What really makes a kid happy?

10 things that will make a child smile

 

Raising happy children is one of the main concerns of adults, and it usually begins even before they are born. Parents often hesitate about buying many toys, taking them on a trip from an early age, enrolling them in art or sports classes, etc. There is something important that we have to always keep in mind, and it’s that sometimes we forget that children see the world in a simpler way than we do. Therefore, it’s not so complicated to make them happy!

 

It doesn’t matter if you think it’s very simple, surely, your little one will enjoy these activities more than you can imagine. Continue reading and discover 10 things that will surely make a child happy.

 

1.- See animals up close

It is no surprise that young children are fans of all kinds of animals because they are the protagonists of most of the stories they know and the cartoons they see. At home, they are the best imitating sounds of animals: meow! woof! baa! one of the favorite games between parents and children.

That’s why seeing them live and close up causes them so much emotion, especially if it’s a species they have never seen before. Curious fact: Most children under three years of age are not afraid of animals, even if they are ten times bigger than them, such as a horse or a tiger.

 

2.- Listen to music and dance

Children love to hear music, and while doing so, their body begins to move. Dancing is a natural reaction to them, they have a natural predisposition to move to the rhythm of music and casually, the more they synchronize their movements with music, the more they like it. These movements give them pleasure and are often accompanied by a big smile.

They have a significant advantage over adults, and it’s that they get carried away and feel no shame at all. This disinhibition allows them to enjoy the dance with greater freedom. Curious fact: children who grow up listening to music, singing songs, and moving to the beat of the music, enjoy a better sensory system, creating more links in the neural connections of the brain.

 

3.- Explore new places

Although it may be difficult to keep up with an explorer child, exploring is good! Small kids are always excited to move, explore, see and touch everything they can. They use their senses and their bodies to discover the world. If you want to make your child happy, take him to places where he can learn how things work, how they look inside, and how they are made.

When a child is between 1 and 3 years old, he is probably interested in everything, especially if it is something new or different. Travel with him, take him to places where he can marvel at his surroundings and explore colors, textures, and shapes different from those he sees at home.

 

 

4.- Listen to stories

Children are naturally attracted to fantasy, and their imagination has no limits! They love hearing stories and singing songs that tell simple stories. And, what we don’t know, is that through these stories, they see their own reality reflected and discover the world around them. They ask for stories because they need to understand many things: ‘why?’ is their favorite question. After all, the primary purpose of stories is to convey the meaning of life.

Take time to read to your children, tell them stories about their grandparents, their siblings, and when they were younger, you will make them very happy.

 

5.- Running outdoors

What for adults is a discipline for exercise, for young children, is one of their favorite games. It is a very healthy behavior that is usually given to young children when they are beginning to feel autonomous, it gives them a sense of freedom, and it also burns energy. Sometimes it also serves as a way to compete with others when it comes to getting first to a place.

A beach is a perfect place for small children to run endlessly, the feeling of sand on their feet, sunlight, breeze and large open spaces will make them truly happy. You can carry a ball and organize games in which the whole family participates.

 

6.- Dress up and see people in disguise

If it’s impressive for adults to see shows, rituals, and dances in which people are dressed in typical costumes, imagine for children. For them, it’s like seeing in flesh and bone their favorite characters. They will be so excited that they will continue to talk about it for a long time.

Likewise, dressing in other people’s clothes, disguising, and playing the roles of others, makes them feel creative and in a fantasy world. This game doesn’t have to be limited to celebrations and special dates, if you give your child an old trunk of clothes, he will spend many hours entertaining, playing different roles.

 

7.- Go to the beach

The truth is that going to the beach is something that is enjoyed by all ages, although at every stage of our lives we live an entirely different experience. In the case of children, it is perfect because it’s the place where they can feel free to run, scream, jump, play ball and many other things that are limited indoors.

If you live in a city that doesn’t have beaches, try to plan a beach vacation while your children are still young. Play with them to build sandcastles, to bury yourselves and to make sand balls, these family activities will be memorable for your little ones.

 

8.- Playing in the water

What child hasn’t experienced playing during the bath, in the pool or just jumping in a puddle? Playing in the water is one of the children’s favorite things, and there are very simple ways to please this taste. They can fill balloons with water and organize “battles,' shoot with water guns at the “enemy,' or play with the hose while watering the plants.

Whenever you can, take your little ones to play on beaches, cenotes or any place where they can enjoy the sensation of water. You will be giving them much more than a fun time, you will contact them with nature and also it will be easier to teach them to raise awareness about caring for the environment.

 

9.- Eat sweets!

Although we know that looking after young children is crucial, sometimes all it takes to make a child happy is to give them something sweet. There is a relationship between sweet taste and growth. The explanation is that children spend a lot of energy during the growth stage and that is why the body needs to increase the consumption of foods with sugar as they provide energy.

Spoil them with a natural fruit juice, a chocolate ice cream, jellies or some dessert from time to time. It will double the fun if you prepare something together at home or if you serve it creatively.

 

10. To get dirty

If you want your child to have fun and also learn, put it to do crafts and experiments, you will enjoy it very much. Better if it includes bright colors, paint and much glue with which they can dirty their whole body. That’s right, the more chance they have of getting dirty, the happier they are.

If you have the opportunity to take them to play parks with mud, bubbles, sand or anything that can get dirty, they are going to have fun like never before.

 

While laughter is the expression of the joy of a child, we can assure you that your company, your attention, respect, confidence, and security, is what propitiates the real happiness of a child, since they feel loved and accepted.

 

What other thing makes a kid smile? Leave a comment