Getting kids into the habit of completing projects early on in their lives prepares them for the type of challenges that they will face later, once they enter the world of work. But, surprisingly, children rarely get the opportunity to take on projects. Most of the time they are following the curriculum or engaged in regular play.
Projects, though, are different from other types of activity. They have a goal and they require ongoing work to make them a success. A project can be “closed,” meaning that it finishes after a certain period of time, or it can be open-ended.
Here are some kids’ projects that your child will love (and could improve his or her life):
Complete A Hiking Award
Walking a couple of miles is usually neither here nor there for the vast majority of children. But hiking for days at a time, carrying a tent on your back, is a different story altogether. It teaches lessons like perseverance, discipline and self-reliance.
Look for various hiking awards available in your area and then ask your child if they want to enter. If they do, then you can begin by showing them hiking basics and getting them the equipment they will need to thrive.
Own And Look After A Pet
Getting your child a dog and asking them to look after it is an open-ended project that teaches responsibility and conscientiousness. Dogs require feeding and walking every day, and if they don’t get it, they can develop severe behavioral problems.
Very few children are able to take on projects such as these, but some can. Give them free rein to choose which bacon flavored dog treats to get or which dog collars to buy. Also, get them to come up with a timetable for when they will complete various dog-related chores to keep their new pet happy.
Write A Short Story
Regular writing assignments can sometimes be a little dull for kids. But getting them to write creatively about something they actually care about can be a wonderful way to see what they are capable of. You never know: you might have a young Wordsworth on your hands.
To get them in the mood for writing, you could whip up a quick introduction yourself. You could then hand it over to them to finish the rest of the tale.
If you help with getting them started, make sure that you write about something that they find engaging. Children are much more likely to pursue those things if they are already spontaneously interested in them.
For instance, if you know that they love bugs, then you could write a story that introduces the adventures of bugs in the garden and then get them to finish it.
Restoring A Bicycle
Lastly, you might explore the idea of restoring a bicycle with your child, so long as they are old enough. It’s a great lesson in making the best use of resources and it teaches them a lot about how to service a bicycle from scratch. It is also very rewarding once the job is complete.