Happy National Scavenger Hunt Day! Did you know scavenger hunts have numerous benefits for kids? I explore a few below.

1. Build Problem-Solving Skills

, including increased memory of previously taught concepts. Scavenger hunts allow kids to practice problem-solving in a tangible way. It helps to reinforce and act-out methods they have been taught by parents or teachers in a physical way, leading to increased retention of the lessons.

2. Easy to Customize

Scavenger hunts are easy to customize to your child’s abilities and interests. Is your child really into pirates? Create a “treasure” hunt with pirate-themed clues. Do you have a math-lover in your life? Have them solve number problems to get to the next clue. If you are doing a hunt with multiple kids you can give each of them individual clues based on their ability. There are endless possibilities!

3. Exercise both body and mind

As discussed above, scavenger hunts help exercise the mind by reinforcing problem-solving skills. However, they can also be good exercise for the body. You can incorporate clues that get kids moving and running from place to place. You can even get creative and have your child run to the top of a hill, wander into the woods or climb a tree for the next clue. Get those legs moving!

4. Teach Teamwork

Participating in a group scavenger hunt at school or for fun helps teach kids the value of teamwork, in addition to promoting social interaction. Kids will have to work together to solve clues and get to the final destination. Learning to work in a team is an essential skill throughout a child’s life, so why not teach it in a fun way?

Are you ready to send your child on a scavenger hunt? There are several resources on the web to find ideas and outlines for hunts. I recommend  if you don’t know where to start. Happy hunting!

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Nicole LaChance graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Journalism before moving West in pursuit of milder winters. Prior to joining the ������Ƶ team, she spent time working in marketing for an architecture firm and completed two years of national service in the AmeriCorps program. Over the past few years she has worked with nonprofits to communicate their message and impact to the world around them, work she is excited to continue at ������Ƶ. When not at the office, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling wherever she can and making bad puns.

The ������Ƶ staff is a passionate group with many different interests and hobbies, which often lead to very interesting collections. Here are some of the things ������Ƶ staff members like to collect:

Zadra: I LOVE notebooks, journals and fountain pens. Lately, I’ve also really gotten into Nail Art. People’s imaginations are so boundless! Pinterest is my favorite place to get new ideas on how to decorate my nails, but YouTube has great tutorials, too. I also enjoy Tarot cards – the decks are the perfect combination of beauty and math!

Jennifer: Sticky notes abound in my life because I get ideas all the time in so many places and can’t stand not being able to jot them down as they come. A friend in one of my college literature classes actually bought me speech bubble sticky notes because I used them so much for my thoughts and commentary in my books! My desk at ������Ƶ is also covered in sticky notes – in my organizer, as a to-do list, on the edges of my computer, and on all of my projects. I can never have too many books, either. I love reading and will read almost anything. Classic literature, business, popular fiction, personal growth, sports, poetry collections, how-tos, education…the list goes on, and I am continually looking for more space to keep all of them. I don’t go anywhere without a book, a pen, and a pad of sticky notes.

Louise: Collections often define our interests and our minds as we change and develop through life, but my collection defines the life of others near and dear to me, my children. I cannot seem to throw anything away, from the little note left by my bedside, scrawled and interestingly spelled in blunted pencil, to those daily reports from nursery school, certificates of swimming achievement and numerous birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas and Mother’s Day cards. Each precious item jolts a memory to mind. Unlike most collections, they are not housed systematically, but in wicker baskets ready to be explored, with smiles, whenever the moment arises.

Tiffany: One of my favorite things to collect are pressed coins. I’ve been collecting them for years and probably have over a hundred of them. The bulk of my coins are pennies from Disneyland, which is a mecca for the most avid pressed penny collector. Disneyland even has a few pressed quarter machines! But I especially love the ones that I’ve collected while traveling. It’s a great way to remember an event or time in your life and I love that every pressed coin in my collection has a story behind it. I have ones from Hawaii, San Diego, Sequoia National Park, Seattle, Alaska, and Spain. When I was in Barcelona, I pressed a coin at the Tibidabo amusement park and on it was an impression of their famous ferris wheel. More recently, I collected a pressed penny with a scenic image of Washington’s Snoqualmie Falls, which I got minutes after my husband proposed to me. Not every place or landmark has a pressed coin machine; but when I do find one, I’m there ready to press the shiniest penny or quarter in my wallet.

Lauren: One of my favorite things to collect is salt and pepper shakers. I have always enjoyed adding a little spice to my life and salt and pepper seem to be readily available at meal times. During my life, I noticed that salt and pepper shakers came in all shapes and sizes and in some cases were works of art. I began to purchase salt and pepper shakers during my travels as a way to remember a place I visited. My collection has grown to more than 30 sets of salt and pepper shakers. I recently inherited a collection of salt and pepper shakers from my aunt, as well as from my mother from when she was a child. They are treasure that I hope to pass on to my daughter, 7 years old, who loves organizing them in a variety of ways.

Brianna: While I tend not to be a collector of “stuff,” one thing I am always looking to gain more of is trivia facts. Jeopardy! has been a long time favorite of mine. You know that feeling you get at the library when you realize how many books exist compared to how many you’ve actually read compared to how many you will actually read in your lifetime? I call that despair. The world is so fascinating and vast, and it can be overwhelming to recognize how little we truly know. Collecting sizable statistics and information about a variety of subjects helps me feel more connected to what is happening in the world and all around us. One thing I love is the website . It has quizzes about everything! For anyone who loves trivia and timed challenges, I give my stamp of approval to this site. It’s how I learned all the countries and capitals (and flags!) of the world.

What do you or your kids like to collect? Please share with us in the comment section below!

Jennifer is ������Ƶ’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator. She works closely with ������Ƶ’s social media and connects with parents and educators of gifted children regularly through social networks.

Social networks seem to be everywhere, with new networks and tools popping up all the time. You are probably using social networks already, but did you know that they are more than just great ways to connect with friends from high school? They are also excellent gifted resources.

Why Social Media for Gifted?

We know that gifted children bring both joy and unique challenges. As the parent of a gifted child, you need support and resources tailored specifically to gifted children. It is also valuable to interact with other parents of gifted children to recognize that there are others out there going through similar challenges. Sometimes, especially if you live in a rural area, these parents and resources can be difficult to find and connect with in person. That’s where social networks come in.

Social networks allow you to connect with other parents and teachers of gifted children across the country to share stories and suggestions, form support groups, and advocate for gifted children!

Plus, there are many gifted advocates, experts, and organizations using these networks as platforms to connect with you and provide you with the resources and support you are looking for.

The most popular and generally most valuable social media for gifted parents are:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Blogs

Here, I will discuss how to use Facebook as a resource. Other social media will be discussed in future posts.

Getting Started on Facebook

Since many of you are on Facebook already for personal reasons, this is a great network to start with. The same reasons you use Facebook already – networking, staying in touch with people you’ve met or who do not live near you, connecting with brands you like for news and information – can be used to your advantage for navigating the network as a gifted resource.

Start on Facebook by liking pages you think will be helpful. Search Facebook for any gifted organizations or groups that you are familiar with already. Make sure to click the “Like” button on those pages so that you will see some of their updates on your news feeds. where we offer gifted news and resources and provide a forum for discussion on giftedness, so be sure to during this process.

Then, search for pages or groups that you are not yet familiar with. This will help you widen your network. Try typing the search term “gifted” – or any keyword that is important to you – in the Facebook search toolbar. You will come across many pages and groups, so explore the ones that seem interesting and pick a few that look helpful and engaging to “like.”

Posts from the pages you follow will start to appear on your news feed. See what types of content are being shared and what is being discussed.

Engage

It is easy to sit back and watch for resources and interesting conversations on these networks, and that will be beneficial for you. But, to get the most out of the resources, you’ll want to engage with others.

Here are some great ways to engage with other people in the field of gifted on Facebook:

• Comment on articles posted.
• Join discussions in progress.
• Ask questions.
• Share your experiences.
• “Like” articles and posts you find interesting.
• Share posts you think your friends would like on your wall.

Keep in mind that the rules of good networking apply to social networks, as well. Make sure to offer your advice, stories, and experiences when possible. These are communities built on collaboration, so do your best to offer something in return for the great advice and support you receive from others.

You should also make sure to keep the information on your personal profile page up to date so that people you are interacting with on other pages can see who you are. It’s always nice to know who you are talking to!

Continue to Build Your Network

When you meet people in real life that can be part of your gifted social network – parents, teachers, experts, advocates – don’t forget to friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or connect with them on LinkedIn later. This is especially true when you meet people at conferences and support groups. If you want to keep your gifted network separate from your other networks, create a special friend list for these contacts. That way you can post things specifically for those friends you think will be most interested.

Like any network, the more you build your social network, the more you will get out of it. There are many parents of gifted children looking to connect with other parents of gifted children on social media. There are also many gifted professionals on social media looking to create or provide a personal learning network (PLN) online. Take advantage of social media as a resource for support and learning about your gifted child.

How has using Facebook as a resource on giftedness helped you? Please share your experience in the comment section below.

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