It is widely accepted that children need exposure to as many different activities as possible while they are growing up. Sports and physical activities help children stay active for life. The creative arts like writing, art, dance and music are all essential activities for children to experience as they grow up. Many of these become interests and over time they can become much-loved hobbies. One or two of the activities that are experienced as children may even be pursued into adulthood. There is no doubt about the advantages of pursuing hobbies such as learning a musical instrument or joining a sports team. Once children become teenagers, and the pressures of homework and exams start to be ever more present, some of these hobbies and interests may be pushed to the sidelines. If it is possible to keep these activities up, then they should be, but academic achievement is often more important. Many teens are coming back to hobbies like music when they finish their exams. Pursuing piano lessons or learning another instrument is very helpful if music is their passion. Whether they return to an instrument they learned before or take up a completely new one, the benefits are enormous. Music is very important to most of us throughout our lives, and playing a musical instrument can be very therapeutic. There are also many social benefits to be able to play a musical instrument. Being able to play the piano means you can make music with anyone. Some children were very keen swimmers when they were young, but life and school may have got in the way of continued swim meets and lessons. Lots of different sports are available to students as they progress through college and University. Therefore, furthering education may bring even more opportunities than just a degree. You may find that staying in education provides enormous enrichment to your life beyond the qualifications you may achieve. You may find it easier to access new activities and interests, and be able to find high-quality tuition near the University. Taking on lots of hobbies and interests may seem like unnecessary distractions to parents. However, the more a young person can find that captures their imagination the better. Some hobbies do cost a lot of money, but they can be a very valuable investment. Some hobbies and interests do continue right through our lives while others may be given up in favour of others. As adults, careers and raising a family definitely get in the way of personal interests. But there comes a point in life when you have plenty of time to yourself to pursue interests again. Whatever interests keep you happy should be pursued as much as possible. Some people define themselves by their hobbies. They are a great way to meet like-minded people. Many of the key skills we learn through doing them can be transferred to other parts of our lives including education and careers. Find your favourite pastime today and stick with it for the rest of your life.