Catch the Collecting Bug
	Surprise! This simple hobby offers big benefits to little kids. by Mary Jane Solomon

Bert on Sesame Street may go bonkers over bottle caps, but my daughter, Anna, is crazy about cows. Her infatuation with bovines began at age two, when she received a little, plush Clarabelle. Soon friends and relatives began giving her toy cows as birthday and holiday gifts, and before long, Anna had more than 20 cow-related items, from stuffed critters and figurines to books, bags, decorations, and even clothing.

When grown-ups think about children's collections, they tend to picture kids aged eight or older trading sports cards or studying foreign stamps and coins. But—surprise, surprise!— preschoolers love to collect.

FOR THE FUN OF IT
Little kids are natural collectors. "Toddlers are possessive by nature," says Dorothy G. Singer, Ed.D., research scientist in the Department of Psychology at Yale University and coauthor of A Piaget Primer: How a Child Thinks, Revised Edition (Plume). And, she adds, frequently toddlers want to gather a group of things, such as stuffed puppies or big rubber balls, and to identify these objects as belonging only to them. In other words, they are beginning to make a collection.

By the time a child hits her third or fourth birthday, this urge to amass similar objects becomes a whole new kettle (uh...collection) of fish: A preschooler can actually do something other than play with her collection. Cognitively, the youngster is now prepared to begin sorting and grouping objects, and this hobby gives her the tools she needs to practice these important skills, says Sharon Shaffer, director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in Washington, D.C., a museum-based learning program for preschool- and kindergarten-age children. "The ability to categorize items by their sizes, colors, and shapes is an important building block for future learning," she says.

Collecting provides preschoolers with other developmental opportunities. "Kids learn from touching, seeing, and playing with items, not just from hearing about them," Shaffer says. When young children add to their collection or play with what they have, they are actually exploring their environment. Dr. Singer recalls that, as a preschooler, her son used his collection of toy fire trucks and police cars to learn about different kinds of vehicles and the functions they serve in society. "He'd play with and make up stories about his cars and trucks. He'd even act out the parts of firefighters and police officers," she says. Through this imaginary play, her son was figuring out how people cooperate and accomplish tasks.

Collecting can also help preschoolers learn to value other people's belongings. "Because children care for objects in their collections, they come to appreciate what's meaningful to other people," Shaffer says. They may even begin to be more careful of other people's property.

GETTING STARTED
What do young children like to collect, and how can you get your child started? "The key is not to impose an interest on a child, but to listen to what she expresses an interest in and then to encourage her to start gathering more and more of the particular item she likes," says Shaffer.

Many kids start out collecting a particular kind of toy, or an item they bought on a vacation or received as a gift. Parents can add to the collection on birthdays or special occasions. And when friends and relatives ask what they should buy for your child, keep her ever-growing collection in mind.

Although some traditional collectibles can be pricey (such as dolls or coins), starting and maintaining an interesting collection doesn't have to break the bank, says Jeri Robinson, director of both the Program and Exhibition Division and the Early Childhood Program of the Children's Museum of Boston. When you're strolling through a flea market or making the rounds of garage sales this fall, look for items that fit in with your child's interest. He may already have three stuffed teddy bears and nine or ten little plastic bears. But maybe you'll find a pair of shoelaces, a plastic plate, or a set of playing cards with bears printed on them.

If your child hasn't yet started a collection, seek out something that may catch her fancy. Is she fascinated by toy trains? Perhaps you'll come across some old railroad schedules, a used conductor's hat, or a toy engine or caboose some other child has outgrown and discarded.

There are also many low-cost or no-cost collectibles that your child will be sure to enjoy, and that won't go out of style anytime soon. (Parents should remember, of course, that a child who still puts small things in his mouth should not collect items that can be swallowed.) "Young children love to collect items like fallen leaves, pretty stones, or feathers, which the two of you can look for when you go on nature walks together," says Robinson.

Little kids also love stickers, postcards, and decorative bookmarks. These can found at most card shops and discount stores. Be sure to get your child an inexpensive album especially for his collection (also available at a discount store).

MAKING THE MOST OF COLLECTING
A preschooler's collection can blossom into something the whole family can share and enjoy. Here are ways to enhance your child's collecting experience:

1. Go on collection-related outings. Not only are these fun, but they also provide a context for helping a child understand how her collection relates to the rest of the world. So if she likes animal objects, visit a nature center or zoo. If she's more intrigued by trucks or cars or dolls, then go to special events that relate to the interest. For instance, when Mitchell Frank, age five, of Annandale, Virginia, developed an interest in collecting railroad sets at age two, his family began taking train rides and attending local railroad festivals. The collection began with just one little train track, and now Mitchell's bedroom is filled to the brim with train paraphernalia, ranging from railroad sets and six battery-powered trains to numerous train pictures, books, and even railroad signs.

2. Check out museums. Seeing an exhibit is another way for kids to learn how their hobby relates to something bigger, says Robinson. She notes that many museums have special programs and tours specially geared to preschool-age children, focusing on rocks or dinosaurs, for instance.

3. Make a minimuseum. If your child can point out the differences between the objects in his collection, he'll only need a little help setting up a museum at home. Have him classify the items in his collection according to color, shape, size, or function. Then help him write labels and descriptions and place them below the objects. If he can't write yet, print the labels yourself.

4. Create a scrapbook. Encourage your child to draw pictures of the different objects in his collection. Also, leaf through magazines and newspapers together, looking for pictures and articles that relate to his particular interest. Have him cut them out and, along with the drawings, glue or tape them into a notebook.

5. Host a show-and-tell. Ask other families to bring over favorite items from their kids' collections. The children can learn about what's important to their friends and compare how their interests differ.

6. Read, read, read. Go to the library and find books (or CD-ROMs) pertaining to your child's interest. For instance, if your son is fascinated with a particular animal, look for information about the animal. This is a surefire way to help him deepen his knowledge of his field of interest.

A preschooler's collection may continue to grow as he gets older. Or it may be something that's fun to do just for now. Either way, enjoy it with him. I'm going to hold onto Anna's cow collection, maybe store it if and when she gets tired of it. I like to think that years from now, we'll take some of her favorites out, look at them together, and remember old times.

Mary Jane Solomon is a freelance writer living in Annandale, Virginia.

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