Having a hobby is important for people of all ages, giving us the opportunity to spend our time in a way that we love. For children, however, having a hobby isn’t only fun but also has a big impact on learning and development, helping to build confidence and widening knowledge and experience. If you’re looking for a new hobby to introduce to your little one, take a look at these five IDEAL children’s hobbies that both girls and boys will love!
Arts and crafts
Art and crafts is a popular choice of activity for children, and it’s easy to see why. Aside from encouraging creativity, arts and crafts allow your child to practice fine motor skills, develops problem solving abilities, and engages all of the senses. It’s easy to do, too. Many supplies can be found or made within the home, while wholesale suppliers offer discounts if you need to buy a lot of materials in bulk for one or more children.
Kinesthetic learners will thrive with arts and crafts, helping them build confidence and self-esteem for later life. Children who enjoy creating art may also continue to do so into as they grow up, giving them a brilliant hobby, and one that can be turned into a profession, to cherish throughout their life.
Dancing
Dancing can be one of the best activities for your child to do in their spare time. The obvious benefits of dance include reduced risk of childhood obesity, healthy blood pressure and lower likelihood of developing health issues. Dancing can also develop your child’s strength and endurance, and help to build teamwork skills from dancing in a group. Best of all, you’ll love picking out the adorable dance clothing and ballet costumes for your child’s new hobby!
Gardening
If you or someone else in the family is prone to a spot of gardening, it’s more than likely you’ve enlisted your little one for a bit of assistance in the past. Getting kids involved in gardening makes for the perfect hobby, engaging the senses while teaching responsibility and patience. Having your child plant and nourish their own fruit and vegetables also encourages healthy eating and a respect for nature due to a sense of pride they feel from monitoring the process from seed to plate.
Sports
Any activity that keeps your child active is beneficial, making sports the perfect hobby for little girls and boys. Along with fitness and health benefits, participating in sports such as football, netball and tennis improves children’s coordination, self-esteem and social skills. Sport also encourages children to spend more time outdoors, having a huge impact on their overall well being – and prying them away from the TV screen!
Reading
Think back to your childhood, and there’s bound to be a story or two that you just couldn’t get enough of! Reading is such a simple yet amazing hobby for children to participate in, improving concentration, imagination, language skills and educating your child on the world around them. If possible, dedicate a space in your home by creating a reading den for your child, giving them their very own space in which to sit back and relax with their favourite book.
