Letting your child play sports is beneficial for almost every aspect of their well-being. Which sport do you choose? And how do you keep it fun for your child and affordable for you?
Children need exercise to grow up healthy, that’s no longer news. Exercise reduces the chance of depressive symptoms, has beneficial effects on bone quality and insulin sensitivity, as this scientific research shows. Sports make children fitter, increase muscle strength, and ensure they stay at a healthy weight.
The more exercise, the better, states the Health Council. They established guidelines based on research. For children aged four to twelve, the guideline is one hour of moderately intensive exercise per day and three times a week of bone and muscle-strengthening activities.
The most fun for a child is if they can choose how that daily exercise looks, says Tessa Blom. She is a sports pedagogue and founder of training agency Sports & Behaviour. “To enjoy sports, it’s especially important to have a good time. The game becomes fun if you have a good coach or trainer with pedagogical skills, or a fun team or association where you connect with other children,” says Blom.
Sports enjoyment sometimes needs encouragement
Iris Benders completely agrees. She is a pediatric physical therapist at Jan van Rijn Kinderfysiotherapie. Whether your child participates in an organized sport like soccer, hockey, or korfball, goes jogging or weightlifting with their parents, or enjoys themselves outside: fun is the most important thing.
“If a child has to do too much, there is pressure, the sport is unpleasant, not fun, or too strenuous and therefore painful, the child loses interest in exercise. Then they start to avoid exercise,” says Benders.
That enjoyment of sports does need some encouragement for some children, say Blom and Benders. Benders: “Parents can influence exercise behavior in a positive and negative way. It’s a shame if playing outside is experienced as dirty, tiring, and unpleasant. Pushing boundaries in sports is fine. Panting and being out of breath, having a high heart rate, and sweating: that’s all okay.”
Go outside and exercise together and then gradually look for a sport that your child enjoys, she advises. Usually, that happens somewhere when swimming lessons are completed, says Benders, around the age of six.
Team sport or just badminton and table tennis
Which sport do you choose as a child? Often that has to do with what your parents already do, which sports are offered in your city or town, and what friends do, Blom knows.
We often think that everyone benefits from a fun team sport so that children learn to work together. But don’t forget that they are already learning in groups all day at school, she says.
“Not every child likes always doing everything together. They can feel overwhelmed if they also have to play hockey or korfball in a team three times a week.” Not everyone is equally social. Making pairs, making yourself heard, and working together is quite a challenge, says Blom.
Coach can make or break sports enjoyment
For those children, a martial art might be fun. Or tennis, athletics, dancing, or swimming. Blom is a fan of small associations with enthusiastic, involved volunteers. “A small badminton or table tennis association often feels very familiar, like a big family. Coaches are on top of that good atmosphere. That is more important than being very good at something.”
A coach or trainer can make or break the enjoyment of sports, both sports experts say. Benders: “Whether a child enjoys sports and exercise depends more on the coach than on the sport itself. A coach who pays attention to pain complaints, is sensitive, and can motivate is worth a lot.”
Discovering what you like then. That doesn’t have to get out of hand with overflowing closets full of soccer uniforms, hockey sticks, riding boots, and pointe shoes. Blom: “Sports are also about persevering. Encourage your child to at least finish the season.”
Almost every association offers trial lessons to try out a sport. Some schools also offer a varied sports program, allowing your child to get acquainted with all kinds of sports. Another tip for parents to increase sports enjoyment, says Blom: “Don’t immediately ask ‘did you win?’ when they come home from training.”