How to Get Kids to Love Sports
Getting kids to love sports can have a beneficial impact on their well being. It’s recommended that children participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and sports can be a easy way to accomplish this. Here are a few tips for activating a love of sports in children.
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Instructions
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Try as many sports as you can. If a child doesn’t show much interest in baseball, soccer, basketball or football, try hockey, figure skating, golf or wrestling. Eventually, he will find his niche.
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Watch sports—all kinds of sports. Of course you want your kids to actually play the sports, but sometimes watching them on TV can be a good introduction. Kids who are intimidated by physical activity may grow more comfortable if they see how it’s actually done. Don’t just flip on the TV and walk away, though; narrate to them what’s going on (“Did you see that? He just ran to first base after he hit the ball.”).
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Read books and magazines about sports. Buy a subscription for Sports Illustrated for Kids in your child’s name and read each issue together.
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Keep repeating to the child that everything takes practice—especially sports. Remind her that a successful baseball player still strikes out more than two-thirds of the time.
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Keep your criticism in check. It’s OK to offer advice, but don’t overload the child and never belittle him. A good rule of thumb is to praise twice for every one suggestion.
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Offer to coach a team. He might feel more comfortable playing if he knows that you’re nearby to offer support.
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Tips & Warnings
Don’t push your child to join a team if she flat-out refuses. If she does join a team and wants to quit mid-season, you should encourage her to finish the season because she made a commitment to her team. If she’s truly miserable, however, you may want to decide if having her finish is worth the unhappiness.
Always make sure children are wearing appropriate protective padding.
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