Guest article from resilientchild.com

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For many parents, finding the time to spend with their kids isn’t the only problem they face when it comes to quality bonding; there’s also the problem of finding the right activities. Choosing something that is age-appropriate, fun, and safe can be more challenging than one may think, and it can lead to stress and anxiety as well. 

Yet, it doesn’t have to be that way. Finding fun things to do with your child is often a matter of thinking about the activities you used to enjoy yourself when you were younger. Showing your little one how to enjoy those same things can help form a bond that lasts a lifetime, and it’s a great way to spend a fun weekend or even just a couple of hours before bedtime. Don’t limit yourself to indoor or outdoor activities no matter what the weather is like; think about some fun ways to enjoy the outdoors even when it’s raining or snowing.

Keep reading for some great tips on how to have fun with your kids all throughout the year.

Build It

Most kids love to work on a project with Dad, whether it’s playing with building blocks or creating something with wood and nails. Look for something you can build together, be it a fort on a rainy day or a birdhouse to place in the backyard. Not only does the process help you create a bond with one another, but working together toward a finished product will also boost your child’s self-esteem and confidence. 

Get Silly

It’s rare to find a child who doesn’t like to get silly from time to time, so take a moment out of the day to put aside seriousness; push aside the furniture in the living room and make up silly dances together, or use paper and markers to create fun monster masks for each other. Not only will this help your child use his imagination, but it will also allow you to destress and forget about the worries that life can bring.

Bring the Outdoors In

When the weather is too nasty to go outside and play, bring the outdoors in… in a sense. Set up a tent in the living room, complete with sleeping bags, and have an indoor campout. Cook up some s’mores in the microwave and have a carpet picnic with sandwiches and finger-foods. Or, you can ask your child about their favorite animals or what faraway places they’d like to visit someday and look up information online. This is a great way to help your little one learn about other cultures and broaden his horizons.

Make Education Fun

There are many ways you can mix education with fun for your child, such as finding activities that teach real-life math and science skills. Drafting plans for and building a dollhouse, learning about engineering by making rubber band helicopters, or looking for ways to incorporate money skills so your child can learn about finance will help them have fun while learning skills that will help them in life. Go here for some great lesson plans for all ages. 

Finding fun ways to bond with your child will be beneficial to you both, building up a relationship while you make memories your child will keep forever. Look for activities you can do that will promote self-esteem and learning, as these will help your child in school and in life, and remember to relax and enjoy yourself during the process. Have fun with it! The more you enjoy yourself, the more your child will feel it and enjoy himself as well.

Photo via Pixabay by Dagon

Learning how to get a handle on your finances isn’t something that comes automatically when you reach adulthood; it takes quite a bit of patience and trial and error to get it right, and even the most responsible people sometimes have trouble keeping their finances in order. It’s important to be knowledgeable not just about your current finances but how to keep them in good shape for the future as well, especially if you have kids or are planning to down the road. It’s hard to know where to begin; however, saving money is sometimes easier said than done, and without a cushion, things can get dire pretty quickly.

A good plan will go a long way toward helping you figure out the most important of your financial responsibilities, as will getting organized and talking to a pro who can help you calculate your current worth and assets. Your home, savings accounts, and investments should all be taken into consideration when you’re going over a financial plan. 

Keep reading for some great tips on how to get a handle on your money, both now and for the future.

Include the Family in Your Planning

Setting a budget and learning how to keep your finances in good standing can be an excellent learning opportunity for your children, so consider talking to them about spending and saving. Even kids as young as 5 years old can benefit from learning about how money works; you might give your child a few dollars and allow him to pick out a toy the next time you go to the store. Talk about the cost — plus tax — and help him keep track of his change in a piggy bank. 

Start Saving

While it can sometimes be easier said than done, starting a savings account will help you sock away some money a little at a time and garner interest. Whether you want a little cushion for household emergencies, holiday shopping, or to help with your child’s college fund, saving now for the future will give you peace of mind and reduce the risk of any nasty surprises down the road. Do some research on the best type of account for your needs, especially if you want to start a college fund.

Calculate Your Assets

Knowing how much you’re worth is essential when doing any financial planning, so sit down with an advisor and calculate your assets, including your home’s worth. Also, life insurance policies and savings accounts can all have an effect on your value; knowing the number will help you assess where you should begin with budgeting for the future. 

Look at Your Insurance Needs

If you and your spouse both work outside the home, you may have a life insurance option through your job; if you haven’t already, find out how much you can insure one another for and what the cost will be now. Think about where you’ll be five or 10 years down the road; while no one wants to think about potentially leaving their partner alone to raise the family, it will be important to have planned for just such a thing, especially if the kids are still very young. 

Planning for the future financially takes time and patience, so take things slowly and ask for help from a pro if you get stuck. Keep communication with your partner open so that both of you are on the same page, and remember that when it comes to saving, every little bit helps. Don’t get hung up on setting aside a certain amount of money every payday.

Photo via Pixabay by Nosheep

For some children, it can be hard getting into new hobbies. After all, many children just don’t know what hobbies are out there or what activities there are related to their interests. As parents, we all want our children to be involved in activities and hobbies that they find fulfilling, but it can be extremely hard to know where to start.

In this guide, we’ve created a long list of hobbies broken down by interest. There is a fun and fulfilling hobby out there for every child, even if it might take a few tries to find it!

Hobbies for Creative Minds

Is your child naturally creative? There are quite a few activities you can do with your child to encourage creativity. Painting and drawing might be the first hobbies that pop into your head, but there are plenty of other options to choose from. 

Music is a wonderful pastime to introduce to children of all ages, whether they play an instrument, sing, write songs, or simply listen to it. If you think your child has the potential to flourish with this hobby, listen to some music together, and ask them what they love about each tune. Are they humming along, creating new verses, or tapping their feet to the rhythm? Knowing what excites your little one about their favorite songs can help you both decide on a musical pursuit that will be a good fit.

Science can also be fun for creative kids who want to experiment with ingredients. For example, you can captivate your young scientist with an eye-popping rainbow magic milk experiment. You just need a few household items such as cotton swabs, a small bowl, whole milk, liquid dish soap, and food coloring. It’s an easy activity with little cleanup, and your kitchen can be transformed into your science lab. You can teach the scientific reason behind the explosion of colors in the milk. Many of these activities are great for developing hand-eye coordination, self-esteem, and of course, creativity.

You could also try interesting your child in another artistic medium, such as sculpting, knitting, or even candle-making. If you’re not sure where their artistic skills will take them, take a trip to the craft store together and allow them to wander the aisles to see what draws them in. Some craft stores, like Michaels, even offer children’s classes to allow them to explore different techniques and materials. Whatever your child decides to pursue, be sure they have a dedicated area at home to be as creative, messy and loud as they want and where you can store all of their supplies. After all, it sometimes takes a little chaos to create a work of art!

Hobbies for Active Bodies

If your child is high-energy, there are lots of hobbies out there that can help them develop their physical aptitude while also allowing them to burn off some steam. Depending on your child’s age and specific interests, it might be time to consider getting them involved in an organized sport, such as soccer or T-ball. However, if you decide to go this route, it is important not to overemphasize your child’s sports activities. According to Psychology Today, many kids are overcoached and spend too much time participating in sports, which leads to many burning out before their teen years.

If your child isn’t interested in organized sports, there are lots of other activities they can do, such as skating, bike riding and rock climbing. Try taking them on bike trails, to skateboard parks or to indoor rock climbing gyms where they can practice and become part of a community.

Hobbies for Outdoor Lovers

Does your child love nature and the outdoors? There are many hobbies that involve getting outside and exploring. Some of the most popular ones include gardening and hiking. However, your child might also be interested in geocaching, backyard camping, or birdwatching. With such a huge range of outdoor activities available, you should carefully consider your child’s interest and activity level before choosing one. After all, a child who can hardly sit still is not going to be able to sit quietly long enough to birdwatch, and a kiddo who loves meditative, slow activity probably isn’t going to enjoy white water rafting.

Hobbies for Collectors

Collecting items has always been a popular hobby. The best part about getting children interested in collecting is that they can choose what to collect based on their interests. Baseball cards and coins might be traditional choices, but just about anything your child is interested in can be morphed into a collection hobby. According to Rewire Me, collecting is good for your brain. It builds observational skills, improves organization, and teaches children to be gentle and careful with their belongings.

Childhood is a time to explore interests and passions. Your child doesn’t have to commit to playing soccer or decide that they want to observe birds if they give them a try and don’t enjoy them. Offer some of the hobbies listed above for inspiration to help your children explore their interests and perhaps find a lifelong passion.

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