Activities Your Kids Would Love

Previously (in my last topic), I discussed about why it is important to know and support our kids' passion whatever it may be.

If you haven't read it yet, please click on this link and find out why this is important.

Depending on your child's interest, there are actually so many things we could enroll them in to enhance their skill or to just probably find out what activity or hobby best suits them. There is also a plus in enrolling them in different activities and that is we could help them figure out what they're passionate about. The more we expose them to different activities, the closer we can get to figuring out what they want. It's normal for some kids to have no idea what really interests them simply because, let's admit it, kids are kids. Most of the time they just want to play and they don't really know what they want yet. They don't even know what pisses them off or makes them cry sometimes. There are exemptions though. Some kids already know what they want from a young age and they stick to that decision until they grow up. Since children are still trying to figure out what they want, we, as parents shouldn't get mad if after some time our child would tell us that they don't like to attend their activities anymore or if they decide to try something else. Discovering something that would keep their interest takes a lot of time for most kids. It's just like building a skyscraper. We don't see the beauty of it in a day. But when we finish it, we will just look in awe. It's just the same as kids discovering their passion.

Sure, having them change from one activity to another every time they tell us they're not interested in the current one anymore can be financially challenging to us, parents. And it is also frustrating so this is where compromise comes in. It's either we let them choose whether they want to finish the current activity first and then we'll enroll them in something else or we let them stop but they need to wait patiently until the funds are ready before they can start a new one. Remember not to force them. We need to let them make choices on their own. This is one way for us to show that we support them and also it's a way to help them establish independence.

Kids are very curious beings. Some of them would like to try new things while some stick to what they have already started. But mind you, they would only stick to learning a certain thing if it picks their interest and eventually might become their passion. And this is where our role as parents come in. We help them discover it.

This is the reason why I think it's important to enroll them in different activities especially during the summer breaks when they (including us of course) have a lot of time on our hands. I'm not saying to just enroll them during summer breaks. If they want to do their chosen activity even during the school year, and as long as our time and finances allow us, then why not, right?! The more they actually do their chosen activity, the greater their potential will also be.

That being said, here are a few activities you can let your kids get busy with.

1. Ballet. I think ballet is one of the most popular activity for girls though boys can also do this. The good thing about ballet is that it's open for all ages. You can enroll your child as early as 2 years old in baby ballet. Kids who are below 3 years old though don't follow their teachers very well and prefer playing most of the time but it would be a good exposure for kids especially little girls so they can figure out if they want to dance in the future. Ballet is also the basic to all dance steps, if kids learn how to dance ballet, basically learning how to dance ballroom, hip hop or anything else will be easier for them. So moms and dads, if you want your kids to be great dancers, enroll them in ballet first. Another plus for this is that, just in case your kid wants to go to Broadway when he or she grows up, this will look pretty good on their resume'.

2. Music lessons. Music is the language of the heart and soul. Enrolling your kids early on will make them really good musicians in the future. Depending on the instrument though, there is an appropriate age to learn different instruments. Kids can start taking piano lessons as early as 5 or 6 years old as long as their hands aren't too small to reach the keys and as long as they can understand and follow instructions properly and focus. Focus is key! They are also required to read a little or they can learn it along the way. Violin though requires older kids. Usually it would be age 7-8 to start learning how to play the violin. Playing the violin requires more patience in children since at the beginning the music they create won't sound that good which might make them bored or frustrated. The guitar and ukulele is just like the piano. 6 years old would be the best age to start learning since reaching the strings might require them to have bigger hands than a 3 or 4 year old. It doesn't mean though that kids who are younger can't learn the musical instrument yet. You can try letting them learn as early as you want since some kids do learn earlier than others. And a good suggestion too is to expose them early on so they can start developing a curiosity to playing musical instruments. Let them play with it even if they don't know how to make music and even though it might sound really terrible. A plus for this? If your kids are really into musical instruments, they can learn multiple instruments. They can join a band, an orchestra or the conservatory and become musical directors when they grow up. There are so many possibilities and yes, there is actually money in music as long as you keep working hard for it. You don't need to be famous to earn a big sum of money.

3. Swimming. Swimming classes are great for kids since they love playing with water and it is a great survival training for them as well. I think if there is one thing we should let our kids learn, it is swimming. It removes their fear of water and they won't miss out on having fun with different water activities. This is a life skill and would come handy for certain jobs like joining the marines, becoming a lifeguard, a surfer or anything you can think of related to water. If they want to be an Olympic swimmer, I think this would be a great start.

4. Martial arts. Martial arts such as Taekwondo, Karate or MMA is a good way to teach our kids self defense. In a world that is not so safe from school bullies or even predators eyeing on little boys or little girls, I think it's important for children to learn how to defend themselves when the need arises. I'm not saying that they should hurt their bullies but when the need arises and they need to protect themselves, then at least martial arts would be helpful. As Mister Miyagi said in Karate Kid, "Fighting is bad. But if you have to fight, win!" We just need to properly talk to our kids about situations when they should use it. Another plus for it, they can be a stunt for an action film (which I think can be dangerous), a coach, a PE instructor and some schools even offer scholarship for such athletes.

5. Different Language Courses. As they say, children's ability to learn languages is very fast as compared to adults. If we start them at a very young age, their retention will be higher than those of adults which makes it easier for children to learn a different language. Learning a different language aside from English is a plus especially in our world today. Try enrolling them in Mandarin, Spanish, French, Japanese or even Arabic for a change. Who knows, this might just be handy when they start looking for a job in the future as other countries cannot use English that well.

6. Painting. Painting is not for everyone. There are those who are extra creative and I personally think we should enhance it. In a world full of creativity, this would come very handy. Designers, architects, digital designers etc. These are high paid jobs that not all people look at. If your kid has the hand for it, then why not enhance it?

7. Cooking/baking classes. Yes, some institutions or facilities offer to teach this skill to kids. This requires full supervision though and more suitable for older kids. Believe it or not, kids aged 5 can start learning this skill. To kids, they find joy and fulfillment when they create something or more when they cook something. This is a good skill to learn since it is another life skill and can send them to the culinary world as they grow up.

8. Arts and crafts. Arts and crafts can refine our kids' motor skills. It enhances eye and hand coordination. This is different from painting since this will allow kids to make stuff out of different materials. Pottery, bracelet/necklace making, bag making etc. will be under this category.

9. Sports. Sports has a wide array. Like soccer or baseball or basketball or gymnastics among others. The good thing about enrolling kids to sports is that it helps them develop a strong sense to be fit and lead a healthy lifestyle. The good thing about being into sports and being good at it can help kids get scholarships in different schools. Some schools even provide allowances for these athletes and they get the chance to compete in other places in the future.

These are just a few of the things we can enroll our kids in. There are other stuff we could let them do. The idea is limitless. Like learning how to tap dance for example. Just remember that we should let them choose what they want to do and not to force them to do something just because we want them to. Our role as parents is to be there to guide our children and make them have a meaningful and happy life.

Are there other activities you think kids will enjoy that will help them find their passion? Share them in the comment section down below.