Hobbies for Holistic Child Development

Holistic development of the child is important for mental well-being. As parents we must not put too much pressure on high achievement, rather encourage them to enjoy the whole process. If we focus only on results and recognition, it will create a lot of stress for the child. There are a few hobby ideas you can consider to instigate a spark in your child.

1. Hobbies related to creative art

Creating a curious mind is half battle won. Art tends to help the child unwind and relax, and also helps to develop a pencil grip for little toddlers. There are 7 different forms of art such as painting, sculpting, cinema, architecture, music, theatre and literature. The best-suited art that you can identify for your child is watercolor painting, coloring, drawing, pencil sketching, cartooning, knitting, crochet, embroidery, origami, glass painting and calligraphy. Developing a hobby on the creative side, helps the child to improve their imagination. Experimenting with hands-on art forms such as pottery and woodwork teaches us a simple yet powerful lesson. Creation takes time and patience. Always have an open mind to experiment with new art forms like resin art, graffiti, and acrylic painting.

2. Hobbies related to fitness

Academic pressure and pandemic lifestyle have made a lot of children obese. The best way to motivate children to be physically active is to engage them in sports classes like Baseball, tennis, athletics, skating, basketball, cricket or table tennis. Being in the company of a peer group motivates them to perform better and develop more interest. Irritability, frustration and stress are controlled, as physical movement changes the moods. Emotions are better regulated and controlled. Invest time to develop a sport, and be a role model to your child. Don't be glued to the phone and then advise them to be active. A visual experience speaks more than 1000 words. Commitment toward the welfare of your child should be a primary goal.

3. Hobbies related to knowledge

Reading, writing journals, and making science models, Playing with educational toys are very good hobbies to cultivate. Developing a working windmill model or experiments on magnetism requires a good amount of reading to understand the subject. The whole process improves the knowledge level of our children. The various subjects such as science, social, maths and language require different kinds of concepts to be understood. Some can be done through working models, some through group project work, some through hands-on activity and some through fun games. For every age group, the activity level changes, resort to a balance of book learning of concepts with hands of learning. A visit to the supermarket can teach concepts like sorting, colours, sizes, numbers, decimals, addition and subtraction. Counting the number of windows at home or the number of doors is a good way to teach numbers to kindergarten kids. Using vegetables and fruits is best suited to teach colours, sizes and numbers.

4. Hobbies related to Adventure

Model what behavior you want your child to pick up. Being outdoors is a lot of fun, it requires a different mindset to do camping in the Himalayas, going for a trek in the mountains, fishing, a long drive, visiting a jungle resort and camping overnight. The spirit of being physically active also keeps the mood swings under control. Identify a suitable hobby to be positively engaged in. At home, you can do simple activities like climbing trees, climbing ladders and playing with Recreational and Backyard Toys and playing with a pet.

5. Hobbies related to home

Home is a pleasant atmosphere where you can build hobbies such as stamp collection, gardening, fireless cooking, dancing and singing. Most children like a sedentary lifestyle involving sitting and watching gadgets or televisions, the most dangerous part for the children. Home-based hobbies make the children mobilize and elevate their relationships.

Every child needs a hobby to feel happiness in their minds and be stress-free. There are enormous benefits of having a hobby and they are :

A. Hobbies force you to spend time for yourself and are happy with yourself.
B. Hobbies keep the children's minds alert and active.
C. Sports hobbies help children to be physically fit.
D. Hobbies sometimes help parents identify a child's passion and thus provide good career guidance.
E. Hobbies open up a child's mind and create a circle of friends.

A time spent with kids is a time well spent. Focus on developing their hobbies and give them a lifetime of good habits to cherish. Make developing a hobby for your child a first priority and enjoy the fruits of it. Starting early is the key.

 Lakshmi Sakthi Alagappan lives in Thanjavur in Tamilnadu, India.   She is an  administrative officer at Blossom Public School. She   likes reading books, listening to music and surfing.