nothing.
5 minutes, 10 minutes.
Kid has completely lost interest.
5 more minutes
Wife says she quit.
Only dad is looking and he can’t read a map, even if it is a digital one.
So we will cheat a bit, read the descriptions of other hunters who have found the booty. A 3 by 5 box, really 3×5? That is the size of a cigarette pack. I am not just looking at my feet we have 100 sq feet of the woods to find a box that may be in the trees, under the leaves, under a rock or buried under ground. RIGHT!
5 more minutes, oh the GPS says the cache is on the other side of the path, renewed persistence from everyone.
Another few minutes and the GPS has recalibrated and pointing back to the other side of the path? O.K. This is starting to get annoying., and everyone is getting hungry.
If I had an hour and no distractions I could find it, but with a 3 year-old you don’t have even 10 minutes before they are off and moving onto the next adventure, even if the activity they are running from is a treasure hunt.
Time to catch that chicken, convert the phone into a hunting device.
978.632.4493
“Hello, Duguay’s Chicken”
“Hi could I order a 6 piece meal with jo-jo potatoes please?”
“Be ready in 10 minutes”
Chicken hunt, successful.
Not Dad of the Year 
Geocaching is such a great family activity