Kids these days have access to so many things that my generation did not. I routinely think “I wish they did that when I was younger!” but alas, I can’t go back in time. The next best thing for me to do is get Kian involved in some interesting activites. Also I’m constantly reading about how kids these days are overweight and hardly do any exercise and I don’t want Kian falling into that statistic!

hobbies-for-kids

The easiest option is to put your kids in the same groups as their friends and the most well known groups in your area, but I think it’s a great idea to try and branch out a bit and get them into something new. A new sport maybe (martial arts,archery,squash) or a less mainstream dance class? What about cookery? Crafts?

Break dancing has become really popular since groups like Diversity appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, so that’s always an option! Looks really fun.

How about learning a language? The earlier the start the easier it is for them to get into it. Muzzy is a great little cartoon character who teaches children foreign languages in a fun environment. This can be done at home so no need to worry about ferrying your kids around.

I started by looking at my local council’s website and found a few interesting bits - a music and crafts group, a music group with puppets and instrument and drama schools - not a bad selection considering he isn’t even two yet! Sale, where I live, has a great community website with other activities so have a Google and see if there’s one for your local area.

The hobby doesn’t need to be something that they have to go to lessons for - how about activities you can help them with? Bird watching, flying kites and becoming a collector are all good examples. Or how about following a local sports team together?

Have a think about the activities you and your partner enjoy or used to take part in, as well as the activities you think your child would be good at. Give them a chance to make up their own mind and recognise when they’re not having fun or if they’re not giving it a chance! Of course as well as their enjoyment you need to think about the cost to you and the convenience.

To kit the kids out for their new activities have a look at Get The Label for sports labels at discounted prices, including Adidas, Nike and Lacoste, from as little as £4.99.

What kind of hobbies do your kids have?