News about creating kids interest in sports
Kids these days are becoming increasingly hooked to computer games and PSPs and the television simply adds to the woes of the parents. There is a constant deviation from physical exercises amongst the kids leaving parents worried. As news about obesity amongst kids rises as one of the biggest plagues to haunt children, parents watch out for ways and opportunities to get their children involved in some sports activity.
Studies show that playing a selected sport has several other benefits for the kids as well besides the usual health and fitness benefits. Not only do sports keep kids active, it can help them concentrate better, improves their social skills and helps them learn and employ sportsmanship. However, in order to establish a childs interest in a particular sport it is imperative that one first analyzes the youngsters age, size, ability, general interest and skills. Don’t assume all children are natural athletes and it is crucial that we first be aware of the cause of their dislike for sports.
Sports can be a turn-off for kids for a large number of reasons. One of the primary factors that keeps kids from taking up a specific sport is that they’re still in a phase when they’re developing their basic skills.
Children below six to seven years of age have shorter attention spans and don’t have the capacity to understand the intricacies of the rules which are required to play organized sports. When children reach this age they can grasp the sport better and need to rehearse to get a hang of the sport. The hits and misses while learning how to play can result in frustration along with an ensuing disinterest.
It also has been noted that some kids are unwilling to play team sports as they seem to be too competitive for the kids. Sports such as football, baseball are rigorous and focused on winning which can unnerve them. Maintaining an optimistic environment ensures that the children remain motivated and interested.
At times children are still undecided upon the sport of their choice. They could be more at ease playing individual sports rather than team sports. It is advisable to let the child explore his / her interests and choose his own. Self consciousness can also be another very significant deterrent. Physical attributes play a very important part in this as smaller kids are likely to feel more intimidated. It’s very important so as to channelize the childs energies in the right direction and keep them from getting frustrated.
Some of the best sports to get kids involved with are basketball, baseball, football, ice hockey and soccer amongst team sports and gymnastics, horseback riding, skating and soccer amongst individual sports. Parents must realize that imposing a specific sporting activity upon a child certainly won’t aid in developing the childs interest in the game.
Once the child discovers his or her own interest, they are going to find their own league. Infact, the emphasis should be on kids getting enough physical exercise in the form of any exercise, whether it is sports or free play. This initial patience when exercised can result in long term benefits by helping your child develop his / her interest in a sports activity that will last a lifetime.