Enrolling your kids in sports (any sport) is a great idea. They make friends, it ensures they’re getting physical activity, and there’s a lot of lessons to be learned while playing. Team sports like hockey or basketball teach communication skills, as well as teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Solo sports such as gymnastics or swimming help build confidence and are a great way to learn the importance of practice, commitment, and goal setting.
As you see, kids can gain valuable life experience and skills by playing sports. But there are some lessons and skills they should have before you formally enroll them in a sport. This article explores 5 ways to get your child ready for sports.
- BASIC PLAY SKILLS
Infants start throwing and jumping naturally. They learn these skills in little bits, slowly adding new ones such as running. By the time your child is 4-5 years old, they should have some of these basic skills down.
To play organized sports, your son or daughter needs to learn how to put combine these skills. The ability to throw while running, for example, is necessary before they start playing. This doesn’t usually happen until they’re about 6 years old.
- ADAPTING EQUIPMENT
If your child is still too young for this, there are many sports that can be adapted to make play easier. Using smaller equipment for example and making games or practices shorter. Having the child try different positions, such as having the pitcher move out to left base for a while helps to keep your child interested and continue playing.
- ADAPTING THE GAME
Many parents have had success in making mini-games out of sports. If you’re playing basketball with your daughter for example and you see that she loves throwing the ball high, but isn’t able to aim at or hit the basket yet, make a new game. Have her throw the ball up as high as possible and then run to catch it before the first bounce. This way, her hands get used to a basketball, she’s learning and building muscle memory by throwing, and catching the ball improves hand-eye coordination.
- LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Kids absorb their understanding of life, simply by watching their parents. Your child is more likely to play a sport if you’re playing as well. Alternatively, if your child sees you slumming on the couch every weekend, they’re less likely to believe that physical activity is important.
Similarly, watching a parent play a sport teaches the child how to behave when they lose or don’t play well. This is an opportunity to teach good sportsmanship, to show that we can’t all be winners, all the time.
- THE POWER OF WATCHING
Letting your child experience the “wow” factor of watching sports is a great inspiration for them. You don’t need to make the drive to Edmonton to watch an Oilers game in person (though I do highly recommend it). Watching the game on television, cheering and sharing the highs with your child is a fun way to build excitement in them. Just remember, they’re watching you during the lows too, so if your team loses, take the opportunity to reinforce the importance of gracious sportsmanship.
If your child loses interest during the game, don’t worry, it’s natural; kids that age get bored easily. Don’t force them to keep watching. Instead, branch out to other sources of sporting fun. Movies are a great way to build excitement and see what it’s like to be a team player. The Mighty Ducks and Cool Runnings are a couple of classics that reinforce the importance of sportsmanship.
