Does your child like sporting? Here are 5 benefits of physical activities to children
While kids are naturally gravitated towards sporting activities without even realizing how crucial and important it is for their health, sometimes parents go hard on them. Parents tend to feel that children engaging in sporting activities is more like waste time and therefore they should do other ‘important’ things. However, physical activities is one of the most important thing in a child life.
Sporting activities are a very intricate aspect human life, especially when induced at a young age. Most adults realize the need to be physically active as they get older. Exercise provides a solid foundation for a healthy life especially when started at an early age. Here are some of the big impacts that sports has on child development.
Here are some of the benefits that your child grow in when you encourage them to participate in sporting activities, or sometimes even go with them and participate together.
- SOCIAL BENEFITS
A child that participate in sports especially on teams, they get to know other children, bonds and make friends. Additionally, during training sessions, they interact regularly with teammates and coaches. Gradually, the child will develop and improve their social skills that will help them know how to behave in a given social set up. They learn to win with humility and lose with grace.
- PHYSICAL BENEFITS
One of the primary role of sports to children is the rewarding physical benefits. Children who take part in sports have many health benefits. These include promoting healthy growth and development, building strong bones and muscles, boosting the immune system and reducing the risk of certain diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and obesity among others. Exercise is undoubtedly the foundation of healthy aging I am certain that, all parents will want this for their children.
.3 BENEFITS TO THE MIND
Physical activity and exercise are known to improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety and depression as well as increasing a person’s self-esteem. In addition to this, sports help children to concentrate better and boost their energy away from the monotony of daily life so that they can do better in school.
We all can agree that sports are not always rosy. Your child will inevitably face some challenges but on the flip side, sports will also teach them how to push through the challenges and come out even stronger. Life is full of adversities and learning how to maneuver through them is the most valuable skill a child can posses.
- LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Sports provide opportunities for children to assume leadership roles. Whether the child is the captain of the team or a player, they learn how to take an initiative and make big decisions in the heat of the moment. It’s through the movements made during the play of a match, that children learn to think quickly and interact respectfully with their peers, coaches and match officials. As such they become a source of imitation for other children and trustworthy people in the society.
5. EMOTIONAL BENEFITS
Taking part in sports can help children learn how to manage their emotions and channel negative energy in healthy ways. Research shows that physical activity helps your brain stimulate the hormone dopamine, also known as the “feel good” hormone, a neurotransmitter that serves as your brain’s reward system. This means that playing a sport can help lower stress levels and reduce depression hence improving your child’s overall emotional state.
Therefore a child involvement in sport is very crucial to their life, not just in the physical realm but also emotionally, psychologically and also spiritually as they grow up. Always consider having your child engaged in some activities
By Hussein Waiyaki
