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Common hobbies
How fathers and children discover common interests
Come on, let's do something together!
Doing something together and really immersing yourself in something, simply for fun and without any pressure to perform: shared hobbies are fun and strengthen your father-child bond and understanding for each other. As a father, you get to know new facets of your children and, conversely, your offspring get to experience dad in a completely different environment. Because it is sometimes not so easy to find something that is equally fun for everyone, you will find a variety of ideas here.
Joint activities are a wonderful thing. Do you often have far too little time in your day to devote to a hobby or project with your child? This makes it all the more important to create space for such activities in your free time and at weekends. Joint activities strengthen the relationship between you and your child, provide conversation topics and ensure a deep connection.
Learning from each other and discovering common interests
Do you already know the many talents your child has? As a parent, you may often be surprised at what your child can already do. Joint activities are the perfect way to find out what your child is good at, where they would like to learn more and where your shared interests lie. If you already have a hobby that you enjoy, why not take your child with you? Perhaps you can infect them with your passion - without "imposing" your own interests on them, of course.
Which activity suits me and my child?
Any activity that is fun is generally suitable. This starts with parent-child music classes and doesn't end with joint triathlon training with teenagers.
When looking for a shared hobby, the general rule is: it should be fun! To ensure this is the case, you should consider your child's preferences, abilities and age. Start a new hobby together, ideally approach it without too many expectations and take the pressure off that it absolutely has to be fun. Especially with children, the initial euphoria is often huge, but it quickly subsides. As a father, you should not be too disappointed, but try to find the fun in trying out very different things. Take your child's wishes into account when choosing the next activity and please always help your child not to be limited by social gender stereotypes: many girls also like to play soccer or love climbing and many boys like dancing or horses.
What are we doing today: technology, music or nature?
A shared hobby with your child is also a great way for you to discover new territory and celebrate a hobby premiere together. You can find lots of ideas for the next free afternoon (or more) here:
Music brings people together, even without a lot of talking. Drumming courses or choirs, for example, offer opportunities to make music together. Look around for a music school in your area and ask for non-binding advice. Singing, listening to music or dancing together also releases endorphins and creates an exuberant atmosphere in your own four walls. If your child enjoys making music and you do too, you could even start your own family band.
The largest playground is right on your doorstep. Parks, forests, hills and rivers offer endless things to discover. Geocaching, a kind of scavenger hunt 2.0, is ideal for nature lovers who also like to solve puzzles. With the help of a smartphone, you go in search of hidden treasures. You often move off the beaten track and search through a wide variety of environments. This makes hiking really exciting! You can find information and tips about this hobby at geocaching.de.
Whether urban gardening or community gardens - you can grow your own fruit, vegetables or herbs together with your child with just a small green space or bed. Seeing how something you have grown yourself grows, thrives and can then be harvested together is a special experience for parents and children alike! If you don't have your own garden, you can usually find rental gardens close to the city that provide everything young and old gardening novices need for regular gardening.
Children love exercise - and most adults could do with a bit more of it, right? Venture to unknown heights together while bouldering or climbing or learn the basics of karate in a weekend course. Inline skating or skateboarding are also perfect for learning and practising together. If you like training for a goal, sign up for a fun run or even a triathlon together. In many regions, there are races with child-friendly distances.
New board games are constantly coming onto the market, covering a wide range of interests. Whether puzzles, strategy or creativity: in regular father-child play sessions, for example, new games can be tested and old ones reactivated. Many city libraries offer a good selection of new and classic games.
Sawing, screwing, sanding, painting - your child is sure to have a lot of fun getting stuck in under your supervision. With younger children, simpler projects are recommended, such as wooden boats that can go on a long journey in the bathtub. With older children, more elaborate projects can also be tackled.
Technology surrounds us all day long. How about producing a movie together, editing it and then showing it to the whole family? Or try your hand at programming your own game, get artistic with texts and graphics or test out what AI can do. The start-coding.de initiative, for example, offers free programming tutorials for children and young people.
Last but not least: Patience is not only required when looking for a shared hobby, but also when implementing it. Children need time to learn and explore things. Adapt to your child's pace, motivate them and praise their progress! Let your child share in your joy too. Fathers who are enthusiastic about what they are doing quickly infect children with their enthusiasm.
It's not about perfection, but about doing things together and having fun.
Are you looking for a hobby for you and your child? Numerous internet portals provide valuable tips for inspiration and ideas. Local sports clubs or music schools also offer appropriate courses.
Further informationLinks to read more
There are countless sports clubs in NRW. The club search of the Landessportbund NRW e. V. helps you to find a club with the right offer for you and your child.
The German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and its youth organization NAJU offer a wide range of ideas for gardening and environmental protection projects.
