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Finding a Free Time Activity That Fits Your Child

by Lara Krupicka

Just about every mom and dad can attest to the frustration of trying to convince a child to practice an instrument or do their best work for a club project. So there’s nothing like having a child approach an activity with enthusiasm and self-motivation. Want to see more enthusiasm and less frustration from your child? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

How do you know when to push your child to continue at an activity that he’s asked to stop, and when to let him quit?

A lot will depend on knowing your child. If he is prone to quit easily, then it may be time to insist, but first you’ll want to ask why he doesn’t want to do the activity and address any issues he’s having. Otherwise, if your child isn’t engaged in the activity and isn’t developing any skills at it, then don’t push him to continue. After two or three seasons of a sport or a year of another activity, your child should have mastered the basics and be ready to learn and grow. If he’s not interested, this won’t happen no matter how much you push. He’ll just be miserable. “The important thing is to leave doors open,” says David Elkind, author of The Power of Play and The Hurried Child. “Kids are young. They need to experiment.”

Some circumstances may warrant a “keep at it until…” This works when you want your child to stick out a commitment or stay with an activity long enough to master a specific skill. For example, if your goal for piano lessons is for your child to learn to read music, then communicate that to her. Explain that you’d like her to continue piano until she gets through a specific performance book. Elkind suggests parents should realize that because a child doesn’t take to something doesn’t mean he or she will never learn commitment – they just need the right thing to be committed to.

What signs can you look for that indicate an activity or sport isn’t the right match for your child? How about when it’s a good match?

When the activity isn’t a good fit, your child may protest going to lessons or practices. He’ll give a half-hearted effort, or on the other end of the spectrum, he may be giving it his best but never getting the hang of it. Then it may be time to take a break from that activity. Or you may need to find a different instructor or coach whose style better suits your child. If he’s excited about a sport, but doesn’t have the aptitude, maybe he could try a supporting role, such as team manager.

When you find a good match (between activity and/or instructor), things will click. Your child will look forward to practices and meets. You’ll notice steady improvement or development of skills. And more than likely your child will engage in the activity on his own as well – shooting baskets in the driveway or reading books on robotics in his spare time.

For Gretchen Desch, whose daughter Jenny became an avid swimmer after dabbling in other sports, the difference is noticeable. “She is the one to say, ‘It’s time to leave for practice.’ She has ownership of that,” Desch says. If you haven’t found a match yet it’s important to keep on looking. Making children stick with a sport they’re no good at can cause confidence to falter and prevent them from finding what they do enjoy. And don’t always assume your non-athletic child is getting exercise by being on a team. Coaches will tell you uninterested players often put forth a minimal amount of effort. Better to get them in a physical pastime they like where they’ll pour on the steam.

“The most effective strategy is to support the child’s natural interests, even if it is not what we would like them to do,” Elkind says. It can also help to have an outsider’s perspective on your child. If a teacher or coach comments to you on an ability he sees in your child, encourage him to tell the child directly. The external push may be all it takes. “I had mentioned swim team off and on for years,” Desch says. “But when her swim teacher suggested she join the team, that’s when she decided to do it.”

Is it ever too late for my child to start a sport or a hobby? I’m afraid if we don’t get him started young, he’ll never catch up to his peers.

Few sports are age dependent. And more often than not, it may be better to wait before starting. Kids need exposure to sports and hobbies, but not necessarily overexposure. Too much of anything can burn kids out. “There is so much for young children to learn: language, social skills, the physical and natural world. None of that is inborn,” Elkind says. “There is no evidence that starting early has special benefits.”

Instead, let your child lead. Is he interested in building with toy bricks? Take him to the school’s Lego® club. Does she want to join her friends at Girl Scouts? Sign her up. If you’re pushing your child to start something before he’s ready, it may work out. But his lack of readiness also has the potential to hurt his chances of succeeding. Remember the ultimate goal of free time activities is enjoyment. If you’re too worried about your child finding success, you’re both missing out on the fun.