According to a research by the journal JAMA Pediatrics, more screen time is linked to poorer progress on key developmental measures such as communication skills, problem solving and social interactions among young kids over time.
At this stage, young children’s brains are rapidly developing new connections and learning from every cue it receives. And spending most of their time in front of screens means missing a lot on opportunities for learning and development.
Sports is an activity that brings about a lifetime of skills. With the numerous advantages it provides, it is beneficial to get your child to participate in sports at a young age.
However, getting kids involved in sports can sometimes take a little more extra work from parents. Here are some easy steps to help give your child an extra nudge towards sports.
Help Them Master the Basics
Young children may take time to be ready for organized team sports as they are still learning fundamental motor skills. Helping them develop these skills at an early stage is critical for excelling at sports later.
Getting your child outside for at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily will give him/her time to master the basics. It doesn’t have to be complicated! Unstructured play where they call the shots is best. It could just be running around the playground, riding a bike or climbing on equipment. Change up the activities from time to time to keep them excited about exercise.
Let Them Have A Say
When it comes to sports, parents sometimes go too far. Some might encourage intense training on a single sport or for others, enroll their child in 4 different activities at once! If you think your child is ready to participate in classes, let them have a say on which sport to go with and do your best to support them – even if it’s not football!
It will be much easier for them to enjoy it if they are interested in the activity.
Taking them to see pro matches or participate in a sporting event with kids their age will also help them in deciding on what they want and see how players have a good time while in the game.
Team Up with Their Friends’ Parents
Who wouldn’t want a friend along with them in any activity? Teaming up with other parents can sometimes be your best bet in encouraging your child to participate in sports. Say goodbye to the challenge of convincing them when they’ll readily say yes knowing that their best friend is attending. Apart from that, having a buddy boosts children’s social skills and improves their determination to pursue a sport.
Explore Options
If your kid doesn’t just seem to be interested enough, let them explore their options! Instead of traditional sports, you might want to introduce less common ones like martial arts or gymnastics. Or maybe simply letting them participate in a trial class might change their mind and spark their interest!
Find the Best Go-To Place for Sports
As a parent, you would only want the best for your child. Finding the right place where all your kids’ needs will be taken into consideration is one thing and making schedules work is another. And bringing those two together can become a struggle for most parents.
At ProActiv Sports, our services revolve around our core value, “More Than Just Sports Coaching”. We see sports classes/camps as learning opportunities for kids, not just for physical skills but more importantly for personal development.
We understand that sports play a great impact on children and when done correctly, it helps them reap the many developmental benefits that will help them grow into successful adults. Hence we designed our programmes to match every age group and every ability to ensure that kids enjoy sports and with the help of our expert coaches, encourage them to lead an active lifestyle in spite of the digital advances of today’s time.
And to make the sports experience a breeze, we provide flexibility in schedules and venues for our services. What more can you ask for? It couldn’t be easier.
If you want to encourage your kid to participate in sports, sign them up for a free trial with us!
References
JAMA Pediatrics Journal, 2016
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ProActiv Sports – More than Just Sports Coaching
