Saving Frogs and Making Video Games: Encouraging Kids to Explore Their Interests

Allowing kids the time and freedom to explore their interests can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes. A few years ago, my daughter’s experience in 4th grade opened the door to a passion she might never have discovered otherwise.

Saving Frogs at the park: A few years ago, my daughter and her 4th-grade class participated in a project aimed at saving frogs from being hit by buses and cars at a local park. The project started with the children building fences to prevent the frogs from entering the roadway near the ponds where they lay their eggs. A few weeks later, her class returned to collect the frogs and safely transport them to the pond, where they could lay their eggs.

Discovering a Passion for Programming: During this time, my daughter became very interested in programming with Scratch, a platform she had been introduced to at school. Inspired by the frog-saving project, she decided to create a video game about saving frogs, and thus the “Save the Frogs” game was born.

Competing in the Girls Scratch Cup: This school year, my daughter decided to enter her game into the Girls Scratch Cup. Her hard work and creativity paid off when she earned second place in the competition.

Continuing the Journey: My daughter’s interest in programming has only deepened. She is currently developing a new game with the goal of entering it into next year’s competition, demonstrating her ongoing enthusiasm and skill growth.

As parents, it’s natural to want to guide our children’s interests. However, it’s important to give them the time and space to explore on their own. They might just surprise you with what they discover and achieve. Encouraging children to pursue their passions can lead to incredible and unexpected results, as my daughter’s journey has shown.

Tips for Encouraging Exploration of Interests:

1. Provide Resources and Opportunities
   • Offer a variety of materials and resources related to different activities, such as art supplies, musical instruments, books, and building blocks.
   • Enroll them in workshops or classes that align with their interests.
2. Create a Flexible Schedule
   • Allow for downtime in their schedule where they can freely choose what they want to do.
   • Avoid over-scheduling with too many structured activities.
3. Support and Encourage
   • Show interest in their activities and encourage their efforts, no matter how small.
   • Provide positive reinforcement and celebrate their achievements.
4. Be Patient and Open-Minded
   • Understand that interests can change over time and be supportive of new pursuits.
   • Allow children to explore different activities without pressure to excel immediately.
5. Model Lifelong Learning
   • Share your own hobbies and interests with your children.
   • Demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new things.