Our children spend most of the day sitting down. That’s why sports are not only incredibly important for children to keep them moving and really let off steam. The social aspect also plays an important role.

The Consequences Of Too Little Sport For Children

As a result of driving more than walking from A to B, consuming more television, computers and smartphones, children now sit more and move less. This leads to obesity and posture problems. Accidents also happen more often due to poor movement coordination, incorrect self-assessment and lack of experience. Of course, accidents also happen during sports, but these are more likely to be due to excessive demands, distraction and overestimation of one’s own capabilities.

In general, the more experienced and fit your child is, the less prone he or she is to accidents. For this reason, as a parent, you should motivate your child to be active and participate in sports. It is also the parent’s job to help the child find his or her favorite sport. You can find out which is the right sport for your child below.

Sports Promote Healthy Development And Other Skills

Whether in parent-child gymnastics or in a sports club – in addition to physical performance, your child’s social skills are also promoted. It learns to behave in a group and also learns to make social contacts and abide by rules.

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In addition, there is a “loser” in every sport, so it also learns to deal with it. In team sports, children also learn skills such as fairness and team spirit.

Sports For Children – The Proof Of The Pudding Is In The Eating

Many parents already have precise ideas about which sport their child should excel in later. However, a study by the University of Indianapolis (USA) unexpectedly showed that early specialization in a particular sport tends to do more harm than good later on. In addition, there is a risk that early specialization will lead to more frequent injuries and can also lead to mental burnout.

How Do You Find The Right Sport? Variety Makes The Difference

It is better if the child tries different sports. Generally, it takes 10 years for children to master a sport perfectly. However, if children between the ages of six and 13 play several sports at once, they achieve better results in the sports later on than children who stuck to just one sport at a young age.

This is because children are able to develop different athletic abilities when they participate in multiple sports. So it is important that you encourage your child to try different sports. This will give him or her the opportunity to find out which sport suits him or her the most and brings him or her joy. In addition, different sports put different amounts of stress on the joints and muscles. From the age of about 12-13 years, it then makes sense for the child to specialize in a particular sport.

Sports For Children – These Are The Most Popular Sports For Children Between 7 And 14 Years Of Age

Now I have compiled for you the most popular sports for children with an age recommendation. In addition, the skills that are trained by the respective sport are listed.

Soccer (From 5-6 Years)

Soccer trains endurance as well as balance, body coordination, speed, strength and muscle development. Social skills such as tolerance, fairness, cooperation and responsibility are also strengthened in soccer.

Gymnastics (From 2-3 Years Children’s Gymnastics Or From 4-5 Years Real Gymnastics)

Gymnastics is often taken as a starting point. Not without reason – it trains flexibility, balance, body coordination and endurance. Many clubs offer parent-child gymnastics from the age of one, while children from the age of 6 can stand alone on parallel bars or balance beam.

Swimming (From 4-5 Years)

Swimming is particularly easy on the joints and is one of the healthiest sports for children. In addition, most children love the element of water. Endurance, body coordination, strength and muscle development are trained.

Tennis (From 3-4 Years)

Tennis is probably the most popular one-on-one sport. Tennis strengthens endurance, coordination, feel for the ball, speed, concentration, power and muscle development.

Athletics (From 5 Years)

The beauty of athletics is the versatility within the sport. Whether it’s a shot put, a 400 meter run or a sprint, athletics offers children a lot of variety. Above all, skills such as speed, strength and muscle development, coordination and endurance are trained.

Martial Arts – Karate And Judo (From 5-6 Years)

The two Japanese martial arts not only train skills such as endurance, strength, dexterity and agility. Also the sense of spatial perception, coordination and concentration are strengthened. Apart from that, children gain more self-confidence and self-assurance and respect and tolerance are emphasized.

Handball (From 5-6 Years)

This popular ball sport strengthens team spirit, coordination, feeling for the ball and speed.

Horseback Riding (From 8 Years) Or Vaulting (From 5 Years)

The greatest happiness on earth…is unfortunately a somewhat more expensive affair. Group riding lessons cost between €12 and €20, while individual lessons start at around €20. However, there is a good alternative where you are still in contact with the beautiful four-legged friends: vaulting.

In vaulting, children practice gymnastic exercises while the horse walks on the lunge. It is not only a useful introduction to contact with horses, but balance, agility and body coordination are trained here.

Table Tennis (From 7 Years)

As in normal tennis, speed, concentration and coordination are of great importance in table tennis.

Basketball And Volleyball (From 6-7 Years)

As with all ball sports, social skills are promoted in basketball and volleyball, because the children have their role in the team and must consciously communicate with each other. Furthermore, speed, coordination, feeling for the ball and endurance are trained.

Dancing And Ballet (From 2-3 Years)

…is only for girls. Wrong! In the meantime, the enthusiasm for music is not only reserved for girls. Boys have also taken a liking to children’s dance classes, in which the little dancers practice short choreographies and learn dances. In addition to motor skills and their own body awareness, concentration, agility, endurance and coordination are strengthened.

Cycling (From 5 Years)

We’re not talking about the Tour de France here, but a few laps in the park or a short trip made by bike instead of the car will do the trick. The focus here is on endurance, balance, strength and muscle building.

No False Ambition On The Part Of Parents

Maybe you would like your child to be the next Boris Becker of Steffi Graf. Or your disappointment about the lack of enthusiasm for soccer is great. Nevertheless, it does neither you nor your child any good if you push him or her towards a certain sport. Don’t decide over your child’s head, but let him or her have a say in the decision.

Do Not Set The Bar Too High

It is also inadvisable to compare your child’s athletic performance with that of other children. When parents try to push their child to perform at their best, the joy of sports is gone faster than you can say “beep” and that’s it for balanced exercise. It’s much better to measure progress against your child’s own performance.

Sports For Kids – How To Keep Your Child On The Ball

• Visit a trial lesson together with the child.
• Pay attention to the wishes of the child and do not force him to do anything.
• Integratethe sports lessons firmly into everyday life.
• The training may only be cancelled in exceptional cases (e.g. a child’s birthday) – “I don’t feel like it today” does not apply.
• If your child is not in the mood, you should talk to him/her about the cause.
• A friend accompanies your child or they do sports together.
• If your child has a slump, your increased attention often helps. Find out what he or she has learned. Your presence at competitions or performances will also increase your child’s motivation.
• If the lack of motivation persists, you should consider a change of sport and try out alternatives.

Finding The Right Sports Club – Important Criteria

• How many children are there in the sports club?
• How big are the groups and how are they divided (age-specific)?
• What is the tone like among each other and also on the part of the trainer?
• How are the coaches trained and do they have a valid coaching license?
• Does the trainer demonstrate the exercises and give understandable instructions and clear rules?
• Does the trainer also take weaker children into account?
• Is the training varied, playful and suitable for the altar?

Sports For Children – Final Tip

If your child is trying out different sports, it is highly recommended to wait a few months before buying expensive equipment. For the beginning there is usually the possibility to borrow the equipment.