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4. Follow their lead. You might have your heart set on a baseball player but he may prefer the violin. He will only find enjoyment and receive the above-stated benefits if it’s something he truly enjoys.

5. Help them to develop their hobby. Your little painter may need you to dole out some money for supplies. Some hobbies can be quite expensive, especially collector hobbies! Stay within your budget of course, but see the value in helping your child pursue her passions.

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Hobbies to Explore:

Sports Hobbies

Playing sports provides the benefits of learning teamwork, practice, perseverance, resilience, and of course provides exercise and health benefits. It is, however, one of the most time consuming hobbies. Be prepared for weekday and early morning practices and weekend or evening games several days a week for the season. Equipment and uniforms can be costly as well. However, nothing quite beats the feeling of seeing your child’s practice and hard work pay off and the boost of self-confidence it brings them.

Performing Arts

The performing arts are a great way for children to boost their creativity, learn communication and self-discipline, develop interpersonal skills, and express themselves. The performing arts include acting, singing, playing a musical instrument, ballet, dance, magic, and puppetry to name a few.

Visual Arts

The importance of art in education is well documented. Simply put, art helps children develop better. Providing language development, motor skills development, inventiveness, and creative expression, your child may find interest in painting, drawing, pottery, sculpting, printmaking, photography, filmmaking, or drawing.

Collecting

From your basic rock collection to an amazing fossil collection, collecting can be a fun and interesting hobby for your child. Collecting can build observational skills and organizational thinking and can enhance social connections. The lot at the comic book stores always look like a happy, tight-knit bunch. People collect many different things for many reasons, but here are some beginner ideas: Stamps, shells, action figures, coins, comic books, trading cards, gems and minerals, and antiques. Hey, your child probably already has a good collection of fidget spinners!

Outdoor Hobbies

Spending time outdoors reduces anxiety, provides time to connect with one another and with nature, plus often provides healthy physical activity. Hiking, camping, fishing, geocaching, rock climbing, archery, and astronomy are just some of the potential hobbies your child may find interesting.

Rebecca Eanes is the bestselling author of multiple books including Positive Parenting: An Essential Guide, The Positive Parenting Workbook, and The Gift of a Happy Mother. She is the grateful mom of two boys.