In our latest edition of “Parent’s Corner” we want to talk a bit about how you can influence your youngest kids into have a life filled with athletic achievements, starting with small instances of “play” in their daily lives. Just a few small adjustments can make your kids outlook on physical activity a whole lot brighter, and avoid the consequences of video games, iPhones and Tablets that are starting to affect a generation.
Some of the simplest changes in the earliest years of a child’s life can have profound impact. So let’s talk about a couple of changes that you can make as a parent to emphasize the importance of athleticism, physical activity and overall physical health for a growing child. Here’s what we came up with:
Frequent Trips to Playgrounds/Backyard Playsets
Frequent trips outdoors to playgrounds and parks is probably the most important thing to do for a child (when it comes to promoting physical activity). Having the child expect and desire to go outside for fun, instead of being cooped up indoors and expecting fun to come form of video games, junk food or other means, it crucial in developing good habits and behavior patterns later on in life.
Backyard play is also a huge benefit, if possible. Many of us grew up in the city and we didn’t have backyards, so we didn’t want to presume anything about a given household. For those that do have the benefit of a backyard in their home, this can save a bunch of time for the parent (as well as mileage on the car), as they don’t have to go the playground as frequently.
The presence of a backyard swing set, play set, or other apparatus that will encourage outdoor play is another big benefit. Without these the backyard can start to lose appeal to a child, even if it’s is beautiful for sitting and enjoying the weather (as adults prefer). Consider a swing set installation as a long term investment which can pay off big (this is especially true with families with more than one child, where the investment will continue to pay off for many years).
Early Youth Sports Initiatives
It’s also very important to get started with organized youth sports as soon as possible. T-Ball is played as young as 5 years old, and can be a great way to get kids active in a team environment, early on. Some other great youth sports include:
Gymnastics
Soccer
Handball
Basketball
In general, any youth sport activity that you can find will be a good one. Eventually interests will start to converge on a given one or two sports, which is fine. The important part is to give the child enough of a choice and enough exposure to make a decision. Without the exposure to the idfferent environments, a child won’t know what is is they like to do.
In Absence of a Organized Program, Set Regular Plans
Different areas may or may not have organized sports for young children. In addition, the price may be prohibitive for some families, which shouldn’t be a death blow to athletics. As the body builder Mike Rashid says, “The Earth is Our Gym”, in the same sense “Our Neighborhood is our Field”, we can play anywhere, anytime.
So set up regular times to enjoy sports activities with your kids, include simply a game of catch (the quintessential American activity), basketball in the driveway or at a park, jogging, running or other physical activities. Make them a regular thing (such as every Sunday night), so it becomes both enjoyable and expected by the child.
Following these simple rules will give your kids a big advantage later in life, when physical activity and good habits become much more important. We hope you’ve found this useful!
