As a parent or childcare/kindergarten teacher, it's important that we encourage children to participate in different sports activities. Not only do sports activities provide physical benefits for our children, but it also offers a range of mental and social benefits. In todays blog we go through some reasons why you should get your kids engaging in different sports activities.
Gross Motor Skills Development
We have covered Gross motor skill development in previous blogs (The ability to use large muscle groups and the coordination of body movements), thats why sports activities such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis, require a wide range of movement skills. These skills include running, jumping, catching, throwing, balancing, and coordination, which all fall under the category of gross motor skills development. Gross motor skills are essential for daily activities such as walking, running, and climbing stairs. When children participate in sports activities, they learn to coordinate their movements, which helps in the development of gross motor skills.
2. Improved Coordination
Participating in sports activities requires the use of various parts of the body simultaneously. For instance, when playing soccer, a child uses their legs, feet, and eyes together to kick the ball accurately. Similarly, when playing basketball, a child uses their hands, feet, and eyes to pass, dribble, and shoot. When our children use their different body parts together to achieve a certain Gross Motor-skill or goal it improves hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and balance.
3. Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle
Sports activities promote a healthy lifestyle by encouraging children to engage in physical activity. Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, improving cardiovascular health, strengthens our bones and muscles, and prevents chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. By encouraging our children to participate in sports activities it can provide an excellent opportunity for them to develop healthy habits that can continue throughout their lives.
4. Improved Confidence
Sports participation can also help to boost our kids' self-confidence and self-esteem. Children become more skilled at these activities as they begin to learn and master difficult and unfamiliar skills. As a result, the kids feel more accomplished, which can lead to greater confidence and self-esteem, which can make kids more resilient, persistent, and joyful.
5. Positive First Experience
We want to make the first experience of our child's physical activity journey a positive one. Encourage your child to try different sports activities and find what they enjoy. We want to make the sessions fun and enjoyable so that the children are engaged. When children find an activity they enjoy, they're more likely to continue engaging in physical activity throughout their lives.
In conclusion, sports activities provide kids with a variety of benefits, including social, mental, and physical benefits. Encouraging your child to join in sporting activities can provide them a positive first experience with physical activity while also promoting a healthy lifestyle, improving coordination, and developing gross motor skills. It's important to support and encourage kids to participate in different sports activities so that you can watch them grow into self-assured, healthy, and joyful adults.