12 year old collector on why kids should collect cards

[pwaldo]

http://www.beckett.com/news/2012/12/...aseball-cards/

Baseball card collecting is a hobby for all, but in recent years it has gone a little more toward adults than kids.

There are still many reasons kids should collect, though.

There are so many reasons kids should collect baseball cards that I won’t be able to address them all. Of them all, I feel the most important is that it helps you connect with others.

As an example, I got started on collecting after my cousin, who I now consider one of my best friends, took me to a Twins game and bought me a team set of cards. (I later dropped that set in the sink being six, but my cousin was kind enough to buy me another.) That set of cards sparked a fascination in me that is still there today.

Cody and I still go to card shows, still trade and still go to the local store together. I have also heard a story of a dad with a mentally handicapped son and couldn’t relate to him that well but when his son got interested in cards they had something to spend some quality time together with.

Another reason kids should collect baseball cards is just the feeling of pulling a good card is like no other. I remembered when I pulled my first autograph, David Wright. I seriously couldn’t stop smiling the next two hours. Also being at a card show is one of the most fun things I can think of. It’s amazing being surrounded by so many pieces of baseball history and knowing you could buy some of what’s there.

Then there’s also trading cards with a friend. It’s so much fun looking through your friend’s collection and hearing the stories behind each card and then finding a card in their collection that you want and trading for it. Baseball cards give so much happiness and enjoyment that everyone should feel.

Next, I feel cards improve academic skills. I’m currently a seventh-grader that’s doing some mid high school work at school and I give a lot of credit to baseball cards for that. With all the numbers on the backs of the cards for stats and then sorting your cards and finding how much they’re worth, it would be hard not to learn anything about math, logistics or marketing skills.

Finally, I feel it’s a better way to spend your time than video games, Internet or anything like that. Baseball cards can give you a longer-lasting satisfaction and you can enjoy them with others. It’s also not dangerous, and there’s no negative influence on younger kids.

All things considered, baseball cards are a great hobby for kids and anybody else. It’s something you can do with others, it gives a ton of happiness, could teach you a thing or two, and anyone can enjoy it.

[DwightWall122]

Card collecting no matter the sport or interest is great for ALL AGES! While I do admit it's harder to keep the young ones from damaging cards and getting them to learn the value of collecting and taking care of them, I myself started collecting when I was around 12 (6th grade) and at the age of 27 I still LOVE IT, and can't wait until I have kids of my own to pass on the tradition!

[stlcardinalsfan]

ive collected for as long as i can remember. remember buying packs in 3rd or 4th grade, organization skills and killing time are good factors

im 21 btw

[mlbfan85]

i remember collecting as a kid maybe 8 or so and i went to a library program and the card shop came and gave a grab back of packs and loose cards this is what sparked me. Now i am trying to work with my kids on starting their collection i am 27 and have 2 with a 3rd on the way and they love seeing the cards. I am also trying to start a little foundation or something called like Kards for Kids to buy and donate some cards of my own and make small packs to pass out to kids at hospitals like st judes or locally here at Akron Childrens to bright the kids days in the hospital even only for a few moments.

[xpucksx]

Same here...I started collecting around 11 or 12 ('82/'83), and it taught me MANY things about organization, value and care of fragile things. Also got me more interested in the sports I like, and realizing that there are otehr players and positions that are important to a team sport than the stars and glory positions. Also helped me make friends, learn how to interact and barter, and broguht me closer to family members.

I can't imagine being a youngster and getting into it now though. It seems like the initial investment would be WAY beyond that of a 12 year old. I used to hit the corner drug store on the way home from school to buy wax packs with money that I purposefully did not use from lunch. There were 1 or 2 choices of cards - Topps or O Pee Chee. I look at the racks of cards now and am completely overwhelmed as to where to start. I guess I will still go with what I used to do...what ever looks the best and is fun to collect

[sschind]

Card collecting no matter the sport or interest is great for ALL AGES! While I do admit it's harder to keep the young ones from damaging cards and getting them to learn the value of collecting and taking care of them, I myself started collecting when I was around 12 (6th grade) and at the age of 27 I still LOVE IT, and can't wait until I have kids of my own to pass on the tradition!

I'm not sure if this really should be an issue. Kids are hands on and if you tell them they can't touch or play with or sort their cards they may lose interest pretty quickly. Unfortunately many people use the line of reasoning that cards are only worth money if they are in pristine condition which I am not sure is the idea we want to instill in our young collectors.

I do understand what you are saying. Its like my sister always told here kids from the time they could pick objects up "books are treasures we treat them with care" Its the same thing with cards but what is the real reason we treat them with care. Is it so they continue to be worth money or is it because we should respect our property no matter what the monetary value is.

I'm not saying you should let your kids play with your vintage rookie card collection but I think it is important that kids have hands on experiences with cards. If they are young (under 10 years old say) get them some cheap base and let them go to town on them. By this I mean keep them out of the penny sleeves and top loaders. Let them sort the cards however they want and let them resort them as often as they want. Let them handle the cards, let them trade what ever they want with their friends even if it is and Andrew Luck rookie for a James Starks 2012 base. Let them have fun with their cards even if it means wrapping them with a rubber band

Of course it is also important to let them know that cards need to be handled with respect and that there may be certain cards that are off limits to this sort of thing. Keep in mind that kids are only going to stay interested in collecting if you let them determine the way their collection will go. It's OK to suggest and perhaps even nudge a bit but if, God forbid, your son or daughter decides he or she wants to collect the vikings, no matter how distasteful it is you should probably let him do it.

[mrveggieman]

I started collecting cards when I was a kid during the 1980s and except for a few years in my early to middle 20s I have collected for most of my life. It's sad that more kids today do not collect. Most of them are into the latest electronic gagets, (nothing wrong with that I still play videogames and am a facebook addict) but there is nothing like sitting on the front porch with your budies and trading cards and talking sports for hours. I feel for the kids who will never experience this growing up.

[xpucksx]

I started collecting cards when I was a kid during the 1980s and except for a few years in my early to middle 20s I have collected for most of my life. It's sad that more kids today do not collect. Most of them are into the latest electronic gagets, (nothing wrong with that I still play videogames and am a facebook addict) but there is nothing like sitting on the front porch with your budies and trading cards and talking sports for hours. I feel for the kids who will never experience this growing up.

Agreed...that era of communication and ties to the organic past time are gone I think. The anticipation of ripping open the wax packs and seeing what you got is way more fulfilling than the anticipation of going up a level in some game for sure.

Also, I love your sig, and am definitely in the Drug and Smoke free trading club! Drinking too...none of that crap for me....

[xposipx]

I used to sit in my grandma's apartment watching NBA playoff games memorizing all of the statistics and colleges on the backs of cards too. I actually think my organization, memory, and numerical skills were all improved based on my card collection as a kid. It's funny, I never thought about it that way until I read this!

[mlbfan85]

i do buy cheaper cards and let my kids play with because my kids are really young like 3 and 2 but they like looking at them learning about the players and feeling the cards. so i buy them old wax packs and take a few from them but most stay in their hands and they love it so i do agree i can't take all of them from them or i would have problems with getting them into the hobby