What Makes A Child Happy
Raising a happy child in the age of electronics and work at home parents can hinder the way children are raised.
All my childhood friends often say to me, “I wish it were the 80’s, children were happier then.”
This got me thinking, were children happier then? And why would that be?
Is it because there were fewer electronics or the fact the neighborhood children played together from dawn till dusk?
I’m not too sure, but I had to dive into some research to find out what I need to focus on to raise happy kids myself, and I had to share my findings with you.
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Why It’s Important For Kids To Be Happy
Ensuring the happiness of children is vital for a multitude of reasons.
The emotional well-being of a child significantly influences their healthy development. Positive emotions and experiences in childhood are crucial in shaping a well-rounded, emotionally stable, and confident individual.
This foundation of happiness not only impacts their immediate well-being but also sets the stage for their mental and emotional health as adults.
What Makes A Child Happy?
- Playing with toys
- Going to the park
- Storytelling time
- Drawing and coloring
- Birthday parties
- Visiting the zoo
- Ice cream treats
- Beach outings
- Watching cartoons
- Building with blocks or LEGO
- Playdates with friends
- Riding bicycles
- Playing dress-up
- Animal encounters, like petting zoos
- Playing hide and seek
- Swimming
- Camping trips
- Learning magic tricks
- Baking cookies
- Visiting theme parks
- Having picnics
- Doing simple science experiments
- Learning a musical instrument
- Flying kites
- Making crafts
- Gardening and growing plants
- Puppet shows
- Playing in the snow
- Star gazing
- Playing sports
- Going on a boat ride
- Making and playing with slime
- Participating in a treasure hunt
- Watching fireworks
- Reading comic books
- Going to the movies
- Collecting things like rocks or shells
- Playing video games
- Making sandcastles
- Going on nature walks
- Visiting a farm
- Learning to cook simple dishes
- Playing board games
- Pillow fights
- Having a tea party
- Jumping on a trampoline
- Going to a children’s museum
- Making a fort
- Feeding ducks at a pond
- Going on a train ride
- Learning new dance moves
- Painting
- Watching a magic show
- Exploring a new city or town
- Participating in a sports clinic or camp.
- Attending a children’s theater performance.
- Creating a family scrapbook or photo album.
- Learning to juggle.
- Having a pajama day at home.
- Making homemade pizza.
- Visiting a planetarium.
- Having a karaoke session.
- Creating a backyard obstacle course.
- Going horseback riding.
- Making a bird feeder.
- Planting a vegetable garden.
- Learning basic photography.
- Creating a time capsule.
- Going fruit picking (like apples or strawberries).
- Building a model airplane or car.
- Watching a parade.
- Learning origami.
- Making friendship bracelets.
- Volunteering at a community event.
- Visiting a historical site or museum.
- Learning to skateboard or roller skate.
- Going to a puppet-making workshop.
- Creating a comic book.
- Participating in a cultural festival.
- Making a family recipe book.
- Visiting an aquarium.
- Going to a kid-friendly escape room.
- Learning a magic card trick.
- Making a homemade kite and flying it.
- Attending a sports game.
- Going on a nature scavenger hunt.
- Making a homemade musical instrument.
- Learning a new language through fun activities.
- Visiting a botanical garden.
- Creating a fairy garden.
- Watching a children’s science show.
- Going to a kids’ cooking class.
- Participating in a local fun run or walkathon.
- Creating a DIY water park in the backyard.
- Visiting a fire station.
- Going on a hot air balloon ride.
- Making a family tree.
- Learning pottery or clay modeling.
- Going to a butterfly house.
- Making a mini movie with a smartphone.
- Creating a DIY board game.
- Having a themed costume day.
- Visiting an art gallery with interactive exhibits.
- Learning to sew or knit simple projects.
- Exploring a cave or cavern.
- Attending a children’s book reading at a local library.
- Hosting a backyard camping night.
- Participating in a junior science fair.
- Creating a family newsletter.
- Visiting a lighthouse.
- Hosting a movie-making day with friends.
- Building a simple robot kit.
- Having a family game show night.
- Making a wind chime.
- Participating in a kids’ yoga class.
- Visiting a local farm for a day of work and learning.
- Creating a rock garden.
- Hosting a DIY circus in the backyard.
- Making a solar system model.
- Visiting an historic railroad and taking a ride.
- Creating a homegrown herb garden.
- Learning basic first aid.
- Visiting a local university for a campus tour.
- Learning about constellations and their stories.
- Making a homemade terrarium.
- Hosting a cultural food night, trying dishes from around the world.
- Creating a family song or anthem.
- Building and racing soapbox cars.
- Hosting a family Olympics with various sports.
- Learning about local wildlife and their habitats.
- Creating a backyard bird sanctuary.
- Learning to make paper mache crafts.
- Making and flying paper airplanes.
- Visiting a bee farm and learning about beekeeping.
- Creating a family joke book.
- Learning to play chess or another strategy game.
- Making a homemade pizza oven.
- Participating in a kids’ coding workshop.
- Visiting a historical fort or castle.
- Learning about different cultures through art and music.
- Creating a family motto and coat of arms.
- Hosting a kids’ talent show.
- Participating in a local beach clean-up.
- Making a butterfly and insect hotel.
- Visiting an observatory.
- Learning basic electronics with safe kits.
- Creating a family YouTube channel with fun content.
- Learning to make digital art.
- Hosting a family heritage day, learning about ancestors.
- Visiting a local TV or radio station.
- Participating in a community mural project.
- Making a family comic strip.
- Hosting a mini science expo at home.
- Learning simple magic with everyday items.
Resources
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References
- Parental happiness, particularly around the birth of a child, significantly influences a child’s happiness. This effect is more pronounced in parents who have children at older ages or who have higher education levels (Myrskylä & Margolis, 2012).
- The parent-child relationship is a crucial component of both the parents’ and children’s happiness. This relationship varies across cultures, with happiness being influenced by parenting practices and cultural norms (Ramsey et al., 2018).
- Psychological and physiological factors, including genetic influences, play a role in a child’s happiness. Children’s happiness can be fostered through engaging in constructive activities and combating negative emotions (Lykken, 1997).
- Parenting style and involvement, especially by fathers, are significant predictors of child happiness. Involvement in leisure activities, daily life guidance, and study guidance are especially impactful (Jang & Kim, 2016).
- Children’s self-esteem, peer relations, and the presence of adolescent depression and negative parenting attitudes are significant factors influencing their happiness. Programs that enhance positive factors and reduce negative influences can promote adolescent happiness (Park & Suk, 2020).
- The social environment, including family, school, and peer groups, plays a crucial role in influencing a child’s happiness. This includes socioeconomic and cultural factors (Oğuz, 2010).