Hi Everyone,

Today, I would like to give a big welcome to Maria Cannon. She runs the website HobbyJr.org. She created this amazing guest post to talk to us all about the importance of helping your child find a hobby and all the benefits hobbies hold for children including helping with self-esteem. You can also check out her site for more information regarding hobbies for kids. Please, continue reading below.

Engage Your Children in Hobbies They Will Learn and Love

It can be easy to set our kids up with a video game or the TV after school or when we’re busy on weekends. After all, the kids enjoy it, and we get some time to relax or work ahead. However, getting your child started on a hobby is a great way to keep them engaged and learning while staying occupied.

Why Hobbies Are Important

You may think of hobbies as simple ways to pass the time, but they are much more than that. They can teach skills that may lead to a lifelong passion for your child. They can improve our children’s cognitive abilities through problem-solving and by teaching patience. More importantly, they can give our children an invaluable sense of self-esteem. It proves to your children that they can accomplish something that they put their mind to and gives them an understanding about the importance of planning and goal-setting. Different hobbies offer varying benefits, but they all can improve the lives of children in these fundamental ways.

Educational Hobbies

One of the most basic but most important hobbies we can encourage is that of reading. If your child shows resistance to reading or believes it is boring, find a book or publication about their favorite activity, whether that’s sports, marine biology, or art. Try reading with them at first to get them interested, and then encourage them to read to you. If your child already loves to read, you could spark their interest in solving puzzles or learning a foreign language. Puzzles can help with spatial recognition and reasoning skills.

Children are also best able to learn a language when they are young. This could be something you both do together, with the aid of a book, an app on your phone, or even computer software. There are plenty of resources you can use to help you both.

Active Hobbies

If you want to encourage your little one to lead an active lifestyle, you could try introducing them to exciting outdoor activities. You might be able to start them on a path of loving nature and exploration by taking them on weekly hikes, backyard camping or birdwatching. Not only will they get some good, fun exercise, but you can use this as an opportunity to teach them about local wildlife and the ecosystem.

If you want to instill in your child a sense of discipline and self-assurance, you could introduce them to self-defense courses. Many martial arts studios offer trial periods for kids to explore and see if they enjoy learning self-defense. This could be a great way for your child to meet new friends and improve their self-image at the same time.

Scientific Experiments

An exceptionally fun way to encourage your little ones into a love of science is to do weekly experiments together. Science can help your children not only with critical thinking, but it can instill a sense of curiosity. If you start a love of science early in your child’s life, it may lead to a lifelong passion that will help in school and, possibly, the workforce.

There are many activities you can do together such as creating patterns in bright colors to building with block toys. If your child is unsure what type of hobby to try, Earth Science Jr. has a list of great places to begin, especially if your child enjoys the outdoors. Experiments such as an eye-popping rainbow magic milk offer countless opportunities for fun and can be especially educational if you teach them why the activity has the reaction it does.

Whatever you choose, there are many benefits to starting a hobby with your child. You may be able to not only entertain them and build up some life skills, but also improve their confidence. It just takes a little time and demonstration, but soon you may see your child thriving with their new activity.

Image Courtesy of Pexels.com

About The Author: 

Maria Cannon believes we’re never too young to dedicate ourselves to a hobby. She created HobbyJr to encourage young people to find a hobby they love. Maria has suffered from depression and anxiety for years. Her hobbies–gardening, quilting, sewing, and knitting–play a major role in maintaining her mental health.