Trains, Pirates, Princesses, Dinosaurs, Space Travel, Superheroes, Elephants… It’s a fact: kids get obsessed. All of a sudden, this thing, this topic, is all they want to know about. By supporting your child’s passions, you can show that you value their ideas and at the same time tap into the immense power contained in their quest for knowledge. As a teacher, I have seen the power of childhood obsessions at work: the boy who would never touch a writing instrument is suddenly producing endless stories, as long as they’re about dinosaurs. The girl who could care less about puzzles now says it’s her favorite thing to do, since we brought in puzzles featuring her personal obsession, bugs.
“Power Cuffs” from Discovery Denim
Passion is the greatest motivator for children – and adults! I am currently working on a project here at Global Mama, where I will be sharing all of my resources (books, activity ideas, etc.) on a series of different topics of constant interest to children, so stay tuned for that 
In the meantime, I am going to share the basic process by which you can help your children dig deeply into their passions, whatever they may be…
7 Ways To Harness Your Child’s Passionate Interests:
1. Go get a whole bunch of books on the topic. Choose an assortment of both fact-filled books and story books, and don’t neglect the adult section of your library – you can usually find a few books with really high quality photos and/or drawings to look at, even if the text itself is above your child’s level.
When you get home, find a few cozy spots to display the books. Of course reading together is an essential part of the process, but I also like to allow time for a child to explore the books on his own. One way to encourage kids to look at books on their own is to make them look really appealing: Try standing a few books up on a shelf as they do in library displays, put a few books in a basket near some cushions on the floor, and keep some near your child’s desk or a work area.
photo courtesy denn
2. Gather toys and materials related to your child’s interest. Check out used toy shops, craigslist, and freecycle for cheap and free kids toys and other materials.
3. Encourage your child to write stories or dictate stories to you. With younger children, this can be as simple as writing down a few words to go with a picture they have drawn. Older children may be interested in dictating longer stories to you or making their own books. If your child has absolutely no interest in writing, change things up: Check out this post on typewriters, or try giving them a *long* sheet of paper and let them use a fine-tipped paintbrush & black paint to write with instead of a pencil or pen.
photo by Dana Lee of Parents’ Cooperative Preschool, via The Artful Parent
4. Start an “Inspiration Board” somewhere your child can easily see it. If you have a bulletin or magnet board, you could clear it off and use that. If not, it’s easy enough to tape things right to a wall in your child’s room. The Inspiration Board will be like a running record of what your child is working on. Here are a few ideas of things to put up:
- Photocopies of illustrations from books
- Pictures printed out from the internet
- Your child’s stories
- Your child’s drawings and other artwork
- Pictures cut out of magazines
- Photos of your child playing and making art
5. Always have materials around for open-ended artwork. Jars full of colored pencils, fine-tipped black markers, a box of crayons, and a nice big pad of paper are all you really need. If you want to get more elaborate, you can read this post on setting up a home art area.
The basic point is to have some materials freely available – as in, your child knows where they are, and can get them out by herself whenever. If your child has been ignoring the art supplies, make sure they’re in plain sight, and try setting a few toys or objects on the table to further entice and inspire.
photo © New York Social Diary via Apartment Therapy
6. See something in real life. Fuel further investigation by taking your child on a little “Field Trip” that relates to her interests. This could mean going into your backyard to look for bugs, taking a trip to the nearest city to watch the streetcars, or visiting a museum.
7. When in doubt, bring in some big cardboard boxes. They can become absolutely anything.
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