6 reasons collecting is a good kid hobby

I myself find a great deal of joy and fulfillment in a variety of hobbies and I think it is helpful for kids too. It could be anything: nature items, coins, foreign money, baseball cards, bottles, pins, rocks, fossils, signs, license plates, hats, whatever. This is what I think collecting does for kids:

1) Helps develop a sense of identity and self. If they are collecting along with a parent, it gives a sense of family identity, or if alone, a sense of personal identity.

2) It gives them a constructive use of their time. Collecting can fill up lots of time and give you an alternative to hours on end of TV, computer or video games. Most parents today know what I'm talking about :)

3) It works their research, memory and learning muscles. They have to seek out information on their collection, learn about it, remember, delve into a topic beyond the usual surface information. It's a great skill to have.

4) It can be a source of confidence and accomplishment. They can show it to friends and relatives, share their  knowledge, and see the results of their efforts.

5) It encourages bonding - either with friends or with parents who share the same collecting habit. It's something you can do together, good quality time.

6) It can eventually help them be more social if they get involved in clubs associated with their collection.

Here are Brady's: a coin collection we work on together and a baseball collection his father has gotten him started on.