The other day, I met a lady in the park where she was talking about how her 3 year old daughter gave a dance performance on the stage and that she was so impressed by her dance even in the presence of older kids. I could feel the pride in her voice and so I interfered and told her that perhaps she should put her in some nearby dance class to nurture her talent. But she was a bit reluctant since she thought that the activity would interfere with her studies when she grew up.

I made her understand that it is in fact a good idea to take a break from the studies and children who develop hobbies often do better in academics and also have a better well rounded personality. Kids who develop a hobby often enjoy a right break between packed daily schedules. I remember going to the singing class when I was a little kid. Twice a week for two hours in the evening, it was so refreshing and an excellent means to relax and rest.

Parents have no idea about the child’s interests and talents when he or she is born. But it is very important for parents to help the little kids explore various hobby activities to check what they like and what they don’t, when they are preschoolers or toddlers. Help them to explore activities that you think can be fun. Activities like art, music, swimming, dancing, sports, etc. may pique their fancy. And as they grow older, their interests will become more obvious and clear to you.

Here, I will share with you some basic tips that can help you to develop hobbies in kids or even hone the hobbies that they are already pursuing.

Understand your child’s interest and liking: It is very important to observe your child during his free time and what he loves to do to pass the time. If you find that your son loves to draw shapes and color, then give him some color pencils and encourage him to draw. The main thing is to discover the hidden talent in your child and nurture it. This will help to find some ways to expand the interest through hobbies.

Find opportunities to expose them to various activities: Initially, try a different hobby for your child every few days to find what interests him the most. You can help him to join a dance class or a swimming class and probably get him a drawing book and ask him to color it. This will help you to understand whether he is happy sitting and watching or is he participating actively in it. Sometimes kids love to follow their parents and so share your hobbies with them like gardening or cooking, which he can join even some time later.

Encouragement is always good: As parents, it is very important to encourage your child and help him to move forward with the activity that he loves to do. In case your kid loves to collect coins, then you can encourage him to find some coins or different currencies of different countries. In the initial years they will need your help to build up the hobby, but after a few years you will be surprised to see how they can easily manage on their own. So, boost their confidence by appreciating their work whenever necessary.

Allot some time for hobby every week:  Allocating some fixed time every week for at least an hour or two will definitely help your child to work on his interest. This will not only offer a break from the daily schedule, but will also refresh the mind. Indoor hobbies like reading or cooking can be taken up on a regular basis, but for outdoor hobbies like swimming, dancing and etc. you have to fix a time so that he can join the classes.

Learn about the activity yourself:  Understanding your child’s interest is very important and be aware of the fact that it is equally important to gain some knowledge about your child’s activities. Devote some time and learn more about the activity as this will help you to guide your child in the right direction. A now-a-days lot of information is available on the net. All you have to do is to read them and understand and help your child take an active role in it.

While trying to develop your child’s hobby interest, your active participation is needed. Doing things along with them will generate more interest in what they are doing and your kids will also have a sense of security when they have their mom and dad beside them. So, let your child take up any activity that he loves and give him time to learn what he actually likes.