Exercise is one of the most important needs for your child’s health, and this is most effortlessly achieved by getting them excited about sports. Sports create various exercises and movements in an environment which includes socializing with their peers, competition, skill and often numeric counting.
These all develop to improve your child’s cognitive function and mobility, as well as making them more well-adjusted by learning to both win and lose in a graceful manner. The following list is a helpful collection of tips and pieces of advice which will bring your child comfortably into the world of sport.
Be Excited for Them!
Your child will only be as happy to join sports as you are encouraging. Selling the idea is necessary to build an image in your child’s head of what it will mean for them. Speak positively about the experience and stress how it is an opportunity for making friends, becoming a better sportsman, and most of all, having fun!
Be an Example
Children very much emulate their parent’s behaviors, so if they see you uninterested in physical activity, they themselves have less incentive to join a sport. Leading by example is a great way to encourage them, as is incorporating sport as a family activity, such as soccer in the park, a round of golf, or a trip to the swimming pool. These are fun ways to keep the whole family fit and instill healthy habits for your children early on in their lives.
Don’t Present it as a Chore
Children are very susceptible to how things are explained and presented, and if you teach your child to view exercise as an obligation, they will resent it and be less likely to want to participate. Resist the instinct to pressure your children towards sports, and instead make it appear like a light, fun, rewarding activity (which it is!).
Furthermore, being positive about sport includes not showing disappointment in your child’s performance, as this will negatively impact their self-esteem and confidence; however, reinforcing positive and optimistic statements will make your child feel good whether they win or lose in their given sport.
Try and Involve Their Friends
This is one of the best and easiest ways to make your children excited about sport. Having familiar and positive faces to share the experience with will alleviate any nerves and make the prospect much more inviting. Kids love playing games with one another, and this is a chance to deepen friendships and spend quality time socializing amongst peers.
We recommend talking to other parents about having your children join the same sports team, or inviting your children’s friends over for a playdate where you can try out some sports and gauge their interest. This will make sports much more special to your child, and a positive experience they will want to continue into adulthood.
Practice at Home
A lot of kids face anxiety over joining sports for the fear of embarrassing themselves in front of their peers or parents. You should work towards easing this fear by talking to them and offering to practice in a private space. This will bond you as a family and provide an opportunity to really develop their interest in sport.
Make sure to train with the right equipment, as this will have a hand in how they perform in front of others, and how comfortable they will become in their chosen sport.
We hope this article contained relevant information to get your kids more excited about sports – the many benefits it can reap are countless to consider as a parent, and sport takes up a portion of your child’s schedule in a manner they can relax and enjoy while maintaining all the positive associations.