Are Sports Really Good For Kids?

Kids should do something active for at least an hour each day, according to KidsHealth. One way to help your child meet this goal while having fun is to sign her up for sports. Sports can be very beneficial to children, though the proper precautions need to be taken so that they are less likely to be injured.

Time Frame

In some areas, sports teams are available for preschoolers. However, in most cases you should wait to sign up your child until he is 6 or 7, since these children are better able to understand the rules and are better coordinated, according to KidsHealth. Smaller children should only be put on teams that are geared toward having fun and gaining skills, without an emphasis on winning and losing.

Benefits

Kids who participate in sports are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, do drugs or get pregnant. Sports also help kids build social skills, self-confidence and a positive body image, according to the Women's Sports Foundation. Kids who take part in sports tend to get better grades and are more likely to graduate. They learn important life skills including how to work as a team and set goals and work toward achieving those goals. They also get lots of exercise and a chance to make new friends.

Considerations

You need to take into consideration the interests of your child as well as what she is good at when choosing sports for her to try. Consider whether she is better suited toward a team sport or an individual sport. You don't want to force her to participate in something she does not have an interest in and doesn't enjoy or she might avoid sports in the future.

Warning

As kids' participation in sports has increased, so have the number of injuries from sports, most of which occur during practices rather than games, according to Oregon SAFE KIDS. Take your child for a physical before he starts sports, and make sure he has the proper safety gear and stays hydrated. Adult supervision should be present at all times, and the play area should be safe as well.

Expert Insight

Adolescents should be physically active on a daily basis, with at least three sessions lasting 20 minutes or longer of moderately intense to intense exercise per week, according to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. For younger children, physical activity is recommended but as of 2010, a consensus hasn't been reached on recommendations for levels of physical activity.