Way back when, children were always everywhere, running around or playing all sorts of games and sports for kids. But nowadays kids spend most of their time indoors; either online or on social media, watching tv, or studying for tomorrow’s lessons. While there’s nothing wrong with these things, a healthy balance between exercise and staying in is necessary for your child’s holistic development. Studies have also shown that active kids, in addition to being physically healthier, have more active minds and can concentrate better in school. Here are the top sports for kids that you should know:
1. Baseball/Softball
Baseball is great for kids since it involves 2 of the things that kids love to do; running around and playing catch. There are a lot of Little League organizations that you can sign up your kid for, and children as young as 5 can start playing baseball or softball.
Baseball can improve your child’s hand-eye coordination, physical strength, balance, as well as teach your child the value of teamwork and leadership.
2. Football/Soccer
Football, or soccer as it’s called in some countries, is a fun and healthy sport that has a lot of benefits for kids. Not only is it the most popular sport in the world, it’s a fast paced game that perfectly caters to the short attention span that kids have these days.
The benefits include cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance. It also teaches your child discipline, teamwork, and fairness.
3. Cycling
Learning how to ride a bike is a rite of passage for most kids. It’s also a kid’s first taste of independence and freedom. The great thing about cycling is that it’s not only fun, it can also be an activity that can involve your entire family. You can have weekend bike rides with your kids and then have a picnic afterwards. There are also a lot of cyclist groups that are slowly starting to pop up. Cycling is also a great way to get from one point to another as it’s very environment friendly, and if you start your kid early, they’ll surely get hooked. Just make sure to buy proper safety equipment for you and your kids.
Biking improves leg strength, balance, coordination, and it’s also a good form of weight control. Other benefits include discipline, a sense of community, family bonding, environmental awareness, and a feeling of freedom.
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4. Inline Skating
Among kids, inline skating has been increasing in popularity. Now, we know what you’re thinking, you’re scared that your kid might fall down and hurt himself/herself while inline skating. However there shouldn’t be any major issues so long as you take the proper safety measures. You will need to buy your child safety equipment such as a good quality helmet as well as kneepads and elbow pads, and his skates should have brakes. If possible, you can also look for inline skating lessons so that they can teach your child safely. Kids as young as 4 or 5 can get started with inline skating.
The benefits of inline skating include balance, coordination, flexibility, muscle strength, a feeling of freedom, and improved self-esteem.
5. Walking
Ah, good old walking. Walking is actually one of the best forms of exercise that you can get. It’s great for kids who aren’t fond of competitive games or those who don’t like getting tired really fast.
The great thing about walking is that there’s a lot of options when it comes to walking. Your kid can go for a nice peaceful walk in the park, or if he/she’s feeling more adventurous, they can go on a mountain hike.
The benefits include improved balance, coordination, leg strength, and weight control. It’s also a great way for your entire family to bond, and it develops environmental awareness in your child.
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