HOBBIES FOR CHILDREN

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 68, Issue 5, 15 May 1944, Page 393

HOBBIES FOR CHILDREN

'T’HE . children of this country are indeed fortunate in having parents who are alert to their mental needs as well as their physical welfare. The cultivation of hobbies which foster the development of natural talents and the ability to use leisure rightly is of incalculable benefit not only in childhood, but throughout the whole of life. lam pleased to find that mothers stress the importance of the choice of hobby being determined by each child’s personal tastes and inclination. “A.8.C.”, Lowry Bay, and “Young Mother”, Nelson, tied for first place, and the second prize was awarded to “Felicity,” Manawatu. . /$

First Prize ( equal HAPPY the children whose parents realise the value of hobbies and foster a love for them by encouragement and provision of suitable materials. These children will always find something to think about and do in their spare time and will Team to be both skilled and useful. I consider, however, that the most important use of hobbies is as a source of character training. We should watch our children to see what things most interest them. If they have a constructive bent they will be delighted with a set of tools of their very own and get great pleasure from making various articles. These may at first be crude and clumsy, but the child has had the joy of creating something and in time it is really surprising what wonderful things he can make with a hammer, nails and a few pieces of wood. Meccano, too, is a never-ending source of amusement to some children, and what excellent training it gives in concentration, precision and initiative. Paste, paints and scissors have their appeal even the tiny tots enjoy using them. The gay colours and pretty shapes and the arrangement of the pictures are of great use in artistic education. Children should be encouraged to make scrap-books for younger brothers or sisters or for the hospitals and they should also be taught to tidy up- and put their materials away when they have finished.

For girls the care of their dolls is usually a favourite hobby. What pleasure they derive from making their clothes and washing and ironing them; in taking their dolls for outings and bathing them and putting them to bed —all helpful training for “little mothers.” If stamps appeal to your children as they grow older it is wise to encourage* such a hobby, as this helps them with their geography, interests them in, other countries, and so broadens their outlook on life; while the sorting and arranging and exchanging of the stamps will keep them busy for hours.

Most boys and girls are keenly interested in Nature,, especially when their attention is called to its wonders and beauties, and they love to collect such things as leaves and flowers, insects, shells, and different kinds of rocks and pebbles. Parents should help them to name and classify their specimens. Every child should have his own garden where he can watch the seeds grow and tend the plants. Through their close contact with Nature children’s lives are enriched: wherever they go they will find something of interest; something which costs little or nothing and takes them out into the fresh air; something which counteracts the feverish rush and excitement of so much of our modern entertainment; and above all, something which increases their reverence for the Creator.— “A.8.C.”, Lowry Bay.

First Prize (equal): T“' , VERY child should be encouraged EVERY child should be encouraged I j to have hobbies. The more varied they are the more worthwhile and interesting his own life will be. It is best to let the child choose for himself —he will know what interests him most, but every child should be taught to love and appreciate Nature. He should be given a garden plot of his own, for either vegetables or flowers. To watch the young seedlings unfold and grow into something beautiful (and perhaps edible) is a lesson in itself to a young child. . The weeding and general ' upkeep of the plot will give him responsibility.' Poultry keeping is very good for the older child, not only the tending but buying the feed and selling the eggs and learning the value of money thereby.

If a child shows musical talent, or even if he is merely musically inclined, it is beneficial to himself and the rest , of the family to help along this gift by professional aid. Stamp and card collecting increase a child’s general knowledge, and his choice of reading matter will undoubtedly reflect his character. Having penfriends is a grand hobby, specially if the friend is in another country. It will give the child an insight into the lives and customs of the people of that country and he might even learn the rudiments of another language. Cooking and lighter household duties can be pleasing and instructive to a girl. She . should be encouraged to do both plain sewing and embroidery. Fishing will nave more , appeal to boys and teaches them much . concerning aquatic life, as well as the - virtue of patience. . For the. older, lad yachting and rowing , are healthy and musclebuilding. Carpentry and . minor engineering should be taught to those inter—not only is it handy to 'be able to make various gadgets for relatives and friends, but it is an absorbing hobby in itself and may prove to be the beginning of a career in later life.

Finally, the children’s pages in newspapers and magazines are a wonderful

outlet for young imaginations. Writing for 'these pages teaches them the art of self-expression and doubtless will improve spelling and grammar, too! “Young Mother”, Nelson. Second Prize: CHILDREN have a vast amount of energy and if they find themselves with time on their hands and nothing to do, they may, lacking guidance, often find the wrong way of using up this energy. All children should be encouraged, therefore, to take up some hobby. An attempt should be made first to discover the child’s natural “bent” or inclination and the parent or teacher can do a great deal to influence the choice and direct it in the right channels. All forms of self-expression are good hobbies. Weaving, painting and modelling help to develop the mind and are a wonderful medium of expression for the inarticulate child. As well as the higher forms of art, cooking, gardening, dressmaking and carpentry are interests which are well worth cultivating, and will be profitable to - the child in after life. . Circumstances and environment often play a part in the selection of a hobby. Letters from a relative in a foreign land may lead to stamp collecting which, in turn, stimulates interest in geography. > Similarly, collecting in a scrap-book photos of royalties and celebrities and items of interest adds to a child’s general knowledge. If a child lives near the bush, learning to recognise native trees, and with a lathe, turning native wood into bowls, paper knives, etc., is very profitable. Bee-keeping, with a little assistance, is not beyond the older child and presents an endless field of interest. All children should be encouraged to read, not to the exclusion of other hobbies, but rather in correlation with them. Reading can have a great influence for good or ill; thus parents would be - wise > to supervise their children’s choice of books. Music may be a hobby for some children, but often it is just another lesson to be learnt. On the other hand elocution is a simpler mode of expression and for the “tom-boy” I think nothing is better than dancing. One of the chief aims of our modern education is to teach a proper use of leisure. A good hobby does more than keep a / child out of mischief; it achieves this educational purpose and in so doing develops his talents and character.— Felicity”, Manawatu. ; ■■■ ■■' : ■: ■■ '' '■ ' < Highly Commended: T '’HE choice of a hobby lies with the X •; child—it can’t be imposed by the parents. It would be useless and harm-

ful to insist that a child take a practical interest in music when his .whole bent is towards mechanics, or to urge that aeroplanes and electricity be the most important interest when’ his greatest joy is to express himself with paint or pencil. I do not think it matters what he chooses for a hobby as long as it is something through which he can progress and widen his horizons. The parents’ part is to encourage and admire, to provide books, instruments or material for construction, according to the nature of the hobby. It is also good for the child to give him extra work to do about the home and pay him for it, so that he may himself earn the money to pay for his hobby. This helps to accustom him to the conditions he will meet when he goes into the world. and has to “pay his own way.” If he takes over the care of the fowls or the vege-

table garden, this is an opportunity for training in practical living. He should be taught to keep account of his costs and mother could pay for the eggs and produce he provides for the household. Looking after animals is very good discipline, also. To have some helpless creature dependent on him for care gives him a sense of responsibility and an outlet for his emotions of tenderness and love which he, in his turn, receives from the adults around him. “Late-comer”, Feilding. Childhood Childhood is only the moment when the bird flying into the lighted hall has still some dew of the night from which he came upon his feathers. From “People of Importance.”

Competitions. June I am looking forward to hearing about your activities from the entries for the winter competition “How I spend the winter evenings.” Closing date, June 15. July Have you ever felt in an introspective mood and reflected upon various happenings in the course of your life? Often when we look back over a period of years we can see how some event —unsought and unwelcome at the time, perhaps- altered the whole tenor of existence, widening our outlook and enriching us thereby. lam sure all of you have encountered some such experience, so how about recording it for the benefit of other “Good Neighbours”? “A CHANGE WHICH MARKED A TURNING-POINT IN MY LIFE.” There are two prizes, 10/- for the first and 5/- for second. Replies must be in by July 15. “MARY,” C/o. “Journal of Agriculture,” P.O. Box 3004, Wellington.