Pamela Y. Wiggins - Collecting with Kids: How to Inspire, Intrigue and Guide the Young Collector

To my late mother, Eva Paschal, with whom I shared many superb collecting adventures.

When I look back on my childhood, some of my fondest memories find me by my mothers side. I was a mommas girl, and where she went, I went. That means when she started hunting antiques in earnest when I was 6 or so, I happily followed along with my curiosity piqued.

Never intent on just observing, I soon began to itch for a collection of my own. I started a little gathering of miniature porcelain animal families and added to it 10 cents at a time at garage sales we scoured together. I found myself drawn to Depression glass at the flea market we frequented, and that led to reading Moms book on the topic cover to cover. I studied it so often, in fact, that I soon knew all the patterns better than she did. More collections followed, including that set of old glassware I longed for, Snoopy items of all types, and candles shaped like everything from an orange Popsicle to a clever light bulb that actually screwed into a base.

Yes indeed, I caught the collecting bug from my mom. She didnt have to do anything special to get me started. She just took me along with her, showed me how much fun she was having, and I wanted in on it, too. Thankfully, I also learned not to be too hard on myself when I made a collecting mistake like those discussed in Part I of this book. She called that paying for your education in the antiques biz, and she was right.

Like many young collectors, I took a break through my teen years. That interest in collecting remained dormant until I started thinking about glassware all over again in my mid-20s. Mom didnt need much coaxing to hit the collecting trail with me for a repeat performance, and we started visiting estate sales in the neighborhood where I grew up. There I found glassware, jewelry, and a host of other cool stuff I couldnt resist. Thirty years later, Im still buying, selling, collecting, and educating others on myriad topics relating to antiques and collectibles.

Writing about the things I discovered while growing up in the middle of an antiquing frenzy, one that eventually led to Mom opening her own business, came naturally to me. Id learned much more through sheer osmosis as an inquisitive child than Id realized. Sharing that knowledge with others has been rewarding, exciting, and filled with learning more than Id ever dreamed when I was tagging along at garage sales and flea markets circa 1970. Moms been gone since 2007. I still miss calling her to share my latest find. What Id give for just one more antiquing adventure together!

When I was asked to guide other adults who have the potential for mentoring young collectors, it was not only a thrill for me but a way to honor my mother and the rewarding hobby she shared with me. My regular column called Kids and Collecting appears in Heritage Magazine for The Intelligent Collector, the periodical published by Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, Texas. In each issue, I cover a topic designed to inspire adults and give them tools they can use to introduce children to the wonderful world of collecting. Now that youre holding this book, youll get to learn about all this good stuff, too.

Pamela Y. Wiggins shares a lesson on costume jewelry history with a Central Texas Girl Scout troop.

Photo by Jay B. Siegel

Getting the next generation interested in collecting is a hot topic these days. Collecting clubs are looking at new ways to motivate children. Dealer-related organizations are exploring opportunities to encourage younger members and budding enthusiasts. Editors are seeking articles like those within this book to inspire adult collectors to bring newbies into the fold.

But with so many more things to occupy the time of kids and teens these days, from texting with friends to video games, wandering around a flea market might not be their first choice for entertainment. Of course, how will they know if you dont get them out there and give it a try?

Thats what this book is all about. Its designed to give ideas to those who want to pass the collecting legacy along to the next generation. As you peruse the articles compiled here, youll find that many learning and sharing opportunities are wrapped up in the gift of collecting.

From their collecting mentors, kids learn money management, history related to what theyre collecting, and how to be good stewards of the objects in their care. Theyre guided to communicate about their collections through writing reports and making presentations. They may even find their collecting passion leading to a career. Im living proof of that, as are many other folks Ive interviewed over the years. But most of all, collecting encourages children to have fun because thats the best part of being a kid. Kindling that enjoyment lets you seize the blessing of having a child in your life.

Use these stories as tools for mentoring, inspiring, and helping children to learn and grow. In turn, you may well mold an aficionado who can carry your passion for collecting into the future. They might even teach you a thing or two along the way. At the very least, youll make some superb memories together that will last a lifetime. No matter how much you value your collections, those shared experiences will be even more valuable.