A Collector’s Armory Ep. 2: Collecting at a Young Age by Ayaan Pirani, 12

Welcome to A Collector’s Armory. This is a podcast about collecting different things throughout the stages of life. As you might remember from Episode 1, an armory is a place where weapons are kept, but I’m using the word broadly to name a place where any collectible could be stored. 

I’ll be your host, Ayaan Pirani, and I have been collecting items for a long time. I'm located in Houston, Texas, and I am in 6th grade. Last episode, I covered the basic information about collecting items and answered a few basic questions about collecting such as: What are the prices of collectables? and Who are some famous people who collect items?

The name of this episode is "Collecting From A Young Age." When I was young, I would collect toy cars. Each and every day I would beg my parents for a new matchbox car, so we settled upon an agreement. Every day that I worked hard and listened to them I would be promised a new toy car. This deal carried on to about when I was the age of 4. Most of the time I acted well though I never really received a new car because my parents did not care to waste time and go to a Dollar Tree every other day. 

That's why many parents make young kids collect various nature objects because they would not have to spend a dollar all of the time on cars or dolls. Engaging children with collecting shells or rocks from a very young age can be useful because it will allow them to spot different details in various objects. Many children may find satisfaction with collecting many items and pursue it as a hobby or for personal enjoyment. About ⅓ of preschool age kids pursue interests in collecting one type of object. 

In addition to collecting items in nature, some young kids collect toys and stuffed animals. You may have seen a 3 year old’s crib filled with stuffed animals of all kinds. Instead of forcing kids to give up on their collections you should influence them to collect more items that may help them focus on how to arrange and categorize the toys. Kids who forcefully collect things due to anxiety may begin hoarding items, which is not good. In general, pediatricians consider collecting items a huge positive to their future as it gives them a leg ahead in figuring out their interests.

Before our time ends I want to leave you with a quote that I think many kids would agree with: "Collectors are happy people." - Johann Wolfgang von Geothe, a German writer.

This is your host, Ayaan Pirani, signing off for today. Next month we’ll be talking about collectables for ages 6-9. Leave a comment down below stating what you collect. Until next time! See ya!