For kids, metal detectors are particularly more fun and a great part-time hobby as well, this can be really productive for kids. Finding metals is such a fun activity for kids. However, buying a metal detector for kids need much more consideration because you would want your kids to be safe while operating the metal detector. Thankfully, we have some options that are particularly designed for kids in terms of safety, ease of use, and productivity.
Metal detectors are great tools for hunting valuable metals in-ground, our soil is rich in valuable metals, and they can be precisely found with the help of a good metal detector. Even searching for lost items like coins, jewelry, and other relics is also possible with metal detectors.
Below is the list of some of the best metal detectors for kids 2020.
Also Read: Best Underwater Metal Detectors
1- Bounty Hunter Tracker IV – The Best Kids Metal Detector
This metal detector comes at an affordable price with a highly simple control panel and great design, all of which make it perfect for your kids or any beginner irrespective of age. The most popular model of Bounty Hunter metal detectors for entry-level is Tracker IV. The price gets as low as around $130.
The device is quite simple, featuring an analog display as well as the well-regarded discrimination adjustment and sensitivity along with all-metal mode and two-tone audio.
Design, Appearance, and Ease of Use
The design is pretty simple, and even for beginners, it is really easy to operate. The basics are that this detector is a 6.7kHz VLF detector featuring three search modes and a very easy adjustable system. This metal detector is designed to be rugged, and thus it can stand the regular use in rather tough environments.
This is also a motion metal detector, which means that it must be moving to find metal, if you are just holding the coil over the metal, you wouldn’t be able to hear the signal. The built-in speaker is great, but you may want to get headphones and use them in the provided ¼” jack. Headphones are great for noisy environments.
Almost all of the Bounty Hunter Tracker IV is quite simple and is made to be easy. There are just two knobs along with dual audio tones, so there won’t be much of a learning curve. The analog meter provided is equipped to show you the signal strengths that provide a raw indication of the depth and size of the target.
It is not very heavy and weighs only 2.4lbs and perfectly suitable for children of all ages so it can be used without the child getting excessive strain.
The ground balance system is missing, but it saves your kid from the frustration, but this also makes it imperfect for high mineral grounds.
Basic Controls
The adjustable settings are only three, including the discrimination mode, sensitivity, and search mode.
Sensitivity
The high sensitivity indicates that even the deeper targets will be detected by the metal detector. One small problem that can come with deeper sensitivity is that the detector can be affected by the mineralization in the soil. Higher sensitivity also means that electromagnetic interference from power lines and outdoor places will be more likely to interfere. That is why you may need to keep the sensitivity lower and thereby reduce excessive chatter and false alarms. You can adjust the sensitivity really easily by turning the dial to the left of the control panel. The ultimate goal is to get rid of a false alarm.
Discrimination
You can also adjust the discrimination from the knob. The discrimination mode all be active when the metal detector is in Tone mode or the Full Discriminate mode, but if you are using the All-Metal mode, you can ignore the discrimination mode. However, if you do choose the discrimination mode, you need to know that any unwanted targets can be ignored with discrimination mode. Unwanted targets may include trash items like iron and other relics. There is only one knob for discrimination in Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, the higher you set it, the more discriminative it will be. It is recommended not to set the discrimination mode much higher because it may ignore precious metals along with trash and iron. You can practice discrimination on various targets in your garden, so you are more prepared in the field. If you are worried about ignoring any metals, then it is best to use the All-Metal mode.
Search Modes
There are three simple and easy to use search modes that can be activated using the switch provided at the lower right of the control panel.
- All-Metal – You can detect any metal in this model, including steel, copper, iron, silver, brass, aluminum, and gold. The device will make a sound as you hover over the metal. This mode offers the best and maximum depth, so it is great for relic hunting.
- Tone – This one features two audio and a very impressive iron rejection feature. It makes a low or high audio signal depending on the detected metal. The discrimination part is taken care of in this mode.
- Full Discriminate – You will be able to reject all trash items in this mode.
- Waterproof Searchcoil
It includes an 8 inches waterproof search coil. The coil in this metal detector isn’t a DD coil, so you can’t expect target separation with this coil, particularly on the grounds of high mineralization. The stock coil is a great balance between sensitivity and ground coverage. The control box isn’t waterproof, so you can submerge the coil in shallow water but not the control box.
- Other notable features
- There is a headphone jack.
- The volume settings are missing, so a headphone with adjustable volume is a great option.
- The run time is up to 30 hours, but this can fluctuate depending upon the sensitivity settings.
This metal detector is one of the most affordable ones, and you can get it for under $200.
Also Read: Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector Review
2- Fisher F22 Waterproof Kids/Beginners Metal Detector
Fisher has featured its brand new coil design is F22, it is basically a nine-inch triangulated, concentric elliptical coil. This coil is more narrow and smaller, which makes it great for finding the good targets, separating from the iron and trash targets. F22 is also great for taking anywhere because it can fit in many tight spaces, and the smart design also makes it more efficient to look for targets between rocks.
The coil is submersible, and you can use it in shallow water perfectly. Just don’t forget to wet the control box because it is only weatherproof but isn’t made to be submersible in water.
There are four modes that come with F22 so you can set your desired discrimination pattern:
- Jewelry: this mode will basically discriminate all the iron targets.
- Coin: this mode is equipped to discriminate iron as well as trash.
- Custom: You can use this mode to set a custom pattern by utilizing the notch feature.
LCD Target ID Screen
The screen of F22 has various indicators, including:
a) Target Category ID Number: Informs about the type of metal found like iron, silver, gold.
b) Two-Digit Number Target ID (1-99): It informs about the type of metal, but it is better than the one above. The number factors the metals conductivity as well as the positioning and size of the target. You can find more details about the readings below:
The large LCD screen on the F22 has many indicators such as:
- Iron objects 1-19
- U.S Zinc coins (dimes and quarters) 50-59
- U.S Copper Coins 60-69
- U.S Silver Coins 70-79
c) Current Search mode: Great for toggling between the modes so you can quickly change the discrimination pattern.
d) Depth Indicator for target: This will provide you the estimation regarding the depth of the target.
e) Battery level indicator: It shows how much battery is left.
f) Menu category icons: Great for adjusting notch, volume, and sensitivity.
g) Iron Indicator: This can help you to discriminate the unwanted iron trash signals; this is great for coin and jewelry hunting.
Tones
F22 features four tones, including the low, medium, bass, and high. You can use these tones in conjunction with the numeric 1-99 ID categories so you can analyze the ground correctly.
Iron Audio Feature
This feature is a technology that is found in most entry-level machines, and it basically allows you to amplify iron signals, so you don’t waste time digging up unwanted targets.
Overall the F22 is one of the best metal detectors that you can buy.
3- Bounty Hunter Junior Metal Detector
Bounty Hunter Junior is bound to come up when searching metal detector for kids, especially for children under 8. This detector can still be used by adults, but it is mainly designed to assist children. It is a professional metal detector and not any toy.
The following are a few of the notable points for Bounty Hunter Junior.
- The design and construction is quite sturdy so children can safely use it without breaking it
- You can fold it down for the size of your child
- It is very easy to use
- The price is only $70, making it a perfect gift for beginners and children
- The display is quite simple and indicates the target whenever it’s near a metal
- Perfect for children as it has only two knobs making it easy to control it
- Headphones are not required because it has an amazing external speaker so that any adult accompanying the child can help them to recognize the tone when a target is nearby
- Avoid iron targets with the discrimination mode and avoid other unwanted metals as well
- The detection can work for up to 5” of depth
- The coil is 6.5” and completely weather resistant, don’t submerge the coil in water as it will be damaged by it
It is one of the best junior metal detectors. If you want to search for items near water, you must look for a waterproof model because this one will be damaged by water, but it is weather resistant.
4- National Geographic Junior Metal Detector
This metal detector is a perfect tool for kids to learn a great deal about exploration and metal hunting, as well as electromagnetism.
Main Features
- This metal detector features an adjustable handle to provide maximum comfort for the kids
- The audio and visual signals can help a great deal in finding the possible target
- The built-in LEd with torch allows metal exploration even in the night times
- The coil is waterproof so you can use it in shallow water
- The junior treasure hunters are bound to love this extraordinary yet affordable metal detector
Metal detecting is such a rewarding hobby, and this detector by National Geographic can be used perfectly to find any buried coins, antiques as well as jewelry, and other metals. This model is designed mainly for kids, and it is one of the best ones indeed. It works in the same way as any other professional metal detector, just for the kids.
The ease in use comes with the consideration that this detector is for kids; all you have to do it make a regular sweeping motion as you walk forward, and you will be able to discover metal artifacts that are mostly invisible to the naked eye otherwise. When you are nearby a target, the detector will make the tone, and it will become louder and stronger as you get close to the target. There is a torchlight with the unit that helps in illuminating the target so you can even use it in evenings and darker times. Using the signal light and tone, the discovery of metal will be much easier. The detachable LED light source is perfect for using at any time of the day. This light can help you check the target area clearly with ideal lighting.
Wet and damp areas are better for finding the metal objects as signals are stronger in such areas, and digging in the surface won’t be a problem as well. The
Nat Geometer detector is even capable of being used in the shallow water like streams and puddles. There is also a handy set of hints for finding the perfect places for hunting metals like on a beach or under a tree. The length of the entire unit is quite adjustable, so you can make it perfect for your kids. The design is also ergonomic so that it can be used for an extended time. The metal detector is quite sturdy, and it will give you quite a few years of service and peace of mind because it comes with a high five years of warranty.
5- National Geographic Pro Series Metal Detectors for Kids
This is one of the best metal detectors for kids and tops many lists of metal detectors for kids. This detector is made by Minelab, known for being the ultimate guru of metal detecting. The majority of professionals use the detectors made by Minelab for their detectors.
Features
- Three search modes
- Four sensitivity levels
- Arm strap to facilitate children
- Easy to use operation
- Lightweight
This is a great one, but you do have to check your budget as this is a high-quality metal detector and is one of the best for kids. The search coil of this metal detector is about ten inches square and reaches about twelve inches beneath the soil. This is a small version and the adult version, and that is why it only weighs 2.3 lbs and is made for smaller arms. To facilitate the kids more, there is an arm strap that can hold the detector in place without falling down often by kids.
This detector is very sleek and compact but still not too small because it is a children’s metal detector, and it will perfectly facilitate the length they want to use and also can be extended as your kids grow up. It can be folded flat, so it can be taken anywhere or even can be put away in the rucksack.
The Nat Geo Pro Series Detector features only a few buttons on the control panel, making it really easy to control. The easy to read backlit LCD screen has easy buttons made particularly for kids as they have smaller hands. The screen tells about the battery life and depth of the target so your child will exactly know how far to dig in order to find the target. This detector also has a find icon, and it will automatically find targets for you. This can also help in filtering out the trash.
The pinpointer is another great feature of the pro series, you won’t find this feature in cheap metal detectors, and this one is a great bonus. This pinpointed will make a loud noise as you will get closer to target so you will exactly know where to dig. You will find this detector to be good enough for adults too because it has three preferred search modes as well as four different levels of sensitivity, easily filtering out the trash and unwanted targets. The modes include all-metal mode, all-metal excluding iron and aluminum, and no iron mode. You will need 6 AA batteries to have it running. You are highly recommended for kids.
General Advice for Parents
Make sure that you buy the metal detector that can be handled by your kid in terms of size, and it shouldn’t be very heavy as it may strain the shoulders of children unnecessarily. Also, ensure that the equipment is sturdy and doesn’t have any pointy edges that might hurt your children in the field. The function should be pretty simple without any excessive complications, so children can easily use it without any hassle.
Do look for discrimination mode when you are choosing a metal detector, also ensure to arrange bounty hunts for children, so they engage in some outdoor physical activity instead of staying in and watching TV or computer. This can be a great tool if used appropriately, and most kids instantly find interest in it because of its ability to find something valuable and new. Your children can even use the metal detector indoors, and to make it more interesting, you can hide a few coins here and there to help with the confidence in children. This is a great device for kids.
What can metal detectors find?
You can find anything that is metal.
What is the most important feature of a metal detector for kids?
Kids metal detectors don’t mostly have the pinpointers, so they will literally find anything that is metal up to few inches below the surface; discrimination quality thus is a really important feature to look for in the kids’ metal detectors. The discrimination model differentiates between the junk, so your kids don’t end up digging cans every minute or rusty nails. Kids will get frustrated if they keep finding trash, so do look for discrimination mode when buying a metal detector for kids.
Simple to use and adjustable discrimination mode is great for kids and even for adults because you can find valuable metals with this mode without wasting any time on trash.
Where To Go Metal Detecting With Kids?
There is meta almost everywhere, and in order to find the best ones, you have to choose public areas. The rushy areas have more coins, jewelry, phones, and keys, all the modern treasures. You can go to local parks and find treasures under and around the benches, kiosks, sitting areas, or generally anywhere that the people might be, even jogging routes. You can also look in the play areas where children drop a lot of stuff.
Do They Work At The Beach?
Yes, they do work at the beach and dry sand. The high mineralization in wet sand and water will confuse the metal detector if it is not equipped for those conditions. Black sand and mineralization in water are full of iron signals, which may cause false signals.
Will These Detectors Work in Water?
Most detectors are only weatherproof and not waterproof, or the coil is waterproof but not the control box. Do check out the specifications to find out more about the product.