How Cultivating A Hobby Helps In A Child's Development

Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash

Ever heard of the saying, “A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.” Hobbies are recreational, non-occupational activities done for fun. Hobbies help cultivate ethics, values and attitudes among young children. They allow children to develop valuable life skills that guide them throughout their lives.

It is imperative that parents need to encourage their little ones to cultivate some hobbies and expand their horizons. If your kids have not found their hobby, don’t worry. Give them options, and before you know it, they would have a bunch of things they may want to pursue. The key is to let them follow their passion and do what they love to do, not what you want them to do.

These hobbies can be reading, collecting special items, crafting, sewing, or even handling pets. It doesn’t matter if it will benefit the child in the long-run, but what is important is that they must have fun doing what they love! Hobbies are great for kids, especially now that they are stuck at home due to the pandemic.

Experts in child psychology believe that any hobby outside of the regular school is beneficial for the child, helping them to boost confidence and enhance creativity.

Benefits of hobbies for kids - 

• Dispels boredom
• Reduces stress
• Improves mental health
• Improves physical activity
• Increases confidence
• Improves competence
• Teaches discipline and time-management
• Teaches patience
• Allows bonding time with friends and family
• Strengthens motor skills and coordination
• Enhances critical thinking and problem solving
• Imparts decision-making and goal setting
• Nurtures creativity

Parental role in finding a hobby - 

If your child has not found a hobby, don’t fret over it as every child is different. While some kids are sure of what their hobbies are, some may struggle to find that one hobby that they enjoy.

If you are still unsure and your kid has not found an enjoyable hobby, try the following:

1. Make notes and list your child’s interests.
2. Talk to your child about their likes and dislikes.
3. Try out test runs of different activities. Enroll them in summer camps or workshops to see if they enjoy these activities.
4. Once you pick up on their interests and follow them through, encourage them to pursue the things that they love rather than forcing them to do what you want them to do.
5. Help and motivate them to pursue their hobby. You must see the value in helping your child pursuing their passions rather than worry about the cost while doing so, as it may discourage the child at some point or the other.

Hobbies to explore -

1. Performing Arts: Performing arts is an excellent way for children to boost their creativity and confidence, learn self-discipline, and develop interpersonal skills. It is a medium through which they can express themselves and communicate better among their peers. Performing arts include acting, singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument, puppetry and more
2. Visual Arts: Essentially, art is of great importance in child development. It enhances the child’s motor skills, creativity and aids in language development helping the children to express themselves better. Visual arts include drawing, painting, calligraphy, etc.
3. Sports: Playing a game is beneficial for your child’s physical and mental development. It is one of the most time-consuming and expensive hobbies as you need to put in a lot of time and money to pursue it long term. Sports improve physical fitness, endurance, resilience, and confidence in young children. Children can choose from a range of indoor and outdoor sports activities like basketball, football, chess, carrom and many more.
4. Outdoor Hobbies: Spending time outdoors can do wonders on your child’s physical and mental well-being. It reduces anxiety, strengthens bonds, and teaches them the importance of teamwork. Your kid may pursue camping, hiking, traveling and more.
5. Collecting: The habit of collection builds your child’s observational skills, develop organizational thinking and enhance social connections. Collect anything right from rocks, stamps, shells, coins, action figurines, fidget spinners, comics and more.

Let your child choose what they want to do and motivate them as they pursue their goals!

Sindhu Menon is a mother to a bubbly seven-year-old girl. The pandemic introduced her to the world of blogging and hopes to continue penning her thoughts through her blog (one day!!). She loves baking, reading and traveling. She lives with her parents, husband and daughter in Navi Mumbai.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are the personal views of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Mom Store.