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12 10th, 2008| 
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Every kid has their own thing. In the long run, a kid’s thing might just be a phase they’re going through, it might be a fleeting fancy that’s here today gone tomorrow. On the other hand, even the most basic understanding of human nature will let you know that playing is how children first begin attaining necessary skill sets for their adult life. The things that kids are most passionate about tend to be those interests that will stay with them their entire lives.
Making sure that you nurture those interests, as a parent, can be the difference between a kid who realizes his or her dreams, and a kid who holds down a boring job while daydreaming about what could’ve been.
Sorry, we don’t mean to paint such a grim picture, but it’s true that positive encouragement can really play a huge role in children following their dreams later in life.
The first step to buying toys to encourage your kid’s interests is, well, to know what those interests are! But really know. A kid who wants to collect all the superhero action figures might not have an interest in superheroes so much as an interest in storytelling, because that’s really what kids are doing, in a way, when they play with action figures; coming up with new adventures for the characters. So it may be a good idea to look into some toys that encourage the imagination. Legos are an obvious choice, of course.
Let’s get one thing straight, though; buying your kid a toy cash register doesn’t mean they’re never going to be anything but a cashier! If your kid takes an interest in managing money, who knows, you might have the next Steve Forbes on your hands. Wherever a kid’s interests take them, it’s positive encouragement that can help them take it to the top, no matter what that interest is. It’s that encouragement that turns an interest into a passion, and a passion into a lifelong ambition.
It’s important to be open minded. Whatever your kid is into, it’s your approval, your encouragement, that can see them really making an impact on whatever field they go into. Sure it’d be great to have a doctor in the family, but being a great carpenter, a great novelist, a great plumber even, anything you put your heart into is a noble ambition.
It’s a little hard to recommend specific toys in this article, because it’s up to you to find out what your kids love doing, but we’ll try our best anyways!
MUSIC
You know those little plastic toy guitars where you hit a button and it plays a song? Those are great for little kids, but after age of seven or so, the maximum amount of time you’re going to be able to have fun with something like that is about the same as the length of the pre-recorded song! There are real, child-sized guitars available that can be surprisingly affordable, as well as keyboards, drum kits, and other musical toys available that can have your kids composing their own songs before long.
SPORTS
Even if your kid’s not too into sports, a quick game now and then can be important for getting the exercise you need in a day, and that’s something everybody should be passionate about. Just playing along with your kid with some outdoor toys can be incredibly encouraging and spark a real interest in staying healthy.
EXPLORATION
There’s only one toy you really need for a kid who likes the outdoors, The National Geographic Explorer Kit. With a flashlight, binoculars, a magnifying glass, a manual, and a compass, the whole kit is perfect for future paleontologists, entymologists, geographers, archaeologists, scientific researchers… basically, it’s a catch-all kit for any kid with an interest in making new discoveries.
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