London, Europe Brief News – Kids should try lots of different sports to find ones they enjoy. Here are some tips to help choose the perfect sport for your kid.
Expose the Child to a Variety of Sports
A child’s interest in a given sport is the best determiner of whether he or she will enjoy it as a participant. So expose the child to a wide variety of sports experiences. Watching sports on television is a good introduction, but even better is to be a spectator in real life. Talk with them about what they like and dislike about each sport.
Watch for Signs of Enthusiasm
As you check out the various sports, see if you can tell which of them seem most interesting to the child. Listen to your child for hints about their preferences. Maybe they will talk about the players, the strategies, or they will tell others about the experience. They may gravitate towards friends that play a particular sport. If you watch and listen, you can pick up some clues about the sports that interest them most.
Find out Preference: Team or Individual Sport
Some children will prefer to participate in a team sport like football, baseball or basketball in which they play a role on a team. Others will prefer being on a team where their own skills matter most. Sports like these include swimming, tennis or golf. Or they may simply enjoy individual sport tips like cycling and gymnastics. As you observe your child, try to find out what their preferences are. These observations will help you zero in on a sport that will work best for the child.
Match the Sport to Your Child’s Body Type
A short and stocky child may be better suited to football than basketball. Tall and lanky may work better for basketball or track. While there are always shorter than average basketball players and smaller than average football players, odds of their success at a young age have a lot to do with their body style.
Try Multiple Sports
Once you have narrowed down to a few sports that they seem to enjoy, try them. While you should avoid playing more than one sport during any season, it would be OK to have them play soccer in the spring, football in the fall and volleyball in the winter. As they begin to better identify with one sport, then you can drop some of the others if needed.