5 of the Best Educational Hobby Ideas for Kids
“Mom, I so BO-oooored!” Ah, the call of the smart, under-amused kid, often heard in the summer when “go outside and play” just doesn’t cut it for them. Kids that don’t enjoy team sports or have difficulty making friends need an outlet to stimulate their interests and help them enjoy their free time. Here are five of the best educational hobby ideas for kids that could pull your child out of a rut and into a community of like-minded hobby enthusiasts.
Lepidoptery, Entomology, or Ichthyology
These are fancy words for collecting and studying butterflies, bugs, or fish. Insects can be fascinating, and kids can make scientific contributions by observing and counting them. Many insect species are endangered, and kids who care about the environment can connect with public resources seeking volunteer observers to monitor populations.
If your kid isn’t that into bugs, another way to learn about nature is through ichthyology, or the study of fish. We’re not talking Jaws here: just setting up a freshwater aquarium at home offers the chance to learn about how the environment affects plants and animals and how aquatic plants and fish benefit each other in an aquarium.
Collecting
Whether it’s coins, stamps, rocks, dolls, shells, or in-the-box action figures, collecting is an invitation to learn about history, nature, culture (pop or otherwise,) and the economics of rare things. Baseball cards are still a thing, as are vintage toys. Follow your child’s interests to discover together whether they can develop a collection.
Baking
Many adults have fond memories of helping their parents in the kitchen, cracking eggs into a bowl or measuring sugar to make cookies. Baking teaches math and even chemistry (why yeast makes bread rise, for example,) all while spurring the delicious anticipation of sharing something yummy. Buy some child-sized aprons, get out the mixing bowls and measuring cups, and see what your child wants to bake today.
Reading
You may not think of reading as a hobby—more like a necessity. But bookworms know the joy of getting lost in a good story or learning something new about animals, history, or sports in a book. A trip to the library becomes a cherished adventure when your child discovers “their” shelf, where the kinds of books they love can be found, borrowed, and loved.
Chess
You may have a future grandmaster growing up right under your nose. If you child loves problem-solving games like crossword or jigsaw puzzles, they may enjoy learning chess. If they like it, they’ll soon be extending their hand across the board, offering you a draw. If you refuse, the next word you hear may be “checkmate!”
We hope you’ve found some inspiration for your child in one of these five best educational hobby ideas for kids. Just remember that, above all else, hobbies are supposed to be fascinating and fun—the educational aspect is an added bonus!
Photo – Engine Akyurt
