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A sedentary lifestyle plagues the families of kids today with no effort made to burn any energy or have any sort of physical exercise. Kids go to school, come back home, eat and sit for hours together on the couch with a gadget in their hands and refuse to move.
Obesity is a growing cause of concern, and so are other lifestyle illnesses like blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. A few years ago, you would not hear kids suffering from any lifestyle illnesses. However, today we have increasing cases of children suffering from such illnesses at a very young age. The primary reason for this is the lack of a healthy lifestyle. Kids have natural energy within them, which needs to be exhausted daily for a healthy growth chart. However, with parents working and no time to spare to monitor their kids’ activities, most kids are gifted with a gadget of some kind to keep themselves occupied.
Earlier, even with no proper equipment, most kids played cricket in small alleys, football in a few square kilometres of ground or basketball by aiming at a wall if there was no net to throw it into.
Previously kids would devise their own games like hide and seek, I spy, dog and the bone and many more to stay active. But kids of today have practically no idea of what sort of games to play and seem to be more connected with the games on their gadgets. This has resulted in a need to structure their time to maximize their growth efficiently. Parents now feel the need to engage them in physical activities by force lest they become victims of any lifestyle diseases which would be detrimental to their lives later.
Top 11 Sports for Children
Sports activities & games for kids are a source of developing all-pervasive skills needed to support them in a lifetime. There is a growing need for kids to be involved in physical activity today to counter the effects of technology that has permeated into their lives with some disastrous consequences. Take a look at the top outdoor sports games for kids to maximize their potential and help them lead a healthy lifestyle.
1. Football
One of the most popular, football has been considered one of the forever best sports for kids to play. A sport that can be taught to kids as early as four years is fast gaining popularity all over with several kids training to be champions. Star footballers from the world have also created an adrenaline rush associated with the sport.
How It Will Benefit Your Child
The game facilitates teamwork, fairness, discipline and has a host of physical benefits. It promotes muscles strength, flexibility, coordination, weight control and cardiovascular endurance. Juggling the ball improves foot dexterity, gaining balance and improves cardiovascular sustainability.
2. Swimming
A great sport to tackle the fear of heights and water and also a sport that once learnt, will never be forgotten. It helps to develop your child’s ability on a singular basis without competing with anyone.
How It will Benefit Your Child
Swimming improves lung power by teaching breathing control when in water and also improves muscle strength by practising different styles of strokes.
3. Bicycling
All kids are crazy after bicycles and love to possess one. Why not turn it into a sport that instils a sense of freedom, independence and pride. With different kinds of bikes available, you can now engage in various forms of bicycling activities with your kid.
How It will Benefit Your Child
The first thing that a child learns from cycling is road safety and endurance. Socially they learn patience, discipline and self-esteem. The physical benefits, however, outweigh the social benefits. Cycling improves the strength of the legs, coordination of reflexes, improves balance, controls weight and strengthens cardiovascular functions.
4. Inline Skating
Although a little expensive, skating is growing in popularity among kids today, and there are several professionals who teach the sport in a structured manner. It is a great activity for kids to engage in.
How It will Benefit Your Child
Skating develops patience and encourages coordination of reflexes. The body develops agility, increases muscle strength, improves cardiovascular fitness and helps the body to balance.
5. Basketball
With just a ball and a hoop, the game is a great way to get kids to be physically active. A great way to engage shy kids to play with a team, the sport has a lot of benefits to it.
How It will Benefit Your Child
Kids learn to control their body through defence and offence. Making quick passes improves thinking and reflexes and dribbling the ball encourages eye-foot coordination. Running around with the ball improves muscle strength and develops agility.
6. Running
A great activity that has gained immense popularity today with Marathons being organized by several organizations, it is an excellent activity for kids to be involved too. With practically no cost involved, the sport is one of the best forms of exercise that kids can get.
How It will Benefit Your Child
Running brings about focus, concentration, endurance, improves muscle strength and also cardiovascular fitness. Regular practice sessions build immunity and develop lung power in children, thereby reducing the risk of common colds and flu.
7. Walking
Walking may not sound like a sport but has been certified as one of the best physical activities that kids can be encouraged to perform. Western countries reward the kids if they walk their way to school as it has a host of benefits.
How It will Benefit Your Child
If you walk with your child, it increases family bonding. Walking in open spaces helps to bond with the environment and physically walking helps in strengthening legs, controlling weight and balancing the body.
8. Gymnastics
A popular Olympic sport, it is fast gaining popularity amongst kids today. Trained experts teach kids with the right equipment and nurture the talent in kids.
How It will Benefit Your Child
The first and foremost benefit from gymnastics is balance and flexibility. The sport helps a child to be as flexible as possible as it demands the person to be agile and nimble-footed. Socially it encourages a child to be strong and fearless.
9. Tennis
Players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have put tennis on the international map, and the sport has gained a lot of popularity among children too. Kids have taken a liking to the sport as it involves a competitive spirit.
How It will Benefit Your Child
The sport requires the player to be nimble-footed and a quick thinker. It encourages kids to strategize their moves, learn proper techniques, develop arm strength, and accuracy. It also helps in building muscle strength and improving cardiovascular fitness.
10. Cheerleading
Ideal for girls who are generally not interested in sports, it could be a great way of getting them to exert energy and learn social skills.
How It will Benefit Your Child
A peppy sport, it requires a positive and enthusiastic attitude. Perfect for nurturing teamwork, cheerleading also helps in developing flexibility, agility and a natural sense of rhythm. The continuous movement of the body helps to control weight and improves balance.
11. Judo
An increasing number of schools have started including Judo in their schedule for Physical Training activities, as they gradually realise its benefits. Judo is one sport which facilitates the all-round development of a child in terms of physical, emotional and spiritual growth.
How it will Benefit Your Child
Judo helps instill a sense of discipline. Most associate it with merely fighting or self-defence. But what it also teaches is self-control and focus. While it comprises repetitions of throws and punches, the child also learns how to practise these with different skills, all while following the rules set for this particular sport.
Why Should Children Play Sports?
It goes without saying that a little bit of physical activity is a must in everyday routine. For a kid, it is mandatory, and it only does well than any harm. Getting your child involved in sports is a great way to get fitness incorporated into their lives and embedded in their system for the future. Playing a sport of any kind has immeasurable benefits.
1. Fitness
Engaging in a sport ensures that your child remains fit and healthy. It builds up immunity and reduces the risk of diseases or any common illnesses. Research has also proven that active kids are likely to grow into physically active adults and will continue to stay the same throughout.
2. Social Development
Involvement in physical activity and sports gets kids to interact with people at all levels. Playing a sport involves teamwork, communication, leadership skills, and following instructions. All this leads to learning to develop a congenial personality that will appeal to one and all.
3. Increased Confidence And Self-Esteem
Coaches encourage their students at all levels to push the envelope in terms of performance. A word of appreciation from their coach or parents is enough for kids to put their best foot forward. Constructive criticism which is accompanied by well-structured advice to put corrective measures in place boosts the morale of young children.
4. Positive Influence On Academics
Playing a sport of any kind helps to improve the cognitive skills of a child. Playing a sport requires determination, dedication and perseverance to achieve a target. The same methodical approach can be applied to academics to get positive results. Studies have proved that kids who are good in sports do well in academics too as they have high concentration levels.
5. Respect Protocol
Any sport is played by rules. Discipline is primary while playing a game, and if your young one does not want to follow directions, it is a good idea to sign him up for a sports activity. Taking instructions, following directions and accepting the decision by the referee go a long way in instilling discipline in a child.
6. Emotional Bearing
Kids could have a lot of stress under the surface that needs the means to release. Sports activities channelise the underlying emotions of children in a positive manner. A good coach will try and control the negative side of the child and divert that energy towards achieving a target thereby imbibing patience in them.
7. Diversion From Anti-Social Activities
Kids today can fall an easy prey to anti-social activities like smoking, drugs or even perils of social media. Being involved in sports helps them gain focus and realize that these activities could lead to disastrous effects on their body and performance.
8. Reduces Stress And Depression
It is no doubt that kids today face a lot of stress owing to increased academics and lifestyle goals. Studies have shown that most kids today face depression and have suicidal tendencies as they are unable to cope up with their academics. By playing a sport, a child can release all the pent-up stress and depression and feel rejuvenated to take on academics.
9. Discipline
Kids today lack discipline in their life. They have no fixed hours to go to bed or wake up and do things at snail’s pace. Playing a sport brings in discipline as it involves regular practice session at timed intervals. Children learn the importance of following a routine and discipline themselves to follow the same.
10. Confidence Booster
Kids who play a sport have high levels of confidence owing to their involvement with people and following instructions. There is a sense of achievement involved when playing a sport which serves as a confidence booster and kids feel confident to take on any challenge that is posed to them.
Your child need not excel in sports, but by playing or being involved in a sport, he could grow up to be a fine individual with an affable personality.
There is enough evidence to prove that simply getting kids together for any activity that involves physical effort is beneficial for their development. By encouraging sporting activities and events in their lifestyle, you will be raising a healthy child with an equally active mind.
