15 Habits that Make Children Happy

Having habits that make children happy helps the development of socio-emotional skills in a spontaneous way. Learn more in today's article.

The happiness of childhood is the cup of hot chocolate after an afternoon of sledding. It’s setting up a tent outdoors to sleep with cousins and friends while telling stories by flashlight. It’s also the car trip to the countryside with grandparents or the pet we rescued from the street and whose name we chose among the whole family. It’s getting our bare feet wet in the river. These examples are some ideas that reflect the enjoyment of everyday life during childhood, and the happiness of those moments we shared with mom, dad, and siblings. That’s why today we’ll tell you about some habits that make children happy and that you can implement right now. Keep reading!

Learn about the habits that make children happy

Some of the habits that make children happy are the following. Take note!

1. Playing sports or some type of activity that involves movement. Not all children like sports, but they may like to participate in running, ball games, dancing, or jumping rope. This allows them to release energy, as well as learn how their bodies work and develop balance, coordination, and visual-spatial skills.
2. Making crafts, drawing, and painting. Free creation is something that excites little ones, as it allows them to experiment, mix, and let their imagination run wild. They get even more excited when they can get messy in total freedom. That’s why we recommend that you find an area in the house where this is possible.
3. Reading stories together. In addition to offering them the enormous benefit of fostering their imagination, reading stories can also serve as a tool for emotional learning, as they think of themselves as if they were the character.
4. Playing with their parents or caregivers. Sharing quality time doing what they enjoy most is key for our children. In this way, we share their world, their favorite games, get to know them in depth (how they feel and believe), and help them grow. Although many parents today face the great challenge of “splitting” between work and family life, being able to play with the children at home, even for a moment during the day, favors attachment and their social-emotional development.
5. Going on getaways “without parents”. For example, walks with aunts and uncles, grandparents, or cousins allow children to enjoy time away from their parents and develop a relationship of complicity with their extended family.
6. Setting fixed plans for the week. Children get excited when we agree on a plan to do on a certain day: For example, “dance Fridays” or “Saturday pajama nights”.
7. Sharing movie and candy afternoons. Cuddling up on the couch, choosing a movie, and getting ready with a blanket and some sweets to hang out and enjoy other stories is a great plan.
8. Having a pet. Taking care of your pet, taking it for walks, and having certain responsibilities around its care helps kids have an assigned role. Memories with pets are always great.
9. Enjoying activities under the sun outdoors. Nature offers us its harmony, helps us to calm down, disconnect from screens, and connect with other experiences. It even improves our defenses, relieves anxiety, and renews our energy.
10. Telling jokes and developing a sense of humor. Sharing laughter, laughing, miming, and funny gestures help us to release endorphins, which are the “happiness hormones”.
11. Listening to stories from our childhood. Sharing with our children those things we did when we were kids, showing them the games we played, or the clothes we used to wear helps us to connect with them through empathy.
12. Playing with water and bubbles.
13. Obstacle courses. With tracks that we set up with chairs, balls, cones, posing a great challenge.
14. Play hide and seek.
15. Participate in a solidarity activity. Helping others and committing to the welfare of others also tends to make children feel good, at the same time that it strengthens their social conscience.

The importance of habits that make children happy

Beyond the fact that the aforementioned habits are a source of well-being for children, they also offer important benefits on a psychological, emotional, and social level. They allow them to get to know themselves, test their skills, acquire social skills, experience frustration, and enjoy positive emotions when things go well. In other words, it’s not a matter of mere games and much less of wasting time. On the contrary, it’s about producing a source of vitality.

Not all childhoods are the same

It’s crucial to clarify that, beyond the examples given, childhoods are different in every part of the planet. Not all children live in the same way and the daily dynamics change according to the context.

In this sense, when seeking to develop the habits that make children happy, it’s always important to take into account the reality and immediate environment of each child. Only by recognizing the uniqueness of each experience can we add value to their lives.

Finally, it’s also appropriate to involve them in the activities, so that you build the ideas and they can express their desires and interests while you encourage their autonomy.