People With True Intelligence Usually Had 8 Hobbies That Made Them Happy As Kids
Vitaly Gariev | UnsplashSmart people aren't necessarily born with innate talents and gifts. But their upbringing tends to shape how they grow into intelligent people. For example, many of the hobbies that kids engage with shape their intelligence.
From taking things apart and rebuilding them to reading novels far above their own reading level, people with true intelligence tend to have hobbies that made them very happy as kids. They're not just habits to fill time, but exciting ways to stimulate their minds and teach them something new.
People with true intelligence had hobbies as kids that made them happy
1. Deconstructing and rebuilding toys
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From model trains to electronics they had around the house, many intelligent kids were prone to making a hobby out of destroying things. But after they took it apart and understood how it all worked, putting it back together was the fun part.
They connected the dots and let their own critical thinking take them wherever they wanted to go. Appreciating and learning how things worked obviously offered many skills into adulthood, but it became a vehicle to practice imagination as well.
2. Building Lego sets
Building something from scratch is an age-old hobby for smart kids. They enjoy seeing how something is built, especially when they can balance following directions and going off the book with experiments.
Many intelligent adults still appreciate hobbies like this, even if they're not the same Lego sets they preferred as kids. There's something escapist about giving all your attention to building something, stimulating your mind and giving it a chance to rest at the same time.
3. Reading
Whether it was combing through encyclopedias for fun or reading fiction novels, reading is often a hobby that makes the most intelligent kids happiest. They were offered a break from their own overthinking tendencies, usually with a captivating story or interesting facts.
Reading above their level, they shocked people early on with the kinds of books and content they'd seek out. And as adults, their reading comprehension and taste are shaped by this excitement as kids.
4. Writing stories
With a deep sense of creativity and active imaginations, smart kids love writing stories and creating vivid fantasy worlds. When that deep wonder and whimsy is still alive, kids find so much joy from playing around in these alternate worlds.
Sometimes, it's through games and novels, but for people with true intelligence, they come from inside. From writing narrative stories to building actual fantasy worlds with physical play, their creativity infuses all of these unique hobbies.
5. Playing strategy games
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Playing modern board games that require some level of strategy is associated with better intelligence. The smartest people might play a card game or appreciate the luck of the draw, but what really stimulates their minds and imaginations is a game that requires a level of deeper thought.
As kids, it's these kinds of games that boost self-esteem and promote better collaboration, giving smart kids a chance to prove their intelligence. They're fun and exciting because they offer a challenge without unrealistic expectations.
6. Solving Rubik's cubes
Solving a Rubik's cube tends to activate similar brain regions as solving problems and thinking critically do. It's associated with intelligence for a reason, but that's not necessarily why gifted kids were drawn to them.
They're a challenge, and while most kids prefer to seek out comfort, it's fun for intelligent people to find something to challenge their minds with. When school was boring for them, their hobbies were a chance to challenge themselves.
7. Using chemistry kits
Even though it seems somewhat stereotypical, so many gifted kids played around with chemistry kits and toys constantly as kids. They enjoyed the experimentation, rather than the structure and process, because it opened up new worlds and possibilities.
It's a kind of creativity, even if it doesn't seem like it. They could play in a safe way with things that the average kid didn't necessarily have in their toy box. It was new and sometimes exciting, so being able to play around with these kits was a joy.
8. Asking questions
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For some kids today, asking questions usually happens on Google or through technology. However, the parents of gifted kids know that it was still very much a hobby for their own kids, who asked "Why does this happen?" and "Why does that happen?" constantly.
That's the nature of an intelligent person. They're curious all the time. They want to understand how things work, not purely for the sake of acquiring more knowledge, but to scratch their curious itch.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
