Fruit Shoot has talked to UK parents and they feel their kids are under pressure to live up to societal expectations and it is getting in the way of their ability to truly express themselves and discover what makes them happiest. They want their kids to have the freedom to discover and indulge in their passions – the thing that makes them happiest, because when they do it helps them be the best they can be.
To help our kids try new things and discover their passions, Fruit Shoot sent us a hamper of new activities to explore. I do believe it’s really important to get kids trying new things, to let them find the ones that they love the most (their thing!), whether it is a hobby, skill or particular interest. According to Fruit Shoots research, 68% of parents feel the same way, which is why they’ve launched It’s My Thing to celebrate and champion confidence and individualism in kids and encourage creativity and self-expression.
As it was a wet weekend, Z got straight into the science kit and started exploring the options for which experiments he could do in the kitchen. He’s 8 years old and able to take charge with the experiments, so I let him take the lead with these and just gave him any extra supplies he needed, so that he can take control and have the freedom to discover.
First he decided to make fire works with food colouring, oil and water and he really enjoyed the effect this made, and exploring with the experiment to see how it would change if he did something one way or another way.
We made a short video of the fireworks experiment, and next Z is keen to get making a rocket and a volcano!
Together with Dr Ranj Singh, Fruit Shoot has created advice and information for parents and will also giving away prizes on their Facebook page to help kids find and indulge in their ‘things’.
With real fruit and an on-the-go format, Fruit Shoot gives parents the freedom to let their kids do their thing. Because finding your thing is everything!
Tips to Find Your Thing
- Expose your child to new things so they can explore potential passions and interests. This doesn’t have to be mean spending lots of money but could be helping them find information, resources and inspiration e.g. books at the library, digital information and videos or news articles
- Take advantage of what and who is available in your local community
- Give them free time to search and discover for themselves what they’re interested in
- Don’t focus on winning, its about trying new things and having fun
- Once your child has found the thing they love, support and encourage them to explore it further
Tips to Nurture Your Thing
- Nurture confidence from an early age through reassurement and encouragement. Children are more aware of failure than they let on, so the more parents can support and instil confidence, the better-prepared children will be
- Don’t focus on winning, its all about trying new things and having fun
- Show interest and encouragement. Talk about your child’s interests and passions and talk about your own. Discuss how they give meaning to your life and ask other family members to talk about their ‘things’ too
- Help them to get to know others who are pursuing their things. Sometimes, it’s helpful to find people who have a similar interest to your child’s, other times, children can learn a lot from people who have an interest that’s different to theirs
- Learn about their thing yourself so you can encourage and engage them. Some parents like to get physically involved e.g. by becoming an assistant coach or club leader
What’s your kids ‘thing’? Or are they still discovering it? Let me know in the comments!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.