The Right Sport at the Right Age
There’s no doubt that children, including toddlers, should have some form of physical activity. It develops their mind and body. It improves their motor skills, strength, and even social skills. But it doesn’t mean that they can play any type of sport. Caring for Kids has an outline on the ages and the activities they can participate in.
1. Early Childhood
This refers to the ages of three to five years old. Around this time, they can perform basic functions. These can include throwing, running, and jumping. They may also have balance, but they still don’t have a mature vision. They cannot estimate the speed of the objects properly, for instance. They also tend to have a short attention span.
The best sport, therefore, is an unstructured one. In other words, the rules are simple. It may be who can first cover one corner to another by running. They may also have a short race on board a tricycle.
2. Middle Childhood
Middle-aged children are those who are between six and nine years old. These are the ages when they can participate in more structured and popular sport. These can be soccer, swimming, gymnastics, and baseball. But they still need plenty of time to train themselves on hand-eye coordination as well as decision-making.
3. Late Childhood
By this time, they are already at least 10 to 12 years old. In other words, they’re about to enter puberty. Their balance is already great, and so is their vision. They may also be more mature emotionally and can handle tougher sport such as hockey or rugby.
The list of the benefits of sport to children is long, but there’s a good reason certain types of sport are ideal for specific ages. Kids should enjoy playtime as safely as possible.
