Kids & Collecting

By Mimi Slawoff

How to Help Your Child Discover the Fun and Learning of Creating a Beloved Collection

Growing up, many of us had prized stamp, coin or sport card collections or, at the very least, knew other kids who did. Bottle caps (not the plastic kind) and colorful marbles also fascinated many of us as children.

Today, kids still collect some of those classic treasures, but collecting has

Collecting, as a hobby, has changed over the years – but not necessarily for the better, says Harry Rinker, an antiques and collectibles author and columnist and host of Home & Garden Television’s Collector Inspector series.

The focus for many children these days is on value, rather than fun, he says. He attributes this to the wide availability of specialized price guides where individuals can readily check the current price of their collectibles. These give children the impression that value changes constantly, which isn’t necessarily true, Rinker says. For many children, collectibles have become a commodity, rather than fun things to collect.

This is a shame, because not only is collecting a fun hobby, but the true value is the learning experience and the satisfaction that comes with building a collection. Starting and maintaining a collection provides many wonderful opportunities for children.

Why Collect?