Children 6 to 17 years old should engage in one hour of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each day. Proper activities could lead to obesity, fatigue, and lack of focus. Not only that, they wouldn’t understand the importance of teamwork. Who says exercise has to be boring? Various activities are fun for kids. Keep reading to learn five fantastic team sports that your kids will enjoy.
1. Play Baseball
Safety should come first when searching for the best sports for kids. Baseball is a popular activity that children aged five years old can participate in. They can start with softball and progress to hardball as they get older.
You also want to invest in a quality bat with the proper barrel size; check out youth wood bats for options. If your child is a natural in baseball, you can register them at the National Little League. Today, the league serves over 4 million children between the ages of 5 and 18 in the United States.
2. Why Not Soccer?
More than 3 million kids in the USA participate in soccer. This shows it’s on top of the list of popular sports for children.
Kids as young as four may participate, but with a smaller ball than older kids. The brisk speed helps maintain their attention span.
3. Bicycling
Two-year-old children may begin riding a plastic, three-wheeled tricycle. Then, at age 5, guardians can get them a bicycle with training wheels.
As soon as your child has mastered this, you can remove the preparatory wheels. It’s recommended that they wait until age 9 to ride multi-speed or multi-gear bicycles.
4. Basketball
There are various team-building activities, and basketball is one of them. It only requires a few items, like a basketball and a facility, to organize the game. This will help improve your child’s dexterity skills through quick passes and spillage.
This is generally a safe sport with proper supervision. The worst that can happen is an accidental eye poke and torn hamstrings.
5. Inline Skating
Children with adequate motor skills may begin inline skating as early as five. If your child is interested in this sport, here are some tools to purchase:
- Helmet
- Elbow pads
- Knee pads
- Wrist monitors
- Skates with Brakes
Before throwing them into a team, start with hiring a professional trainer. After a couple of training sessions, you can sign him up for a team.
Why Are Team Sports Important for Kids?
When you are in middle school or junior high, life can be tough. You are trying to figure yourself out and remain healthy simultaneously. Being part of a team gives you a community of support, not just on the field but in life.
The answer is yes if a parent is debating whether you should sign your kids up for a sport. Don’t believe us, here are the reasons why this is important:
Fitness
Physical fitness is the most prominent benefit of team sports. It promotes:
- Cardiorespiratory endurance
- Muscular strength
- Agility
- Hand-eye coordination
- Reflexes
- Lung capacity
- Immunity
They also combat childhood obesity and boredom. The whole goal is to keep your child physically and intellectually active. This can be beneficial for kids with ADHD.
Social Skills
Your child’s teammates are most likely from different backgrounds and cultures. This teaches your child about interacting with a diverse set of people. It also shows them the importance of accepting others of different faiths, ethnicities, and origins.
Your kids hit two birds with one stone, from basketball to baseball. They get ample amounts of exercise and social interaction. This can help fight childhood obesity and depression.
If you want your child to get the most out of any activity, it’s important to find the right one for them. Today, we’ve highlighted five popular team sports that are great for kids. Be sure to check out our other blog posts for more information on each sport.