How To Encourage Your Kids To Take Up A Hobby (And Stick To It!)

If your kids are anything like mine, then they pick up and drop a new hobby every week! Not only do you feel like a headless chicken chasing them from one pastime to the next, but it also costs you a fortune to pay for the equipment needed for each. Of course, it’s all part and parcel of them growing up and finding out who they are which is why it is often difficult to say. Ultimately, you don’t want to stifle their creativity or deprive them of the benefits that come from many hobbies. In order to save myself stress and money, I’ve learned a few tricks that have helped my kids to find hobbies that they love and ones which they haven’t given up on (touch wood!). Here are my tips:

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Drop-in hobbies: Thankfully, more and more places are offering drop-in classes where you can go along and try activities out without committing to a course. These are often ongoing so you can just keep paying as you go, instead of paying for a block that your children may not end up completing. So, if your child decides they’ve had enough or even if they just don’t fancy it that week, it won’t cost you. At the same time, they get to try out a lot of different classes until they find one they want to stick to.

At-home hobbies: Your kids may have a number of hobbies they do as part of an organized lesson or class. Although it’s important that they do this to develop their social skills, as well as for the educational benefit, if there is a lot these can add up in time and money. Break them up with a few at-home pastime options. For example, arts and crafts, reading and cycling are all great options. You can still help them to develop their social skills by taking part in these hobbies with them or inviting some of their friends over so they can enjoy these hobbies together. And, although you want to encourage them to stick to their hobbies, if they lose interest in one of these pastimes, it’s not as big of a deal.

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Tailored lessons: I think that one of the reasons why my kids get bored with a hobby quickly is because it doesn’t apply to their particular interests and strengths. Group hobbies tend to be quite general, and there isn’t a lot of one-on-one time. That’s why I think smaller groups or even individual lessons are often more productive and long-lasting. Bespoke Music Tuition, for example, offers music lessons appropriate to a child’s age and level. By arranging for the hobby to be delivered in this way, you know that your children will be learning at a pace that is right for them.

At the end of the day, your kids are likely to want to try a few different hobbies out before they find the ones that they enjoy the most. Luckily, these are just a few things you can do to minimise the stress and financial strain this chopping and changing can cause.

Let me know if you have any tips on this subject!