A hobby is a phenomenon that comes from the inner sight of oneself interest. When it regards children then parents must have to help their kids find a well-being hobby they are passionate about. A hobby can develop a child’s self-worth and self-esteem that can benefit the kid physically, mentally, and socially. Though finding an activity from so many hobbies is tricky and overwhelming, parents have to discover the best one for children.
Advantages of a hobby for children
Here is a list of benefits that hobbies offer children:
Help alleviate stress
Appealing to hobbies provides relaxation both for the mind and body, setting free from the boredom of daily life. Nowadays, children are under constant extreme pressure to perform, pressure to realize expectations, pressure to attain goals, pressure to excel, and more. In such a situation, hobbies ensure the perfect ‘Breakout’ from the hustle and bustle of their daily life.
Bring up creativity
Most hobbies make sense of one’s creative potential. Even as simple a hobby as stamp collection needs creativity in arranging the collection. In addition, when it comes to painting, drawing, arts and crafts, and music, they are in the service of being perfect outlets for the child’s creative roles.
Enhance cognitive skills
Hobbies enable kids to focus and centralize better. They develop their problem-solving, reasoning, and analytical skills.
Increase physical well-being
Hobbies require children to spend their time outside study making them physically well-built and strong. Nowadays, most of the children tend to stay indoors in front of screens, so having an outdoor oriented hobby such as trekking, bird-watching, outdoor sports, gardening, etc, can give them exposure to sufficient fresh air and sunlight.
Form social skills
When children interact with others through similar kinds of activities, it can help build their social skills. Kids can be a part of a hobby group and thus interact with kids who bear similar hobbies thus they can develop social skills. Similarly, holidays recreations such as traveling and camping offer scope to teenagers to learn the skill of adapting and in groups.
Come up to emotional health
Leisure interests highlight children’s confidence and self-esteem. When creativity is freed, it proves to be a cheerful factor for children. The immense pleasure the kids get from chasing their passions leaves a positive impact on their emotional health. When children get appraised after displaying their talents, it makes them more optimistic towards life. All these improve their mental health and make them happy.
Help fight challenges
While maintaining hobbies, Kids might struggle with some challenges. However, as they are passionate about these deeds, they are willing to overcome these challenges by dint of their hard work. For instance, the kids who choose gardening hobby, they have to work outdoors and face diverse challenges like adverse weather, dirt, etc.
Up-skill time management
By sorting their time between hobbies and regular activities, children learn to manage their time effectively. They learn to divide time wisely among several activities without sacrificing one activity for the other one.
Extend knowledge
While in the activity of hobbies, children are required to gather a lot of information regarding them. For instance, for the bobby of gardening, they will learn about the types of plants, soil, manure, as well as season-wise specific plants and flowers. Thus, a hobby can expand children’s knowledge beyond academic readings.
Drive away boredom
Children have the tendency to get bored easily. Boredom can lead to dullness and make children idle and lethargic. Moreover, their high levels of energy need to be channelized on the accurate path. Hobbies are ensured to be the perfect way for this.
How to encourage kid to find good hobby they love
As good hobbies are an immense need for your children to build their real-life-based behavior, you have to encourage your lovely kids to choose the favorable hobbies they are fit for. Here are some of the encouraging factors you can apply.
Keep pressure low
Do not shame or punish them if they don’t stick with the hobby selected. Children often change their minds. It is a natural part of development. What interests a child at age five may cease to be interesting even a year or two later. Help your child to choose their hobbies and do not shame them for ‘giving up’ if it simply does not interest them anymore.
Prefer an interest in their interests
This may appear obvious. Try to see even closer at what your kids say and do. This observation can take you towards a hobby idea to suggest. A child reveals its passion through its playing and creative expression. So observe every step of your children and encourage them to pursue the things they love to do.
Focus on their interest
Observe closely whether they are reflecting your passion or their own. You can share your own interest with your kids but don’t be sad if they divert to something that doesn’t interest you at all. Remember, this is for them, not you.
Hobbies should be fun, not forced
If they have already rejected any idea, never force them again and again to do that. Continuous pushing can lead the kids towards depression and boredom. Remember, hobbies should be fun, not forced.
Try new things
If your child attends a class or camp to try something new, that can be a new hobby idea for them. If they enjoy it, you need to understand that they are on the right track. You can also encourage them to be passionate about other low-investment ways to broaden their horizons including books, magazines, documentaries, TV shows, and conversations with new people.
How to help your children to keep the hobby they found
If you think your child is interested in enjoying his free time with a nice hobby, make sure he continues to do that. Once he loves to continue a hobby, he will be more passionate about that hobby. They may be shy, easily frustrated, or nervous about trying something new and maintaining the hobby they found once. You know your child well so make sure you follow all the possible ways to help your child maintain a hobby they love or found.
Source: United News of Bangladesh