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Hobby ideas are everywhere. Everyone has something they enjoy doing, or an interest of study in one thing or another. Whether you enjoy gardening, stamp collecting, or shining the chrome on that motorcycle you’ve been putting together, chances are you’re not a stranger to the hobby world!

If you don’t think you’ve ever enjoyed a hobby, maybe what you need is a new perspective. All it takes is for you to develop an interest in something that probably already gets your attention. What do you enjoy? What would you enjoy learning about that you could share with your kids, siblings, or neighbors? The list is really endless:

• remote control cars
• kite building
• antique cars
• woodworking
• model planes from different eras
• model train layouts
• bug collecting and display
• native American coins
• baseball cards
• robotics

Some hobby ideas require an investment in time and equipment. Be willing to take time to develop your interest. Most hobby enthusiasts become experts in their particular hobby, and enjoy sharing what they’ve learned over time with a novice. Its fun to have an ongoing learning experience that you can share for entertainment.

Don’t think you’re being selfish spending a small amount of time on a regular basis enjoying a hobby. Hobbies can be an important part of maintaining good mental and emotional health. Life is stressful, and stress comes to us through work, home responsibilities – just being alive! People that cope well with stress have one thing in common, they have an outlet for it. Hobbies are a wonderful distraction, allowing our minds time to just think, without pressure.

You owe it to yourself to develop an interest in a hobby. Take a good browse through this site and see what interests you. We can’t wait to hear about it!

Image Credit: Revell

Although remote control toys and toy robots have been around for decades, the first combination of the two into what would be considered a true robotic toy was the “Big Trak.”

This particular toy was one of the first successful attempts to combine education with play. Big Trak, for those who don’t remember, was a six wheeled truck that had a flashing light at the front (this was called the “photon cannon”). There was also a keypad on the truck that allowed the child to program the robotic toy to do his or her bidding.

In addition to teaching the logic of programming, Big Trak taught children to make reasonable spatial estimates and judge angles. Before Big Trak, there were many toys that children could play with, but the programming feature was totally new.

After programming the robotic toy, a child could sit back and watch Big Trak crash through an obstacle, dump a load of action figures to rescue their teammates trapped in an imaginary cave, head to the nearest doorway and fire several shots from the photon cannon to discourage aliens who might interfere with the rescue. After a pre-programmed victory lap, Big Trak could return directly to the point where the entire adventure started.

Robotic toys allow our children to meld reality and imagination. When you see a young person playing with the latest, coolest new robotic toy, remember that it was Big Trak and its blazing photon cannon that cleared the path.

Photo Credit: The return of Big Trak! by scalleja on flickr

HO Scale Trains refers to the size and scale of model train that is the most popular in most of the world. The scale used is 3.5 mm to one foot or one to eighty-seven. The name comes from the fact that the scale is half that of 0 scale which in turn comes from the day when there were 0, 1, 2, and 3 scale model trains. HO scale trains have all but replaced these older scales.

HO scale trains run on a small scale railroad track powered by electricity. On most sets, the power is controlled through the use of a transformer, so that applying more or less electricity controls the speed of the train, and reversing the polarity of the current changes directions. On larger, more complicated HO scale train setups, there may be multiple power supplies which control different blocks of the track.

People can control the layout and complexity of the track used by HO scale trains by putting together the pieces of tracks, which usually snap together, in straight and curved pieces, along with intersections and switched forks. These tracks can create a simple oval table top layout, to massive, complicated designs which can fill a room. It is also traditional to decorate the scenery around the track with scale buildings, scenery, and other model pieces to create the look of a real railroad track.

HO scale trains are a great hobby for kids and adults alike, and can spark an interest that lasts a lifetime.

Related Posts: Getting Started in Model Railroading

Photo Credit: James_Buck on flickr

Many kids are really enthusiastic about remote control. It’s easy to see why; remotely controlled vehicles seem to almost magically fly through the air or race over the ground, and they give kids a sense of power and control that they just can’t find elsewhere. But the thing is that electrically powered vehicles, such as those found at toy stores, tend to be seen as “kids stuff” and a child who has moved on into his early to mid teens will have no interest for such cars. They are simply too slow, limited and impractical, intended more to look cool than perform well.

Luckily, for kids who are not really kids anymore but still have an interest in RC cars, there are RC gas cars. These vehicles use a special blend of gasoline instead of a battery, and their tiny motors are incredibly powerful. Some RC gas cars can go over forty miles per hour, and have parts and components similar to real cars. This means that RC gas cars are not only great toys, they are also useful learning tools for parents who want to teach their kids about automobiles.

RC gas cars are sold only from hobby stores, as is their gasoline. Their gasoline is not the kind placed into a proper automobile, as it has a much higher octane rating as well as lubricants necessary to keep the small engine running. They also require a glow plug or other starter. They are much less complicated than a full-sized car, though, and anyone can use one safely if they follow the rules and learn about the car.

Follow this link to find a local hobby shop in the USA or Canada, where you can learn more about RC gas cars.

Related Posts: Team USA Takes 4th Place in NINCO World Cup

Image Credit: Team Associated R/C Race Cars

Clay sculptures have been a popular art form since prehistoric times. The popularity of this art form was historically due to the availability of the materials used to create them. Today this art form is used as a fine art form, a therapy art and as a learning art form.

To create clay sculptures you first need the right tools and materials. First of all you will need the right type of clay. Sculpting clay, also referred to as potter’s clay, has been cleaned of impurities and it has a fairly homogeneous consistency. Potter’s clay comes in a variety of volumes from 5 pound blocks to 100 pound blocks. After you have bought your potter’s clay you will next need shaping and cutting tools. You can use just about anything for a shaping tool. Some common items used for shaping clay include knives, forks and texture tools. You will also want to get a wire for cutting the clay. In order to stabilize your clay sculpture you will need a kiln to fire your sculpture. These high temperature ovens come in a variety of sizes from small table top models to extra large corner units. The final items that you will need are glazes.

After you have all of the supplies and materials needed for your clay sculptures you will be ready to start. The first step is to figure out what you want to sculpt. You may want to sketch out your ideas so that you have a visual reference to refer to when working with the clay. Next you will want to use your wire to cut off a piece of clay to work with. To start with the clay will be hard to manipulate, however, as you work with the clay it will soften and become more pliable. Work your clay into the shape that you want using your hands, fingers and shaping tools. Common shaping techniques for clay include rolling, balling and pinching. After you complete your sculpture you will want to fire it in the kiln and allow it to cool. You can then glaze the item and re-fire it. This will cure the glaze and finish your sculpture.

Learn about the culture and art of the Philippines including Filipino clay sculptures, antique carvings and pottery – Philippine Sculptures is your source for information on Filipino art, music and traditional culture. Art lovers who travel to the Philippines can find both traditional and contemporary pieces that will compliment just about any decor. For more on cultural and historical art of the world also check out masks of Africa.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Photo Credit: CLBcreations on flickr

With so many different technologies emerging in the world, most parents find that their children are not developing the creative and imaginative tools that children have in the past. Technology has taken the work out many of life’s problem solving experiences leaving humanity less capable of reasoning and understanding new concepts. That is why it is important for children to rediscover the magic of kids puzzles. Puzzles actively engage the learning mind, creating synapses and brain growth that are crucial for creating the thinkers of tomorrow.

There are many styles of kids puzzles available, many of which include technological mediums. Old fashion jigsaw puzzles are still rich in color association and the learning of how shapes connect. Young children can benefit from building hand-eye coordination skills and eye movement which can later translate into reading skills. Using these style of puzzles help stimulate the brain making young children more focused, eventually increasing their ability to learn.

Besides the traditional style of the jigsaw puzzle, there are an abundance of different kids puzzles that will entice and stimulate the thinking and learning of children. Many handheld games incorporate the usage of puzzles. Sudoku puzzles have become quite popular in recent years, and are available for all levels of learners in both print and technological forms. Games that incorporate puzzles are also an invaluable tool to promote the healthy growing brain of the child. Children will be drawn to the fun that the games promote, but they will benefit from the learning and skill building that is taking place.

Throughout our lives, we are in a constant state of learning. We make sense of our environment through our previous experiences and then solve our problems based on this knowledge. Without prior learning strategies in problem solving, we cannot find the solutions to even the simplest problems. The process of building good problem solving skills needs to start early. Learning can be fun, yet it can be beneficial to promoting lifelong skills. Do you want your children to be dependent on technology for answers or to have the skills to do it themselves?

Image Credit: spekulator on stock.xchng

Toy cars have been around since the advent of horseless carriage. What started out as big cast iron wagons and carriages, grew to include cars, trucks, buses and nearly every other wheeled vehicle found on the road.

Of course, cast iron has since been replaced by various alloys, composites and plastics to produce the diecast cars that we collect today. This trend toward producing miniatures of vehicles we see every day has grown into a huge industry that makes almost anything one can imagine, from garbage trucks and farm tractors, to racing cars, to the latest super car from your favorite marque. Scales range generally from 1:87 (HO) to 1:12 and in some cases even larger. The most popular scales today are 1:64, 1:43, 1:24 and 1:18.

Dad Sparked Interest in Diecast Cars

I guess I could blame my parents, specifically my dad, for my diecast (and plastic) model car collection. It all started in the summer of 1970 when my dad bought his brand new 1969 Pontiac Tempest and received a plastic promotional scale model of a 1970 GTO from the dealer. He gave me the GTO and that started a lifelong love of all things automotive. Over the years, I received many more models, Hot Wheels, Matchboxes and other various toy trucks, cars etc.

Unfortunately, I was a very destructive child and wrecked most all of my toys and especially my Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars using things like a hammer, the vise on the garage workbench, and even putting them under the leg of my bed. This continued until my pre-adolescent years, when I finally matured enough to realize the value of my toys and that they were worth more to me intact than in pieces. I’m sure my parents wondered if they should ever buy me another toy again! Once I was old enough to have some money of my own I started buying toys and models for myself and have continued to do so to this day.

A Sizable Scale Model Collection

I collect plastic model kits, diecasts in several scales, including 1:64 and 1:18, as well as various other automotive memorabilia. At present, I have over 80 1:18 diecasts plus a few hundred 1:64 cars plus well over 600-700 models.

Why do I collect all this stuff and in such relatively high numbers, you may ask? Well, my problem is this: I like nearly anything with four and even two wheels and would love to have a bunch of real cars and a couple of motorcycles. Since this would be impossible from a financial and logistical standpoint, I try to fuel my fantasy with models of the real thing! A scale model collection allows me the freedom to own my dream machines without an insanely huge amount of capital investment. Heck, one can still find Hot Wheels, etc. at around a buck and oftentimes one can acquire 1:18 diecasts for much less than the $30-$40 that many of them are going for these days. I used to pick up a lot of the Ertl diecast musclecars at Toys ‘R’ Us years ago but the market has changed, making diecasts a bit more challenging to find. Still, many good deals can be found at your local hobby shop.

Article provided by Bob Kremer, Member of IPMS-Steve Wittman Model Club, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

On street trackage for model train layouts, sharp curves, embedded rail and turnouts, not to mention vehicular traffic, are all construction, maintenance and/or operational challenges. That’s why many lines decided to build track on a center median or side-of-the-road easement.

While electric interurban lines built many of these, mainline railroads built plenty too, or took over track from interurbans. Modeling them is as easy as building your street parallel and very close to the track. Ten scale feet between the road’s edge and the track centerline is typical. If your street is in a village or city, add a curb along the edge of your road surface using a scale 6 x 6″ styrene strip painted a concrete color. If the track is between two lanes of traffic, make sure to add appropriate grade crossings and signs where streets cross. Rural lines seldom have curbs. Instead they have a strip of tall grass or a small weedy drainage ditch—easily modeled using appropriate ground cover.

This tip provided courtesy of Walthers

Photo Credit: Bob Lewen

After six-hours of grueling racing on a 16-lane GT slot car course on October 31 and November 1st, the NINCO World Cup is over. This important race was held at the famous Formula 1 racetrack in Silverstone, England.

Mark Azarraga and Jason Stanley from Georgia & Kurt Moser from Indiana (MRC’s 2008 Team USA) have certainly put the international world of slot car racing on notice with their exciting and skillful performance. The rules are very strict and 16 International teams raced NINCO’s new, 1/32 scale Acura LMP2 slot cars in this annual event.

In the Superpole on Friday, Oct 31st, Mark Azarraga won Pole Position for Team USA with a blistering time of 12.855 seconds. Like full scale racing, winning the pole does not guarantee winning the race, and Spain eventually won the 1st place trophy, with Italy 2nd, Portugal 3rd and USA 4th (2 laps from being on the podium).

Silverstone NINCO Racetrack

Mark also received the award for fastest lap against the best and fastest in the world. His fastest time was 12.860 seconds. He said the practice the Team was able to get on the 6-lane track at Sling Shot Speedway in Lawrenceville, Georgia really paid off.

Team USA World Cup Car

Model Rectifier Corporation (MRC) sponsors all the USA races and the Team USA selection. The NINCO World Cup has been previously held in Spain, Italy, and Germany. As well as trophies, MRC provided free airfare, free hotel accommodations, free racecars and parts, and free Team USA uniforms for the trips to Europe for our Team members.

NINCO quality is high and our (MRC) customer support is legendary. We created NINCO on-line forums to interact directly with consumers, and provide authoritative reference, factual information and personal support about the products.

As Mark said, “The NINCO World Cup 2008 was a world class event and it was very special for our team; I could not have asked for better team mates to race by my side. The level of European driver skill was phenomenal and to achieve pole position and the race fastest lap in this group is truly an honor. Our team pushed all the way to the end, and even though we came short of the podium, we were happy with our finish. I would like to thank Model Rectifier Corporation for their generous efforts into making Team USA possible, and it was MRC’s races that introduced me into slots in September 2006.”

Photo Credit: Bob Lewen

MRC is confident and looks forward to the continued growth of NINCO dealer network and overall expansion of the Slot Car hobby on this side of the pond.  Mark, Jason and Kurt are certainly three of the best slot car racers in the world… Who will be on MRC’s Team USA for 2009?

Content provided by Model Rectifier Corporation.

Anyone who has not built a plastic model kit in the past 10-years is in for a big surprise today. Open the box to newly manufactured kits and compare the level of detail and quality to that of the past. There’s quite a difference. Why?

Better Technology Yields Better Model Parts

Steel tooling for producing injection molded parts for scale model kits is now made through the use of CAD 3D computer imaging. The ability of the model-builder to create incredibly realistic looking ships, cars, planes and tanks has been greatly enhanced by the huge increase in detail included in the tooling of the modern plastic model kit. There is less flash (surplus plastic on sprues caused by worn out tooling) and more precise fit of parts.

Why should this matter to the average modeler?  The reason to purchase a model kit is to create a realistic looking replica in miniature.   The satisfaction gained by the builder of having that replica look incredibly realistic is immeasurable.

Which Photo is Real?

Check out web photos of dioramas taken at model shows. It is now nearly impossible to tell the difference between a photo of the real plane and the scaled down model kit!  Attribute this to the attention paid to detail by the various manufacturers, each of whom is determined to recreate the most realistic looking replica as can be made in miniature.

Everyone has a favorite vehicle that brings back memories of the past, whether it be Dad’s old car, or a plane or ship on which a family member served during a military conflict. Finding that kit replica is easy with a visit to a local hobby shop. And recreating that replica not only brings a level of personal pride in the result, but creates, in a sense, an escape from every day life, where one can dive into an enjoyable family project.

Model building is a great outlet for kids of all ages, young and old and in between!  Look up “Hobbies” in your yellow pages or search for hobby stores online and start your new hobby today!

Content provided by Stevens International. For more information, visit www.stevenshobby.com