All kids are different and so are their interests. As a parent, it’s your job to find activities that interest them. It’s so easy to stick your kid in front of a TV or an iPad and hope that entertains them for a good while. But children need more than gadgets and gizmos to grab their attention. Check out these safe and educational hobbies for your young child.
Plant a Garden
Start cultivating that green thumb at a young age. Getting your kids involved in plants and gardening early does more than get their hands dirty—although that’s always an added bonus when you give kids a chance to make a mess in a setting that calls for it!
Gardening is an excellent activity for mindfulness. It calms your kid down while providing them with a physical workout. We all know kids at any age have a lot of pent-up energy. Spending part of a day digging and planting will tire them by the time their heads hit the pillow. You don’t even need an outdoor space of your own for your child because a community garden works just as well.
Shake and Boogie
It’s boogie time! Kids love music and the chance to let loose and express themselves. And it’s even better in an organized setting. The art of dance is more than moving your body. A lot of history and background culture goes into dancing.
Enroll your child in a dance class. Remember kids’ attention spans and interest levels can vary, so see if there are any programs where they alternate lessons, dance styles, and routines either bi-weekly or monthly.
Build a Rocket
If you want to venture further into the world of math and science, feel free to take a trip to rocket land. Building model rockets isn’t reserved for engineers and the big kids. Model rocketry is safe for young children. The hobby comes in different levels.
The starter level, level zero, is ideal for very young children. These rockets don’t emit a big blast that could be harmful. But youngsters will learn more about numbers, safe science, and how to construct a model rocket by following simple instructions.
Bake a Masterpiece
Not every artistic impulse needs to involve paints and brushes. Kids can create art on another canvas—one that’s inside a kitchen. Kids love helping their parents cook and bake because time spent with mom or dad is always fun, and getting to eat your masterpiece is, well, the icing on the cake. And having them help will be fun for you too.
You’ll start to see that joyousness through their eyes because it’s all new to them. Be sure to monitor and practice safety as you help them prepare dishes, mix ingredients, and use cooking appliances (always under your watchful eye). Teach them the importance of cooking safely and start off with some fun, simple dishes. How many great bakers of today first learned to make chocolate chip cookies by their parent’s side? You’re creating lifelong memories as well as dessert.
Your young child won’t even realize the educational and safe side of the hobby because they’re having so much fun.
