Life Lessons Through Coin Collecting For Kids
Parents often despair that their offspring are glued to the television set and are unable to think of entertainment as anything beyond video games. In the same manner, teachers often lament their pupils’ inability to concentrate on anything that does not come from the boob tube. These situations show that there is a need for alternative activities can be developed for children to wean them from too much TV. One such activity that children can learn to like is coin collecting. Coin collection for kids will not only introduce children to an internationally respected hobby; it can also teach them life lessons that will serve them well as they grow up.
Introducing Kids to the Hobby
Getting kids a few coins to start them off is a good way to awaken their interest in coin collecting. Rather than form a complete set, these coins should initiate a search for items to complete a series. For example, the gift of a few foreign coins can initiate the collection of coins from parts of the world. The same would hold true for a few coins showing animals or flowers on one side. Another noteworthy group of coins would be those that have interesting shapes such as those that have holes in the middle.
Together with the starter coins, simple reference book will go a long way in making a lot of things understandable in coin collecting for kids. Of course, together with this reference book, it would be a good idea to get a few basic accessories. These include a reliable magnifying glass, white gloves, an album, storage envelopes and a storage box.
An important step in introducing the hobby would be reading the reference book with the aspiring collector. This should be followed by a close examination of the coins and then going through their actual handling.
Kids should develop the habit of washing their hands and putting on gloves before touching their coins. They also need to learn that coins are to be held by their edge, that the face of the coin is to be protected at all times from scratches. Part of this protection will come from storing the coins in folders, albums or envelopes. These also make it easier for young people to show their collections to friends and relatives.
What Kids Can Learn from Coin Collection’
The different tasks involved in coin collection demand meticulousness and care. Children can learn both and apply them in other things they do. At the same time, being able to put a collection together improves the children’s self esteem so that they are able to face other challenges with more self-confidence.
Through coin collecting, young people are provided with an opportunity to improve their reading comprehension and organizational skills. Moreover, as they decide what to collect and how to arrange their collections, they get good training in terms of prioritization and patience. In itself, studying different coins exposes the hobbyist to information on history and culture.
In addition, youngsters can begin to have an inkling about investing when they are taught that the items they gather today may in the future become worth a lot more than they were at the time of acquisition.
A Joint Experience
The most effective way to attract recruits into coin collecting for kids is to show that it is an enjoyable pastime. They will be encouraged to pursue this hobby when they see that the adults around them show appreciation for what they achieve. Each new addition to the collection should be given recognition because this shows the activity is being sustained.
Enjoyable family moments are possibly the best encouragement for kids in this endeavor. The fun sessions spent coaching the neophyte are actually the best reinforcement for learning in coin collecting for kids. As the young collectors mature, these sessions will be counted like treasures among the best and brightest coins in the collection.
