Whether your child loves sports, Pokémon, or even Disney characters, it’s extremely easy to find a pack of trading cards that will pique their interest. Collectible cards (or trading cards) are a fun way to shift your child’s interest away from their devices and into a hands-on activities that provide all types of learning benefits you might not have even realized.
Types of Trading Cards
Everyone in our family collects trading cards, but we all have different interests. My husband collects all kinds of sports cards, especially football and baseball. My son loves soccer cards and Pokemon cards. My daughter enjoys football cards, and I collect Japanese Pokemon cards and other trading cards from Japan. It so fun to do together as a family. There’s just so many types of card packs out there!
Learning Benefits of Collecting Trading Cards
Collecting favorite players or characters offers more than just fun, trading cards can teach your child important life skills, such as organization and connection with family and friends, as well as literacy and math skills. Video games and iPads, although extremely popular, can take away from essential development your kid needs when growing up, but trading cards offer a fun way to take their focus away from their devices.
Collecting and trading cards can help children learn organization when keeping their cards safe and easy to find, along with creating a new way to strengthen relationships and connections with family and friends. When your child gets a new card of their favorite player, keeping their cards safe becomes very important. This can help teach kids how to organize, such as keeping their cards in a binder or box to keep them safe and easily findable. This skill is very important, as it can translate into school and other aspects of life because it teaches children how important things, such as homework assignments or their favorite toys, should be organized to keep them safe.
Collecting cards can also strengthen relationships with friends and family as it gives children the chance to trade with others and talk about decisions as well as finding a common interest with others. Communication skills are very important for a child growing up, so having the chance to talk about what they think a fair trade is or trying to negotiate with others can help build this skill early in life. Collecting cards with friends or family also lets children connect with others over their favorite sports or games, which can strengthen relationships. Trading cards can build a sense of trust and friendship, which is very important for children growing up.
Collectible cards, along with offering important life skills, can also teach kids skills such as literacy and math. When reading the names of their favorite players or figuring out which card holds the most value in their game, children can learn literacy and math skills without even realizing it. Also, certain cards such as Pokémon cards often can be used as a game and have a certain amount of points for the damage or power on each card. These numbers can teach your child how to find which number is greater and have more value all while collecting new cards.
How to Get Started
Building a collection of cards is extremely easy. All you need is a pack of cards and a container or binder to keep cards safe. Even a shoebox would work. (My daughter keeps hers in all kinds of cute containers and tins she comes across.) I like little boxes like this one. It has a magnetic closure and dividers inside.
We purchase most of our cards at local collectible shops, but you can also find many online. Trading cards are a super fun way to encourage your child’s passion in their favorite sports or characters while also offering so many benefits.
Check out some helpful supplies in our Amazon Store
I created a trading card section in my Amazon store to help you get started. I hope it helps. Have fun collecting!
