5 Reasons Your Child Should Learn to Play a Sport This Year

Enrolling your kids in sports is more than just something for them to do. There are tangible benefits for your child learning to play a sport.

Here are five reasons why your child should play a sport this year:

1. Keeps Them Healthy

If your kids are going to practice twice a week and playing in a game once a week, that’s at least three hours of exercise you know they’re getting each week. Plus, if they like playing the game, they’ll probably practice at home, in their free time and with their friends, too. By getting your child to play a sport, you’re setting them up to learn a healthy lifestyle from a young age. You also have the opportunity to teach them about how important healthy foods are for fueling their bodies while they play.

2. Teaches Them Teamwork and Communication

School-aged kids start learning how to interact with their peers and not just with their parents. When playing sports, they learn how critical it is for the whole group to work together in order to succeed. Team sports teach kids how to work with others to win the game. It will teach them how to communicate with their teammates. Additionally, they’ll learn how to talk to their coaches and other parents, so they practice interacting with adults who aren’t their parents or teachers.

3. Raises Their Self-Esteem

When your child first starts playing a sport, they probably won’t be great at it. Once they learn the rules and some of the basics, they’ll be able to play the game. As they keep practicing, they’ll start to get better. It gives kids a tangible way to see how their hard work turns into success as they improve. Plus, it also teaches them resilience. There will be games that they lose, shots they miss and times when they get hurt or insulted. When they’re playing a sport, kids should learn to get back up when they fall and how to be a gracious loser. They’ll learn that the value is in their hard work, and that a mistake is just a way to keep improving.

4. Develop Critical Thinking Skills

When a child takes up a new sport, she has to learn all the rules, the techniques and how to play the game. It will keep her brain active alongside her body. Plus, problems arise in sports. If he’s playing soccer and sees an opponent coming for the ball, he’ll have to think about the best way to keep the ball away from the other team. They’ll develop critical thinking skills and quick responses in just about any sport.

5. Fun!

Kids like playing sports. It’s a chance for them to get out of the house and play with their friends. They get to work together, build strong friendships and get some energy out. They have the time, and they’d otherwise be watching TV or playing video games inside, possibly by themselves.

If you’re concerned that you don’t have time to take them to practice or if work conflicts with pick up times, you can rest easy knowing that scheduling a carpool is right at your fingertips with GoKid. GoKid is a complete carpool solution for schools, teams and active families. Download it today here on the iTunes store!