The Internet and television may be dominating leisure activities and zapping outdoor time for kids, but that won’t slow down the fast growing trend millions enjoy: GPS treasure hunting called, geocaching. Thanks to Apisphere, Inc., the company behind Geomate.jr (www.mygeomate.com), children, their families and adventure seekers from all walks of life can get hip with the increasingly popular and fun geocaching phenomenon, a great group activity for scouting, summer camps and schools. Geomate.jr, the first and only device of its kind, combines technology and outdoor play while providing hours of geocaching entertainment; it is preloaded with 250,000 geocache locations.

Sadly, according to the Outdoor Foundation, outdoor activity among children ages 6 to 17 declined 11 percent in 2008. “Geomate.jr offers a way to reconnect our children with family time and nature while encouraging them to be active, get outdoors and explore the environment,” says Warren Hewerdine, co-inventor of Geomate.jr and Apisphere’s vice president of marketing. He says, “Savvy kids will get their technology fix from the easy-to-use device, and it eliminates the traditional fuss of Internet connections, downloads, coordinates and preplanning to provide a spontaneous geocaching experience families can enjoy anytime, anywhere.” Geomate.jr acts as an electronic compass, guiding you to within yards of a geocache.

People all over the world have enjoyed geocaching but up until now, the GPS receivers required were expensive and difficult to use. “Geomate.jr is about the size of a granola bar and built tough so it can take a beating. The contoured grip fits comfortably in the hands of kids and adults,” says Hewerdine. “Then all you have to do is head out to a local park, the back country or just down the street to get started on creating lifelong memories and a new found appreciation for the outdoors.” The Geomate.jr makes a great gift idea any time of year, and thanks to its size, it is a perfect stocking stuffer around the holiday season.

Products available include:
Geomate.jr – Geocaching GPS Retail: $69.95
Pre-loaded with 250,000 geocaches covering all 50 U.S. states, just switch it on and be directed to your closest geocache.  European, Canadian, Australian & New Zealand versions are also available.

Geomate.jr – Update Kit Retail: $24.95
The key to update any Geomate.Jr with the latest and greatest geocaches for the U.S. or for around the world.  Other features such as being able to create a private geocache list and Pocket Query support are also accessible with an Update Kit.

Geomate.jr – Combo Pack Retail: $94.95
Everything you will ever need in one box including a Geomate.jr, an Update Kit, a Geomate.jr Travel Tag, batteries, lanyard, and documentation.

Geomate.jr is available for purchase at major outdoor retailers including REI, L.L. Bean, Gander Mountain and Eastern Mountain Sports.  It is also available through Target, Amazon.com and Geocaching.com. For more information about the Geomate.jr, including demo videos, please visit www.mygeomate.com. Follow on Twitter: @geomatejr and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/geomatejr.

My 16 year old son and I headed out to check out 2 local geocaches. We had no luck locating the first one but we had success at the second one. Here is a video of our expedition:

Geocaching an a fun, affordable family activity that you can do anywhere and the Geomate Jr makes it easy!

The post Holiday Guide 2011-Gifts for Kids-Geomate Jr appeared first on The Mom Maven.

I have a fun Despicable Me prize pack to give to one lucky reader of The Mom Maven. The prize pack includes: one Despicable Me Nintendo DS game, two Little Brown & Namco Despicable Me books, and an adorable minion cap!

I’m keeping this one simple…Mandatory 1st entry: Leave me a comment telling me your favorite part of Despicable Me.

Bonus Entries: Leave a separate comment for each

• Blog subscribers, GFC friends, networked blog followers and Facebook likers get 1 entry each.
• Tweet about this giveaway using the ReTweet button at the bottom of this post.
• Like this giveaway on Facebook using the Like button at the bottom of this post.

Giveaway ends at 9pm on December 13th. The winner will be chosen by Random.org. US entries only.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: Despicable Me Giveaway appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Around the Table games are perfect anytime games because you can answer 1 card or 50 cards there is no start/finish line to cross. They are great to play while waiting for your food at a restaurant, on a car trip or even while waiting in line at your favorite theme park. Around the Table games are portable and even come with a carabiner so you can clip it to your purse or backpack. Families are so busy that sometimes we really don’t talk anymore. Around the Table Games will get you talking.

Around the Table Games are great for the entire family ages 3-103. They are also affordable ranging in price from $7.99-$9.99. You can purchase them from the Around the Table website or many national retailers, they even have an iPhone app! Around the Table Games make great Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers for the families on your shopping list.

Around the Table Games is giving away 1 game of the winner’s choice to a reader of TheMomMaven.

Mandatory 1st Entry:Visit the Around the Table Games website and look at their products then come back here and tell me which game you would like to win and why.

Bonus Entries: Leave a separate comment for each

• Like Around the Table Games on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall that TheMomMaven sent you.
• Follow @aroundthetable and @MomMaven on Twitter
• Tweet This @MomMaven My family wants to #win @aroundthetable games for Christmas http://bit.ly/9gJhTy ” (you may do this 2x a day leave the tweet URL in your comment)
• Blog subscribers, GFC friends, Networked Blog followers and Facebook likers each get 1 entry
• Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (you may do this up to 5 times-let me know which post you commented on in each entry)

This giveaway is for US entries only and will end at 9pm ET on December 2, 2010. The winner will be chosen by Random.org. This giveaway is closed.

The post Holiday Gift Guide: Around the Table Games appeared first on The Mom Maven.