How to Encourage Your Kids Hobbies

Encouraging Your Kids Hobbies – Step by Step

Written by: Dr. Sarah Hanisko, cross-published at www.anothermommess.com

Kids these days seem to spend more time playing video games and watching YouTube. Encouraging your kids hobbies help to get them out, get them active, or give them skills for the future. This article is going to help you figure out How to Encourage Your Kids Hobbies.

1. Ask your kid what they love to do.Quarantine has been really difficult for us as a family. Lilly and I are go-getters. We love to go to museums, zoos, aquariums, and parks. Because everyone in our household is high risk for complications to COVID-19 we’ve been forced to look at other things we love to do as ways to keep busy.
   
   Find out what your kids love. Are they interested in arts and crafts? Do they like to plan things? What about animals? Are the interested in any of your hobbies?
   
   Get a notebook and write out a list of everything your kid is interested in and what you’re interested in.
   
   
2. Compare your InterestsAre there common items on each of your lists? Find the commonalities and build on them. And remember, your kids can teach you about their interests just like you can teach them about yours.
   
   Lilly expressed an interested in photography just before Christmas. As a result she received a Polaroid camera and I gave her my old point and shoot Canon when I bought a more advanced camera for myself. I’ve taken photography classes so I’ve been teaching Lilly the basics of photography and we’ve signed up for Craftsy to learn more about digital photography.
   
3. Encourage MistakesOne of Lilly’s biggest struggles is with perfection. When you’re enjoying a hobby it’s important to remember that it’s supposed to be fun. You’re learning and it’s OK to make mistakes because we learn from them. And sometimes mistakes can actually make pretty interesting outcomes. Some of Lilly’s accidental pictures actually turned out really cool once we took a closer look.
   
4. Make it a BusinessWe know and completely understand that Lilly’s ADHD and DMDD may prevent her from going to tradition school, and traditional jobs. Instead of focusing on school knowledge as way to be successful, we’re focusing on what she loves to do, and how to eventually transition her interests into business skills. Lilly is already excited about the possibility of selling prints of her photos. She’s got plans for Etsy and our local farmers markets.
   
   Even though you can always make your hobby into a business it’s important to remember, hobbies are meant to be fun. And if making money off your hobby feels weird, then it’s OK not to turn it into a business.
   
5. Keep Learning and PracticingThe best way to encourage your kids hobbies is learn more about it and continually practice. Every day I try to learn a new crochet or knitting stitch. I’m pretty bad at them most of the time but as I practice more, I get better. Take classes, watch videos on YouTube and read up on new techniques for your hobbies. Keep expanding your horizons on your interests and you’ll never be bored.