Hobby activities for young children are a great way to keep them occupied fruitfully, a way of creatively filling those gaps in which they may whine I'm bored. Hobby activities are what fills those long rainy days, those snow-bound winters, or even blistering hot summer days. That's Tip No. 6 for you and it has to be seen as separate from craft and art, music, sport, and fitness.
All you have to do is get them interested in the pursuit of one of many simple hobbies for kids and they'll take it from there. Hobby activities do not have to be state-of-the-art affairs. Although collecting matchbox pictures may not be in vogue any more, there are other affordable hobbies that are equally fun.
When choosing hobby activities for your children you'd do well to make sure that,
- They are not terribly expensive to pursue
- It is something a young child can take an interest in and keep up
- It is a simple activity to begin with
- It can be developed as the child grows and continue to excite him
- It can be confined to her spare time and not overtake study and other activities
- You spare at least some time to show an interest in her hobby
- It can be pursued independently by your child without needing you to chaperone
- It can be done at home and does not require your chauffeuring
Kids hobbies used to be a normal part of growing up in the good old days. Think baseball cards, stamp, coin collection, or even butterfly collection. But these days even young children don't seem to have the time to spare for a hobby.
However, when you get down to brass tacks what exactly is it that keeps your young kids busy? Television? Video games? Long phone conversations, perhaps? Do you even know? Well, you'll certainly have more of an idea of what they are up to in their spare time if you introduced them to a big, fat hobby when you had a chance; that is in their early formative years.
A hobby is an activity you pursue for sheer enjoyment and personal satisfaction. Starting your child on one is one of the greatest gifts you can bestow on her. As a parent or chief caregiver, you are the best person to figure out where your child's interests lie. Is she a collector of stuff, clever with her fingers, great at jigsaws
, a book 
lover?
Kids hobby activities could begin with simple stuff like collecting rocks, pebbles, or sea-shells. It could grow into sorting and learning more about the different types. Then there's a botanical version where you give him an old dictionary in which he can press leaves and flowers to dry. Soon he'll have hundreds of them and of course, ultimately learn all about it and grow up to be an expert. And to think it all started as a childhood hobby.
All photographs courtesy morguefile.com
Art and craft for the older child is replete with possibilities. It gives parents a chance to brush up on their dusty craft skills and show off a bit. This is certainly one of those things that make parenting fun. Take care, however, to curb your enthusiasm and not turn it into a full-fledged art and crafts competition with your 7 year old. With a minimum of time and effort, parents and kids get to spend relaxing and rewarding moments in each other's company. Say goodbye to those So what do you wanna do? long weekends with a happy schedule of arts and crafts. 
