What are the Benefits of Blogging for Kids?
Over the last decade or so, blogging has become an internet staple, and it seems that any person with a keyboard and an internet connection is starting a blog. Indeed, there are blogs out there about literally any and every topic imaginable.
You can find blogs about books, movies, video games, food, travel, fashion, child care, sports, and so much more. Seriously, any topic you can think of, no matter how obscure, chances are that there is a blog about it somewhere online. Now, you might be from a generation which did not have access to blogging or this kind of tech, so you might think that blogging is nothing more than a waste of time.
However, this could not be any further from the truth. You may have a kid that wants to have their own blog, and you might be a bit hesitant about it. That said, there are plenty of benefits and rewards which your child can reap through blogging. So, what are the benefits of blogging for kids?
1. Blogging Allows for Self-Expression
One of the benefits of blogging for kids is that it allows kids to really express themselves. The fact of the matter is that kids need to be able to express themselves, their emotions, their needs and likes, and their creativity too. If your child loves writing and has some other passions too, having their own blog makes for a great creative outlet.
It might not be about who is actually reading the blog or how many people visit the site. It’s simply about the fact that kids need a way to express themselves.. Keeping everything bottled inside is never a good thing and blogging is one way to share feelings, emotions, and experiences.
2. Blogging Builds Confidence
Another benefit that your child will get from having their own blog is confidence building. This is true for a variety of reasons and they are all equally valid. For one, a child who blogs about a certain topic may become an expert on that topic, and being an expert, as well as sharing expert opinions and knowledge can inspire confidence. Being able to provide others with ideas and information which they may not have themselves may inspire your child.
Moreover, knowing that there are people who not only want your child’s opinion, but also respect it, is something else that can help build confidence. There is also the fact that blogging can help increase other skills too, and the more skills and knowledge your child has, the more confident they will become. Confidence is a big deal in life, and confident people tend to go further in life than people who are self-conscious.
3. Blogging Allows for the Sharing of Valuable Info
Another benefit of blogging for kids is that it allows for sharing valuable information, skills, and opinions. We’re not talking about the blogger benefiting, but the people who read the blog. There are people out there who need to know things.
If your child has some opinions or knowledge, chances are that it’s worth sharing and that it will end up being valuable to somebody else. Simply put, if your child is blogging about a useful topic, chances are that there are readers out there who may be able to benefit from it. Education and knowledge translate to power, and through blogging, your child can help educate, inform, and inspire other.
4. Blogging Helps Improve Literacy and Communication Skills
Another big benefit that your child may get from blogging is that it can help improve their own skills. For one, blogging is great for helping to improve literacy skills in general. The fact is that blogging involves a lot of writing, and often, children will go to other blogs for inspiration or to other sources for information.
The simple act of blogging involves a lot of practice in reading and writing, and as we all know, practice makes perfect. The more your child practices reading and writing, the better at it they will become, and yes, being literate is extremely important in more or less every aspect of life.
Moreover, related to literacy, blogging also helps improve communication skills, and not only due to an increased vocabulary and writing skills. Blogging involves communication with others, getting feedback and criticism, and listening to the opinions of readers. This, in turn, creates a cycle of communication and socialization. Communicating with others and socializing are very important skills required to get through life; starting early through blogging is never a bad idea.
5. Blogging Inspires Creativity
The next benefit that your child might get thanks to blogging is increased creativity. This goes back to our first point about self-expression, but there is a lot more to it than that. The fact of the matter is that everybody is creative in their own way, maybe some more than others.
That said, some people are naturally creative and can easily find ways to express their creative interests. However, for some, it can be very difficult to express themselves creativity. Maybe your child is not the world’s best artist or musician, but that doesn’t necessary correlate to a lack of creativity.
Maybe your child is a creative writer, maybe they have an opinion to share, maybe they have their own stories to share. Being creative is an important life skill, and it’s something that can help with problem-solving skills. The more creative you are the easier it is to solve problems when they arise.
6. Blogging Can Help Connect Kids With Other People and Cultures
Our world has grown in population over the last few hundred years, and with this growth has come a massive boom in cultural awareness. However, just because there are lots of people and cultures in the world does not necessarily mean that your children are exposed to or familiar with them. Of course, in today’s world, being tolerant of other views, being aware of other cultures, and knowing people from different places is important.
Intolerant people who don’t like others and have problems with other cultures, races, religions, and whatever else have you, often don’t get far in life and often run into serious social problems later on. Having a child that blogs means having a child that is connected globally, one who is learning about cultures other than their own, and hopefully, one who learning to be tolerant and accepting of others.
7. Blogging Can Be Educational for the Blogger
Speaking of education, blogging is not only useful for readers to learn a thing or two, but for the blogger too. Sure, bloggers usually stick to what they know and love, which is fine. However, chances are that kids, especially young kids, don’t have all of the knowledge which the world has to offer.
Many times, young bloggers will also look to other sources for inspiration and information, and thus, bloggers themselves go through a learning process as well. There is always new stuff to learn and talk about. Sure, your kid might consider themselves to be an expert, but in all reality there is always more to be learned about any topic.
8. Blogging Helps Improve Internet Literacy
Yes, we are still talking about education, here specifically about internet literacy. As you might be able to tell, the way of the pen and paper has disappeared, as well as the way of the physical book. Everything nowadays involves technology in some way or another. Just consider writing itself, which up until a couple decades ago was done on paper.
However, newspapers, physical books, and all other such things have taken a back seat to technology and the world that is the internet. Simply put, for your child to be successful in this world, they need to have in-depth knowledge of computers, software, the internet, and everything in between. Blogging is usually not overly intense in this way, but it definitely provides for a good start. Internet literacy in today’s world is an extremely important skill.
9. Blogging Can Potentially Lead To A Real Career
Something else to keep in mind is that blogging can potentially lead to a real lifelong career down the road. Some people may become professional bloggers. A great blog site, complete with subscriptions and advertising can be profitable in of itself, and yes, many people make a living through blogging.
There is more to it than that as well, because blogging, due to its educational nature, may help your child become super passionate and well-educated about a certain topic, which may turn into a career. Now, the chances of making a full-time career solely out of blogging are not massive, but you never know. If you’ve got a brainy child with lots to say, they may yet make a career out of it in one way or another.
10. In Some Cases Blogging Can Be Profitable
Even if your child doesn’t make a full-time career out of blogging, in some cases it can still be profitable. Some bloggers are popular enough so that people will pay money to subscribe to the blogs, and some blogs can make a lot of money through internet advertising. Your child might not get rich blogging, but a small income can definitely be in the cards.
11. Creating and Owning Their Own Content
Something that is also good about blogging for kids is that it not only allows them to create their own content, but to own it as well. Sure, blogging on social media is a possibility, but the fact of the matter is that you really don’t own your content: Someone else owns it; your account depends on the status of the social media app; you may have to pay for the account; and there are other people who may be able to moderate the content. However, if your child has their own blog site, it truly belongs to them, and that’s a big deal in this world.
12. Blogging Can Give Your Child a Voice
What’s also beneficial about blogging for kids is that it helps give them a voice. This goes back to creativity and self-expression, and more. Simply put, kids, especially those living in isolated areas, might not have many people to talk to, and even fewer people who will actually listen. Well, the online world is much different and everybody is connected. Online, your kid can always find many ears which are willing to listen to their voice, and being heard is a big deal.
13. It Can Be Lots of Fun
At the end of the day, perhaps the biggest benefit your child gets from blogging is personal enjoyment. This is something that is supposed to be fun and enjoyable — the most important thing after all, is that your child has fun. It’s why they start doing it in the first place.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that blogging can be great for kids. Above, we have listed a number of benefits which your child can reap thanks to blogging. It inspires creativity and self-expression, it provides your child with a voice and an outlet, it’s educational for everybody involved, and it can even be profitable. All said and done, if your child wants to start their own blog, we would recommend allowing them to do so.