You may think your child’s piles of rocks, trading cards or dolls are nothing more than clutter. But collecting has many benefits for your child.

Having a collection helps your child:

• Practice key school skills. These include finding patterns and putting things into categories.
• Feel in control. Your child can be in charge of her collection.
• Build self-esteem. Dr. Mel Levine, one of America’s top learning experts, says being an authority on some subject—whether it’s dolls, baseball cards or old coins—is important to every child’s development.
• Build social skills. Many children have collections. Encourage your child to put the word out that she has one, too. It’s likely that a fellow collector will want to talk to her about what she collects, why and how. That conversation could lead to a good friendship.
• Want to learn. If your child enjoys her collection, she will probably want to find out more. Encourage her to do some research. The library will probably have some interesting books and articles about what she collects. They may even have a magazine for collectors.

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