Depending on what your style of parenting is, you may be more or less hands-on with the interests your child develops. Of course, there are disadvantages to either extreme. A parent who forces their child to partake in a particular hobby may prevent their natural expression and make them feel bitter about engaging in it. However, a parent who doesn’t take any interest in a child’s hobbies might lead them to an underdeveloped character, or not making good on talents and interests they have.

As such, a nice balance is a great idea. But what if your child isn’t sure what they want to do? After all, being a child is hard enough, let alone trying to figure out what hobbies to do, or what extracurricular classes to take. While screen time is what all the kids seem to be doing, it’s not always so helpful, and so finding hobbies outside of that can be great.

So, are there better hobbies to introduce to your child? Let’s look at at what those are, along with some helpful tips to get started:

Martial arts

Martial arts can be an excellent hobby to introduce to children. It’s great for starting physical fitness and learning discipline, and it also teaches valuable life skills, such as respect and self-control.

Some parents assume that martial arts teach a child how to fight, but actually, they teach them how to avoid fights, de-escalate conflict, and to be observant. That could keep your child safe in a dangerous situation. Enrolling them in a martial arts class can help them build confidence too, and stay active, not to mention learning self-defense techniques in a safe and structured environment.

Find a martial arts school that shows its values and is happy to explain the culture and core elements behind the discipline. Some schools put on these classes, or private lessons is another way to go.

This activity can be part of a healthy childhood. A great youth class can encourage them, get them excited about the hobby, and help keep them safe.

Chess & puzzles

Chess and puzzles are fantastic hobbies that, if taught early, can teach your child to be a little more focused, to think laterally, and to enjoy gentle competition outside of team sports. Chess can present many different logic problems, but the basic rules are relatively easy to learn and play with. For that reason, a child could even go up against an adult. You might have a game going with your little one, which can be a great way to bond.

You could even start by introducing your child to simple puzzles and games appropriate for their age and skill level, and work through problems with them. While you may want to get them away from video games, playing puzzle games can be a fun time. As they progress step by step, you could gradually increase the difficulty and complexity, such as working through logic or even ethical problems.

Does this mean you need to raise a super genius who thinks all the time? Not at all, but it can be a nice thing to get your child into and to talk about, especially if they show an interest in those kinds of challenges. You might start by joining a local chess club to get them involved.

Creative arts & crafts are great hobbies for kids

Encouraging your child to explore creative arts and crafts can be terrific for their imagination. It’s also quite a cheap hobby given how many craft items you can get from local stores for a relatively small purchase.

Activities like painting, drawing, sculpting, origami, or jewelry-making, or even specific kits like comic book paper and training kits can be a great creative outlet. If you’re a parent interested in those hobbies, you might even get involved!

It’s nice to have a craft area in your home for this kind of messy work. Then you could work together on small projects like putting together a nice craft kit, drawing, painting with watercolors, and more. It’s just nice to explore that creative sense of fun, and having drawings to stick on your refrigerator or frame on the wall is nice too.

Gardening & conservation

Gardening and conservation activities are often great for building that sense of connection with nature and the environment – and not only in children! If you have a green space as part of your household (don’t worry, indoor gardens are a thing too), it’s a great opportunity to plant a few seeds or show the basics of maintenance.

You might involve them in planting, tending to a garden, or participating in community clean-up efforts locally too. This hobby teaches kids about responsibility, patience, and the importance of caring for the world around them. To be honest, more people could have benefited from this as kids.

Better yet, you can start small by growing a few easy-to-maintain plants or herbs in your backyard or on a balcony. You don’t need to win any competitions or post your garden online, just have fun with it, and show the interest and tips you’ve developed over a little time as well.

Music & instruments

Music and playing an instrument are some of the best hobbies for children because they’re highly productive and can really encourage a sense of confidence. Just make sure that you’re prepared for that instrument to be poorly played for hours in your house as they learn – if you’re not happy with banging drums three hours a night, that’s fine, but find a good alternative!

But it doesn’t just have to be about practice. You might expose your child to several different musical genres and instruments to gauge their interests and even share your own preferences. Many schools have music lessons that can be paid into for cheap, and it’s not a bad place to start at all.

More hobbies for children: Writing & reading

Cultivating a love for writing and especially reading from an early age can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to think and express themselves. They don’t have to read Charles Dickens or Shakespeare (at least at first); simply reading books that they appreciate or feel connected to can be a nice place to start.

There are many excellent children’s books. Reading both modern and classicsto them is a wonderful place to start that habit. Thik about the fantastic books you’ll be able to introduct to your little one!