Music lessons are very good for children. They appear to help academic performance. Depending on the instrument, they can be pretty hard on parental headaches, but overall it’s usually worth it. Organized lessons and practice requirements are good, but you can also allow free access to appropriate instruments. Kids...
I’m a big believer in getting kids to play outside as much as possible. Too many spend way too much time in front of one screen or another. Sending them out to ride bikes, skate, skateboard, whatever their favorite pair of human-powered wheels are, helps keep them healthy. It’s...
Most kids love bubbles from an early age, and it keeps going for years. While having them blow bubbles while holding a small container of bubble solution can be a pain (how often will you refill it due to spills???), there are alternatives. I’m very fond of our bubble...
Construction toys such as Legos and K’Nex are great for keeping kids busy. There are sets for many ages and interests. My own favorites are the basic sets where you aren’t trying to build something according to package instructions, but my oldest daughter loves following instructions to build neat...
My kids like to paint. I think most do. The key to kids painting without a big fuss is having a great place to do it and plenty of supplies. We have a plastic cover for the table so the kids can paint there without ruining anything. We also...