Why kids need to play sports

In today’s day and age it is especially important to encourage your kids to participate in sports. There are a plethora of good habits to be learned from your children getting into sports, but here are just five reasons:

Sportsmanship. Introducing kids to a competitive environment can be really productive to their learning. As long as the teams can keep make sure it is a friendly competition, and not get too carried away, the kids can learn valuable lessons in sportsmanship. Sports are a great place to learn how to be a good teamplayer and work towards common goals with other team members. They can learn to have a winning attitude, and learn how to not be a sore loser, which can pay dividends later in life.
Social skills. Sports are a great way to get your children out of the house and interacting with other kids their age. Many friendships can forged on a playing field, and even the not-so-friendly interactions can be a real learning experience. Sticking with a team and the same teammates can really boost a kids self-esteem. In fact, studies show that kids in sports on average have more self-confidence.
Fitness. The physical activity involved in any sport is a plus for your child’s health. But not only that, but you could use a sport as a teaching device to start getting your child to understand health and exercise. You can even introduce them to nutrition, and start healthy eating and exercising habits at a young age. Playing sports can lower the risk of obesity and help keep your child healthy at a young age. Instead of sitting on the couch and watching television or playing video games, they can be outside getting into shape while soaking in the sun.
Perseverance. Sports can teach children how to persevere and give them something to work towards for long periods of time. The sport does not have to only exist during practices and games, you kids can work on their talents at home too. They can even get together with friends to get extra practice and keep themselves fine tuned. They don’t have to turn into jocks or anything, but teaching them to put in extra work for something they want is just another lesson that can be learned through playing sports. Instead of forcing any particular sport on them, let them choose what they want to play. Take them into sports stores and see what their specific interests are, and let them turn it into a hobbies.
It’s just fun. The most important reason to keep in mind is that most kids will have a great time. Its a chance for them to run around and use up a little bit of their endless energy playing, which they always want to do. Countless memories and friends can be made through the playing of sports. Just remember that forcing too much of any sport on a kid can burn them out really fast, so above all, encourage them to have fun with whatever sports they choose.