Teaching your children to love (or at least like) sports is a fantastic goal. Loving and playing sports helps your child learn teamwork, confidence and a whole host of other positive attributes. Of course, not every child has an inherent love for sporting activities. If your kids are reluctant to get involved, here are some ways that you can teach them the joys of the game.
Start at Home
A love of sports starts at home. Show your kids how much you love baseball, soccer, basketball (or whatever) by telling them about these sports and what you love about them. Invite them to watch games with you. Most importantly, though, you need to play the game with them. Invest in some clearance baseball equipment (or basketball equipment, buy cricket bat online, etc) and have a game of catch in the backyard. Keep things easy and positive and shower your kids with encouragement. They’ll dig the praise and start asking to play with you more often.
Take Your Kids to Games
Sure watching the games on television together is fun, but nothing beats actually going to a live game. Take your kids to watch local high school and college games. Seeing the game played live by people who know how to play is one of the best ways to show your kids how much fun sports (and everything that surrounds them) can be. Save up to go to a stadium sized game at least once a year. In addition to being a fun way to show your kids the joys of sports, you can start a fun family tradition!
Encourage Your Kids to Play Sports with Others
It might take some time before your kids are ready to join local youth teams (like little league, peewee soccer, etc). That doesn’t mean they can’t still play with other kids. Invite neighborhood kids over to play a game at your house. Have play dates at the park where they can play in a bigger space and encourage any kids who are already there and appear interested to join in. When your kids are used to playing with other non-family members and see how much fun it is, you can float the idea of joining a local team.
Keep Your Own Competitive Spirit in Check
Remember: sports are just games and when you’re trying to instill a love of the game in your kids you need to keep the focus off of scores, winning and losing. That just puts pressure onto a situation in which your kids still feel insecure. Building them up, showing them how to correct mistakes and teaching them in a relaxed environment where there aren’t winners and losers builds confidence.
Sports can be really fun but it’s important to approach them correctly, especially if you want your kids to love them as much as you do. Be gentle, be consistent and be fun. Your kids will get there.
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Great article! I really enjoyed these great tips and info because now I have a better idea of getting my little boy into them. Thanks =)
these are great tips
OH my gosh, we have NO problem in this area! Sports runs our family calendar. But I do understand that some families have no interest in them and it probably comes a lot from parents attitudes. It kind of is an issue though when many sports programs cost a lot, and then have to go out and buy equipment. Some kids are embarrassed to say they cant afford it. Right now, it costs over $75 per sport in our school, plus equipment and clothing costs, the cost of gas to run to all the events. It is hard for many.
Great article and great to encourage kids to get out there and MOVE early.
Sports are such a great outlet for kids and so important to keep them healthy. My daughter plays basketball in college now. I know sports help keeps kids out of trouble and on a better path in life.
Im thankful my kids love sports we signed up the boys for soccer last summer they had a blast. They watch football, basketball, and baseball with hubby. I wouldnt have it any other way i think its great for kids to get involved in sports not only for health reasons but to develop social skills and devote their time to something productive.
This was a good post. I was never good at sports as a child and my father actively disdained athletics as only played by “dummies” (I’m guessing he was never much of an athlete either). My girls both enjoy being active and I encourage them to participate in sports. My older daughter is actually quite good at soccer, I’ve learned! It feels good to break the family cycle of “benching” ourselves from sports!
Great tips! It’s so true that modelling behaviour with your kids really starts at home. If they see you enjoying sports, they will be more likely to enjoy sports as well. Sports is an excellent way to incorporate physical activity in your life and model a healthy lifestyle.
I thought all kids were interested in sports, but this is a very important thing considering they’re starting to cut down recesses in class.
the kids alread love sports a lot. i dont know if i want to push them that hard. i would like them to have other interestes as well
I would love to add to this list that it’s great to find a resource for the child to engage in sports that doesn’t focus entirely on winning and being perfect. There should be a spirit of team-work, self-improvement and an overall message of sports being fun that is advocated.
GREAT Post! I fully agree and support everything you said…. My son is 6 and has always loved sports, However his older stepbrother is 10 and until about a year and a half or so ago did not… he considered sports Wii bowling…. we did the things on your list (not in the order you have) but now He is begging us for sports equipment for his Birthday! 🙂
Great tips. I wish my kids were more into sports. they love to play them. They just hate how competitive it gets and the win at all cost idea. My son played soccer for years and years until he got one bad coach and then that was it.
These are great tips. Neither of us are athletic or really like sports a whole lot, but we want to encourage it.
Thanks,
Diana C
I had the opposite problem growing up, I really wanted to do sports, but my parents didn’t want to pay for me to participate or drive me to practices, It’s a real bummer, so I plan to encourage sports, hopefully my kid would be as open as I was to play
Playing sports also teaches kids many other things- how to get along in a group how to work together and oftentimes is their first clue the world doesnt revolve around them. There are some sports that are less expensive than others- and for some kids, it is a terrific outlet.
Great tips.. my oldest (4 years old) loves sports and really wants to play all the time. I need to work on him focusing on what he likes best. He would play all sports if he could, but I don’t want him to burn out at such a young age.
Good tips for parents that enjoy sports. I tend to lean more towards the arts and don’t enjoy the more popular sports. The sports I enjoy are martial arts, boxing, snowboarding, and tennis. I think I could start off with tennis and snowboarding and avoid the contact sports until our kids can handle them.