Christmas is over, New Year’s Eve is a thing of the past, and the winter blues have set in. What can be done to keep your children interested, enthusiastic and engaged in learning?
How about starting a new hobby? Just say “NO” to television and electronic gadgets and consider the many benefits of picking up a hobby:
It will give your child an opportunity to express themselves; your child will become more confident, self-reliant and independent, as well as develop thinking skills and life skills that will help them to become a well rounded and healthy adult.
They are also great educational tools. A child interested in rock collecting learns about geology and science, and a child in writing stories learns about sentence structure and proper grammar. Hobbies teach children to set and achieve goals, solve problems and make decisions. They can also set the course for what your child becomes later in life as they often turn into lifelong interests or careers.
Children who have hobbies are usually following in their parent’s footsteps, so set a good example by pursuing your own hobby.
Help Your Child Choose a Hobby
Is your child inclined towards Arts and Crafts? Just a few suggestions include origami, painting, drawing, woodworking, scrapbooking, weaving and collecting/pressing flowers and leaves.
Does your child prefer collecting things? Start a stamp, coin or marble collection, or pick up interesting rocks or shells on the beach. Perhaps sports cards or comic books would be their preference; you can help them develop a system to catalog or display their treasured finds.
If your child is a nature enthusiast they may wish to start an indoor container garden, or try their hand at planting a small garden outside in a plot of land set aside for them. Playing in the mud, and watching planted seeds grow is pure magic to a child. Or perhaps they would prefer to try making paper from recycled household paper products.
Let’s not forget your science-loving child! There are local science-themed stores that offer kits and books; literally hundreds of ideas ranging from amateur astronomy to experiments with common household products can be found there.
If your child is star-struck, lessons in singing, dancing, acting and playing a musical instrument abound. Or perhaps they love puppets; my children started by making puppets out of old socks and putting on puppet shows, then continued collecting puppets well into their adulthood. You can find many stores all over the Lower Mainland that sell beautiful, creative puppets if your child has an interest in that.
Enroll sports enthusiasts in soccer, skating, swimming, ballet and much more. Outdoor activity is so important for a child’s overall development.
Explore the Range of Hobbies Available for Your Child
There are many, many hobbies other than the ones mentioned above; cooking, photography, magic, reading, the list goes on and on. For every interest, there is some kind of resource (such as a book or course) out there for you to explore.
Hobbies are rewarding and enriching parts of our lives, so encourage your child to start a new hobby today; you never know where it may lead!
Global Montessori has been offering primary child care, after school care, and the Montessori method of schooling since 1988. We accept infants, toddlers, kindergarten and elementary school students living in and around the Langley area and beyond. For more information, visit https://globalmontessorischool.com.