Finding ways to occupy the kids over summer vacation is a challenge for every parent. With many hours to fill, it’s a great time for them to pick up a new hobby. Learning new hobbies isn’t just fun, however. Kids can learn a lot of useful life skills by finding a new and enjoyable way to spend their time. Here are a few useful hobbies for kids to learn this summer that will pay off for a lifetime.
8 Useful Hobbies for Kids to Learn During the Summer
Cooking
Get your kids in the kitchen and start teaching them how to prepare delicious meals for friends and family. Not only will this make them self-sufficient and able to feed themselves, but they’ll learn how to follow directions, measurement, and a little patience. Who knows, maybe they will become a chef someday.
Writing
Whether kids take up journaling or try creative writing, they will be learning wonderful communication skills that will serve them for a lifetime. They’ll learn to organize their thoughts, communicate clearly, and often can become more empathetic because of the connections made to emotional concepts through writing. When my kids were younger, I would have them tell me their stories and I would write them in the computer. Now, they write their own stories.
Acting
Children who take part in acting will learn to be strong public speakers and better communicators. Learning to step away from your own reactions and play a role can help some children gain coping skills in difficult situations and also teach empathy as they roleplay and take on the emotions of a character. There are many acting and performance classes available during the summer months. Check with your local community center for ideas.
Photography
Kids who take up photography will gain a better appreciation of the world around them. They will look for the unique and beautiful things in every situation. In addition, they will learn valuable technical skills as they start to understand adjusting settings and going through the editing process. My daughter picked up photography on our trip to Europe this summer.
Hiking
Getting outside and hiking provides great physical exercise, but there is more to learn, as well. They will learn critical thinking skills by planning and preparing for their hike, plus will get a better grasp on how to properly read a map. My kids have enjoyed hiking for years. We always include it in our summer activities.
Sewing
Sewing, whether by hand or with a machine, seems to be a lost art. Knowing how to thread a needle, sew on a button, or hem a pair of pants can come in handy all throughout your child’s life. They can save money in the future on having clothing altered or repaired, enjoy the benefits of being able to create clothing for themselves, and wonderful handmade gifts for others. Some fabric stores offer sewing classes, but you might find a senior in your area more than happy to teach your child.
Robotics
Robotics teaches kids wonderful STEM skills that can be a great base for a future career. They will get hands-on learning opportunities to gain technology skills, work on problem solving, and build on their own creativity. Many libraries and local tech schools have summer classes and robotics camps for kids.
Construction
Any type of building hobby can provide wonderful skills for the future. There are so many choices like woodworking, model building, just putting together LEGO kits. They’ll learn critical thinking and problem solving, how to follow instructions. In addition, they will build hand-eye coordination and attention to detail as they put together their latest creations.
Hobbies for Kids
These hobbies are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to useful ways to pass the time in the summer. Take a look at your child’s interests and see what other hobbies would be a good fit. Teach them the skills they need to prepare them for the future. You’ll be sure to find a great hobby for them to learn this summer that will help them to grow and learn.
Very useful for parents article. I found a lot of interesting things for myself. It would be cool if you supplemented it with information about a hobby for the summer for little children 2-3 years. I will very much wait, since I am the mother of a two-year-old boy
Basic building with large duple legos can introduce little ones to the idea of construction. Another idea is to get him a little tool bench. My son LOVED this when he was little.