Kids love a treasure hunt

I've been picking through junk for as long as I can remember . . .

As a kid, my room was filled with the rusty relics and discarded treasures I had found wandering through the woods behind my house. I was always exploring my neighborhood and digging for anything I could find. I loved old bottles, cigar boxes, and license plates. I also collected old comic books, plastic soldiers, monster models, and anything related to bikes. Everything was up for trade. I remember once finding 100 STP (motor oil company) stickers, and using them as my first currency for other stuff I wanted.

And I never thought of it as junk. To me, this was treasure.

I believe kids are born pickers. Curious, adventurous, and thrilled by discovery, they are instinctively drawn to a pile of junk. From the first odd shaped bottle or rusty metal sign they find and drag home, kids are natural foragers, collectors, and traders. All of sudden Grandpa's old stuff is cool. His personal stories are fascinating. History takes on a whole new meaning.

Never in my wildest dreams did I realize my passion for old things would lead to my own television show.

Now I want to pass on my passion for the great American tradition of exploring, collecting, and trading to another generation of kids.

Kid Pickers: A learning moment with every pick.

The purpose of Kid Pickers is to cultivate in children, 8-12, an appreciation of history, family and stories, and their local community through picking.

Over the next year we will be creating a series of events, a book and a "show and tell" website, all focused on kids. Each will be filled with learning moments featuring an engaging mix of history, storytelling, lessons on repurposing/recycling, tips on collecting, and most of all, a spirit of adventure.

The Kid Picker Guide to Picking is a hands-on companion guide to help kids in their search for the next great "pick" and the story behind it. The book will teach children proper and safe picking tips, the value of repurposing or recycling their found items, and how to discover the history behind each find.

KidPickers.com is the ultimate "show and tell" experience. The COPPA-Compliant website allows kids to create secure profiles and share photos and stories of their picks. The moderated website will also include picking tips, lessons, and fun interactive games.

Kid Pickers Round Up is an event that offers children, 7-12, and their families the opportunity to learn about picking, history, and storytelling from an expert, plus enjoy hands-on activities at the Antique Archaeology-Nashville store. It will be a monthly Saturday morning event in support of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kid Pickers for Kids with Cancer supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by promoting awareness and offering education and events. Children can get involved in a variety of ways. Proceeds from programs will benefit St. Jude.

Stay tuned. More to come.

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