Every parent wants their kids to be active and healthy, but in the world of video games and long hours spent on homework, it is hard to find the time or the opportunity. It is your responsibility to help your child make the most out of their social and physical skills, and sports have more benefits than growing muscles. It improves your kids’ communication, discipline, focus, and encourages them to take responsibility for their action. Below you will find a few ways you can encourage them to take on a sport.
Watch Live Matches
If you want your kids to be interested in sports, you will need to teach them about the rules and the goal of every game from an early age, the sooner they will start making sense of a match, the more they will enjoy watching it. You can even get a season ticket for the family, and make it a day out at the weekend to watch your team and discuss the sport afterward. You can really turn them into fans when they feel the atmosphere of a live match.
Try Different Styles
It is important that you let your child choose the sport they want to play. It is not likely that the first option you present them with will be the ideal one. You will need to take your time to explore what their strengths and development areas are, and talk to coaches to find out how each sport can help your child get the most out of their health and wellbeing. After all, a small change in the rules and game can make a huge difference, and your child might not enjoy netball but love basketball.
Toys and Games
To get your child hooked on a sport and encourage them to try it, you might want to turn them into fans first. You can get them sport themed toys to get them to do their research and set up their own role play. This will help them understand the rules, engage with other kids who are into the same sport, and find games that they can enjoy together. Just because your child is too young to start proper training yet, they can still be interested and hooked up.
Talk to Their Friends
One of the main objections you will get from your child when trying to encourage them to try a training is that they don’t want to go alone and they don’t know anyone. You can overcome this if you talk to other parents and convince them to team up with you. Once your child has a friend to train with, they will feel more confident, and more likely to give the game a go. If they are not the only beginner there, they will feel less embarrassed doing things wrong at first.
Family Taster Sessions
If you want to avoid spending too much trying to find out which sport your child is interested in, you might sign up for local alerts and get notified whenever there is a taster session held. You can go with them to the first training, so they feel more confident and know that you are there to help them out in case they need encouragement or guidance. The younger your child is, the more likely they will be worried about meeting people with more advanced skills.
Life Skills and Self Defense
It is important that you choose a sport that will teach your child more than physical skills. You can find a martial art that will teach them discipline and basic self defense skills. At the same time, you can encourage them to become an expert at every aspect of the sport, for example, mindset, focus, or even how to tie a karate belt. Team sports will teach them communication and collaboration, while individual ones will help them focus and become more competitive.
Help Them Choose a Role Model
If you would like your child’s sports career to last, you will need to help them choose a role model they want to follow and learn from. You can start by talking about sportspeople who encouraged you and inspired your life, and watch documentaries of famous players they might be able to relate to.
Making sports a part of your child’s life has several health and wellbeing benefits. At the same time, it will help you create a special bond between you and them, and support them with dealing with the challenges of growing up.