Dinosaur Train Geocaching Challenge

The Jim Henson Company has enlisted the help of PBS stations, museums, zoos, and aquariums nationwide to hide Dinosaur Train themed geocaches. Geocaching is a family friendly outdoor adventure that blends technology, gaming and environmental discovery. Each geocache features one of the dinosaurs found on the online Dinosaur Train Field Guide and contains educational information related to that dinosaur.

Geocaching is a modern day, worldwide treasure hunt that began in 2000. Participants can both hide and seek containers called geocaches. To hide a geocache, participants pick a location and post the longitude and latitude coordinates online. To seek a geocache, participants visit a site like Geocaching.com to search for caches hidden in their area. Using the coordinates posted, seekers can begin their treasure hunt!

Geocaching encourages children to explore their surroundings, use observational skills and have an adventure right in their own neighborhood. Critical and creative thinking skills are necessary when seeking a geocache, and these cornerstones of problem solving and scientific thought are modeled and transferred to children when geocaching with an older caregiver. For more information on this educational outreach initiative, please visit the Dinosaur Train Geocaching.com page.

With the help of a GPS enabled device, each geocache will lead you to a safe, easy-to-access location. Click here for an up-to-date list of Dinosaur Train geocache locations. Can’t find a Dinosaur Train geocache in your viewing area? Stay tuned as we update the Dinosaur Train Geocaching web page with instructions on how to make and hide your own Dinosaur Train geocache. Already a geocaching expert? Then try creating and hiding your family’s own Dinosaur Train-themed cache using our easy instructions. Check them out here!

Geocache finders are not supposed to take the geocache once they’ve found it. There is a log book inside where finders can sign their name and announce their success. The geocache should be returned to its hiding spot when finders are finished. Geocachers can remove an item from the geocache but are requested to put in a replacement item of equal or greater value.
For more helpful hints, visit Geocaching.com’s Frequently Asked Questions and Finding Your First Geocache pages.

Follow these instructions to create and hide your family’s own Dinosaur Train-themed cache:

Membership is free! If you are a new or existing member, be sure to review the helpful tips for hiding, finding and maintaining a geocache.

Geocaches may not be hidden within .1 mile of each other. Before selecting a hiding spot, check out the location on Geocaching.com to be sure your site meets the guidelines. Visit the location before hiding the geocache to determine the maximum size for your geocache. Use common sense when hiding a geocache. There are sensitive locations including railroad tracks, bridges and tunnels, national monuments and parks that are off limits to geocaches.

Geocaches should never be placed in an area where they may be perceived as something dangerous and should never be buried. Make sure to obtain permission from the land owner or land managing agency prior to hiding your geocache.

Containers may be as small as an empty film canister to as large as an ammo box. Watertight containers are best. Select the size you would like to hide based on your hiding spot. Include a log book for geocachers to sign upon finding your geocache. Some geocachers place small gifts for finders in the container, if they fit. If you do, please remember to never place food or illegal items! Make sure to label your geocache as a geocache. Official stickers may be purchased on Geocaching.com but you can also make your own.

Use the Dinosaur Train images provided to print out the graphics you like on sticky labels and affix them to your container.

Dinosaur Train asks everyone who finds our geocaches,“What is your favorite dinosaur?” Pick one of these questions to ask your finders:

• What is your favorite dinosaur?
• What birds did you see today?
• Can you identify a flower you saw today?
• Which museum is your favorite?
• Draw your favorite carnivore.

Include a natural history, life science or paleontology fact in your geocache.You could tell finders what your state flower is, or if there was a dinosaur found nearby.

You’ve scouted out the perfect hiding place; you’ve obtained permission to place a geocache there; you’ve designed the best Dinosaur Train geocache ever; now go outside, get into nature and hide a geocache for people to discover! Remember, never bury your geocache. You may use camouflage to help hide the container.

Record the GPS coordinates of your hiding spot with your GPS enabled device.

You’re almost there! Once you’ve hidden your geocache, you must register it online at Geocaching.com. You will be asked to input the GPS coordinates and describe the geocache’s size, location and other points of interest. You will also need to provide a name for your Dinosaur Train Geocache. Follow this guideline to make your geocache easy to search for:

[Your Family Name] Dinosaur Train Geocache: [Your Dinosaur’s Name].

Example: Wilson Family Dinosaur Train Geocache: Hadrosaurus.

Some people write poems or riddles in their descriptions, others include information about the significance of the hiding spot. Take time to craft a fun and educational geocache description! Please avoid including commercial content in your geocache description. Geocachers don’t appreciate it and it will make the review and approval process more difficult. Lastly, be sure to include the Dinosaur Train Geocaching.com URL: http://www.geocaching.com/dino...

Congratulations! By now your geocache is approved by reviewers and published. Be sure to follow your geocache on Geocaching.com as finders will alert you if your geocache needs maintenance (example: new log book or contents have gotten wet) or has gone missing. If you have to remove the geocache for any reason you should disable or temporarily disable your geocache’s listing, depending on whether or not you can re-hide the geocache later, so that people don’t go looking for something that is not there.