Five Reasons For Children To Play Sports

Children usually get their introduction to sports from their family. Sports affect many aspects of a family’s life including their identity, leisure time, social networks and well-being. Parents invest time, financial resources and emotional support so their children can be involved in sports. The parents who are willing to make this investment realize that sport offers several benefits for children.

Exercise

Physical activity is an important part of a child’s development. The exercise required for sports can help a child stay in shape and maintain a healthy weight. Physical activity may improve health by helping combat childhood obesity and reducing related health care costs. Sports participation helps children establish active habits that could stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Self-Confidence

Sports help build confidence, decision-making and leadership skills. It’s encouraging for a child to see that practice leads to improvement, and continued improvement will help him reach his goals. For example, a child who started the season unable to do a proper lay-up gains confidence as he masters this skill. The opportunity to channel energy and competitiveness in beneficial ways can also help build a child’s self-confidence. Furthermore, it speaks volumes to a child when a coach or a parent provides sincere, positive encouragement related to his effort, improvement or success in the sport.

Teamwork

A child can learn a lot about teamwork by playing team sports, and these are lessons that will serve her well for the rest of her life. As a part of a team, your child learns about working with others toward a common goal. She learns about giving and receiving help and solving problems with others. As a part of a team, she has to put aside differences to help the team function well.

Improved Grades

Children who participate in sports or other physical activity tend to do better in school, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Findings from a study with 240 middle school children suggests that at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity three days a week leads to improved grades. Research out of the University of Illinois corroborates this, with findings that suggest physical activity may have an important effect on brain development, especially memory. Additionally, the practice required to excel in sports fosters discipline and time management, and these skills can spill over into other areas, like schoolwork.

Enjoyment

Playing a sport can be quite enjoyable. Playing games is about fun and, with the right attitude, it can be fun whether the child wins or loses. Team sports are a social activity and a good way to deepen friendships. It’s encouraging for a child to know he has friends who will support him. There’s also some chemistry at work when playing sports: chemicals released during exercise help improve a player’s mood.