As kids who collected, we were out and about, scavenging for another piece to add to our collections. If our treasure was acorns, we were outside searching the ground or climbing the trees to find more. If they were stickers, we did odd jobs and raced with fists full of money to the corner store for a fix. When our collections outgrew one shoebox, drawer or container, we created new methods to store them. As they grew larger, we organized them. When sharing our treasures, we knew when and where we discovered each piece — and the history of the object was as important as the object itself. Oh yes, our collections were literally our pride and joy.
In a world where kids may plant themselves in front of passive entertainment, such as TV or video games, it may be time for parents to get Joe and Sue off the couch and out and about collecting. Even if that means a fishing tackle box full of Barbie shoes, rows of Matchbox cars, or shelves full of rocks — because collecting results in practical lessons.
A child who collects will not squander his allowance on a candy bar when he could buy a new piece for his collection. Earing money, saving money, the value of a dollar, these are practical lessons in simple math and fiscal responsibility that every child should have.
A child who has a collection will naturally become interested in history, willingly do research, and happily build organizational skills. These abilities will strengthen because the child herself has an interest in discovering more about what she collects. She will seek more information about what she collects as well as how to store and care for the prized pieces in her collection.
Support the child’s interests, and you’ll have a child who happily takes the box out from under the bed to proudly display his collection. (That’s just steps away from a child who, out of passion and respect for his collection, keeps his room clean!)
Have a shy child? One with poor self esteem? Or a teenager reluctant to talk with you about anything? Ask her about her collection — but you’d better be sitting down, because the answer will take awhile! Since a collection is a reflection of her own personal tastes, and because she and only she has all the information on when and where items were found, the child becomes the expert who will tell you all about it.
If you’d like to get your child interested in collecting, or interacting with other kid collectors, check out these resources:
The Science Museum of Minnesota has a Collectors’ Corner where kids can bring in natural objects they found and earn points — the points can then be used to trade for other specimens.
The Smithsonian has a Kids Collecting website with lots of information and videos to get ideas on starting collecting, including pop culture collectibles.
Gardening With Kids has info on ways to tie in collecting with gardening.
Pin Fever has a Kids Zone page with lots of info for beginners as well as a list of other kids who want to trade.
The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory collecting tracks (footprints).
To see what other kids are collecting, visit ZuZu’s Kids Collect page — and children can even join the own online exhibit.
