Holiday Hobbies

Ladies' Mirror, Volume V, Issue 6, 1 December 1926, Page 73

Holiday Hobbies

T l ' summer holidays,, eagerly awaited because they bring with them the joys of, a stay at the seaside or in the country, will soon be here again. To the children themselves the weeks bring relief from lessons, and the prospect of having “nothing to do” holds for them none of the terrors of boredom it does for their elders. But the holidays may flag, and something very much like boredom result if holiday occupations are lacking. As Kipling wisely moralises, apropos of the camel in “Just-so Stories,” "If we haven’t enough to do, We get the hump, Cameclious hump, The hump that is black and blue.” Holiday hobbies are needed by the children if the holidays are going to be as jolly as they anticipate and if the parents are not to become rather impatient at the length of modern school holidays. There are hobbies suited to a country or seaside holiday; hobbies for out of doors and indoors, for wet days and fine, in any of which the children may find an absorbing interest. They will be disappointed if the grown-ups of the family do not share their interest, at least to some extent; for children do like to be encouraged in their small undertakings. Maying Collections Most young folk like to make collections of things that appeal to them; the ■ actual work of collection is interesting, and the arranging of the specimens is an interesting pastime for a wet day. At the seaside there are shells, pebbles and pretty seaweeds for the children to collect as playthings or some ornaments. Small scallop shells, long razor-shaped shells, in fact, any prettily coloured or shaped shell is worthy of inclusion in the collection. They all need washing well to get rid of the sand and dust they harbour. The Collector s Spirit Star-fish, sea-urchins and many pretty seaweeds also attract the young collectors. There is fun in collecting and there is also fun in preparing and arranging the specimens. Some children tire of their hobby before it reaches this stage: but they have not the true spirit of the collector! When the holiday is over the children can stick their shells on to cardboard or on to wooden boxes, the little pebbles come in handy as counters for card games.