Staying active with kids sports not only improves physical health but also teaches many life skills.
Here’s a sneak peek into what sports made our top five for kids
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Martial Arts
- Hockey
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Martial Arts
- Hockey
Keep reading to learn why each of these sports were selected to our top five activities for kids sports! We’ll cover the physical benefits, but also the other valuable skills each sport teaches kids.
Soccer
Soccer is a great sport for kids to get involved in. Not only does it keep them active and moving around, but it also teaches them decision-making skills they can use off of the field. Here are a few of the reasons soccer made our top five list.
First, it teaches kids endurance and coordination. During a soccer game, players are required to run up and down the field, which is over 100 yards long, throughout the entire game. It is a fast-paced game and requires players to keep moving and stay alert from start to finish -- and games generally take at least 45 minutes, so your kids should be worn out after!
Aside from the physical benefits to the game, it also teaches kids life skills they will use well after the season is over. This includes learning how to work with a team and decision-making skills.
If a player thinks they can take on the other team on their own, they will quickly find that there are too many opponents for just one kid. They quickly learn that teamwork is needed to get the ball to the goal. Working together to get the ball from one end of the field to the other requires players to work in sync and communicate throughout the play.
Soccer is a great sport to start kids out on! They can learn from an early age and it will help fine-tune their motor skills.
2. Basketball
Basketball is another great sport option to keep kids moving and thinking on their feet for an extended period of time.
Similar to soccer, it’s a fast-paced sport that keeps kids moving and active throughout the entire game. A basketball game generally lasts about 30 minutes and as the team moves up and down the court, players need to run back and forth to keep up with the ball. This sport is a great way for kids to channel all of their energy -- a bonus for you too!
Basketball is also a good sport for kids because it not only teaches teamwork but also helps kids learn body control. Think about it: during a game, they are required to dribble, pass, and shoot the ball all while balancing and keeping their footwork consistent. It’s a great way to help kids fine-tune their motor skills.
Basketball is a great kids sport. They will learn the importance of passing the ball to one another and grow stronger after every practice!
3. Volleyball
Although volleyball may not require kids to run back and forth as frequently as the last two sports we discussed, it made our list for a few different reasons.
The sport does still require a lot of physical strength and power. From having to serve the ball over the net to passing it to a teammate requires strength and concentration. Games can run from 60 to 90 minutes long, requiring kids to stay alert and keep the ball from hitting the ground for a good bit of time.
As all sports do, volleyball also teaches kids valuable life skills. One of the biggest skills kids will take out of volleyball is communication. Not only are they required to learn to work as a team, but they also need to communicate so they are not running into one another as they dive to get the ball. They quickly learn that without clear communication, the team will never make it to the playoffs.
Volleyball not only gets kids moving and expending energy, but it also teaches the importance of communication to meet a common goal -- winning the game.
4. Martial Arts
Martial arts may not be the first sport you think of, but it’s a sport that offers a number of benefits to kids, especially off the mat.
During a martial arts class, kids are forced to use nearly every muscle in their bodies to compete against one another. From legs to arms, and everything in between, kids will build muscle strength and be constantly moving while they are on the mat.
Martial arts may be one of the most beneficial sports to teach kids life skills and lessons they will take long after they leave the mat. These skills include focus, respect, and coordination -- all things required when practicing martial arts. It has also been shown to help children who have difficulty focusing on learning and attention, just another great reason to get kids involved!
Martial arts is a great sport for all ages! It is sure to wear them out and provide them with some serious concentration skills.
5. Hockey
Now, hockey can be a rough sport, but it will definitely wear out the kids. With game times running over two hours, they will be expending tons of energy as they are constantly skating back and forth chasing that puck. The skating and constant moving will not only provide kids with great cardio but also builds muscles and teaches endurance.
As with all of these team sports, hockey will teach kids the value of teamwork. But, because it is such a fast-paced game, it also encourages quick thinking and decision-making skills. As kids continue to progress in the sport, they will begin to understand how their decision affected the final results of the game and adjust for future plays.
Hockey is s fast-paced sport that you’re kids will likely love! They will get a great workout while learning decision-making skills that will follow them off the ice.
Get Your Kids Involved Today!
So now’s the time! Set your kids up for a healthy lifestyle at an early age. Getting your kids involved in sports will teach them the importance of physical activity, teamwork, and many more important other life skills. If they don’t like the first sport they try, keep encouraging them to try more -- this list only offers five, but there are tons of kids sports out there!
Allan Flott is a former collegiate and professional soccer player who believes in the powerful role that sports play in helping children develop confidence and a strong sense of self. After his playing career, he applied his passion for youth sports to coaching children’s soccer but was unsatisfied with the early education programming he encountered and wanted to create something better. So in 2016, he launched The Players Sports Academy to provide “service through sports” by creating healthy, fun and organized sports programs for kids.
These are really great and easy ways to get kids active and involved. I feel like martial arts is very important to learn for self defense. My personal favorite is volleyball!!
ReplyDeleteHonestly being active at a young age is so important and doing sports is a great way to achieve that!
ReplyDeleteI think that being active is important for kids to stay in shape and set that mindset for when they become adults. Also, sports allow kids to build relationships and learn how to work as a team. Great post!
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