Whether playing tee-ball as a preschooler or playing football as a high school athlete, sports activities play an important role in the lives of many children across the nation. Not only are sports an entertaining activity to help keep your child active, they may also have several other benefits ranging from physical to mental health.
Physical Benefits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as of 2011, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the last 30 years. Unfortunately, childhood obesity raises health risks for children later in life such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. To address this issue, the CDC has released activity guidelines which suggest that all children get at least an hour of exercise every day to help keep their weight under control. Sports activities provide an entertaining and appealing option for kids to reach these goals and help develop positive fitness habits for later on in life.
Social Benefits
Sports not only help children stay physically fit, but they may also help develop positive social bonds and experiences that are needed for a fulfilling and healthy childhood. For example, playing sports helps socialize children, allowing them to make friends and create relationships. These friendships teach important skills such as sharing, sympathy, conflict resolution and teamwork, as well as create a feeling of fitting in for the child.
Academic Benefits
Playing a sport may help a child progress academically as well, suggests research released by the American College of Sports Medicine as well as studies by the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. The ACSM believes that playing sports helps reduce problems with boredom, allowing children to focus better in the classroom. Sports can also help prevent children from using drugs or alcohol, which affect both the ability to concentrate in class as well as class attendance and chances of graduating from high school.
Mentorship
Participation in sports provides mentorship opportunities for children who may not have a healthy or positive influence at home. Mentoring benefits can include the influence of a coach, the influence of other teammates or even the influence from parents of other teammates. Mentor relationships create positive patterns for children and condition the mind to increase later success, suggests the Win America Foundation.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Childhood Obesity
- Education.com: The Benefits of Team Sports
- Australian Government: Participating in Sport: Social benefits
- Win America Foundation: Why Mentor Children?
- University of Florida: Benefits of Sports for Kids
- American College of Sports Medicine: Vigorous Physical Activity Linked to Better Grades
