Extracurricular activities and sports can help your child get the 60 minutes of physical activity each day recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If your child has indicated an interest in cheer, you might be wary of your child joining a program that typically is joined by teens. Find a program or camp that specifically caters to kids and you might find that the combination of gymnastics, dance and spirit is ideal for your enthusiastic child.
Benefits
Allowing your child to join a cheer squad can foster a love for physical activity. With 17 percent of American children and adolescents considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control, the focus that cheer places of physical activity can help your child be more active and enjoy exercise on a daily basis. Because cheer is a team sport, a cheer squad can be an excellent way for your child to make new friends and become more extroverted. Even if your child doesn't choose to continue cheer, she will have developed new skills and might find that enjoys dance, tumbling or gymnastics instead.
Disadvantages
The few disadvantages of allowing your child to join cheer mostly have to deal with the safety level of the sport. While coaches must follow safety guidelines set by the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators, cheer can cause injuries, especially in advanced courses. Cheer might not be appropriate for all fitness levels and your child might feel left out or rejected if he's not able to cheer with a certain squad. Luckily, kids' cheer is often done within a community with an inclusive mindset to give children a positive experience.
Safety
As long as your child and your child's coach follow safety rules, cheerleading can be a rewarding experience. Children's cheer squads, clinics and camps typically focus on the dance and tumbling aspect of cheerleading, rather than gymnastics and stunting. By talking to your child's coach ahead of time, you can get a better idea of what the curriculum entails. Ensure that your child always practices cheer under the coach's supervision and understands her level of ability as a cheerleader. Talk to her about stunts and techniques that are safe for her to try and others that should be left to more experienced cheerleaders.
Getting Started
Since cheer isn't routinely offered by elementary schools, you might need to search out community programs for kids' cheer. Recreational programs through your city's parks and recreational department can help your child get started, while summer camps can help give him the upper hand in training and becoming a cheerleader. Once the program or camp is over, you can talk to your child and assess his interest in continuing cheer. Once your child reaches secondary school, cheer programs likely will be offered as an extracurricular activity through the school.
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