How To Motivate Children To Play Sports
Sports has more benefits than just the medals and trophies you get. Engaging in it gives a lot of benefits not just for your health but for your overall well-being. This is especially true when we speak of kids.
As kids grow they need to engage in activities that will develop their skills and abilities. Playing sports is one of the best ways for them to stay healthy and at the same time develop certain motor and social skills.Children who do sports get a lot of benefits from it. The best thing about it is health as sports is a good form of exercise. Moreover it also helps improve mental and motor skills. Studies have also shown how kids who play sports develop their leadership skills and discipline.
In addition, kids who are into team sports have a good bond and a sense of camaraderie. They develop a lot of social skills as they work hard and strive to earn trophies and medals. This is the reason why the government and educational institutions would like to encourage kids to play sports.
Kids nowadays have faltering interest in sports. They prefer other forms of recreation that don't need much physical efforts. Children nowadays would rather stay inside to watch tv or play computer games. Encouraging them to go out and play is becoming more challenging. The following are some tips in encouraging children to play sports:
The key to the development of the child's interest in sports
* Start at home- This means that parents should start encouraging them They are the key to the development of the child's interest in sports. try to give him a push by playing catch with him in the yard. These little steps will lead him to a better appreciation of sports.
* Encourage children to form teams- This is true for the neighborhood or in schools. Forming little league teams would help them have an early start when it comes to team sports.
* Give reinforcements avoid punishments- Give them rewards for their successes. Even the simplest tokens like medals and trophies would mean a lot for them. avoid punishing them or putting them down if they fail to perform well.
by Casper Vivianodeni
This article discusses ways on how you can encourage children to engage in sports and get medals and trophies.
A third of Australian children do not play sports outside of school hours ... families say the cost is a major barrier.
PARENTS would be able to claim their children's sport as a tax deduction under a proposal the state government is exploring to keep costs down and encourage participation.The Minister for Sport, Graham Annesley, is so concerned about the high number of children who cannot afford to play organised sport that he has put the matter on the agenda for a meeting of state sports ministers early next year.
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A third of Australian children do not play sports outside of school hours, with families nominating cost as the major barrier.Mr Annesley will look at tax relief to assist families in meeting costs of sport as well as examine the expenses associated with sports insurance.
''I acknowledge the costs associated with sport can be quite high for families,'' he said. ''We want to thrash out some issues about the various components of the cost of sport and find ways of keeping costs low. I remain confident other state sporting ministers share my concern about the rising costs of participating in sport.''
An analysis by a team from the University of Sydney found that only two-thirds of Australian children aged from five to 14 play organised sport outside of school hours, meaning almost 1 million children do not participate.
In their paper, published last year in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, researchers noted that cost was nominated as a major reason for not participating, along with time, transport and lack of facilities. Expenses included entry fees to sports facilities, club membership fees, coaching fees and sports equipment.
The research team recommended the establishment of sporting equipment libraries to defray costs as well as to give children access to a range of different sports.
The state government supports Kids in the Park, a school holiday program offering low-cost or free sporting activities at Sydney Olympic Park. The summer program includes free AFL and rugby league clinics.
Mr Annesley said there was more to children's sports than just the physical benefits of weight maintenance and fitness.
''It keeps kids occupied and gives them an alternative to roaming the streets and getting into mischief or sitting in front of the television or playing computer games.
''It also fosters personal development such as how to deal with a team environment, how to take responsibility and how to confidently face the problems and challenges they may encounter in day-to-day life.
''I would hate to think of any child being denied those sorts of opportunities.''
The Barnados Australia program manager, Jenny Hargreaves, said the cost of sport can be prohibitive for some families, particularly where there are two or more children.
''It's not just the cost of joining a club, it's the cost of the uniform, the shoes, the cost of fuel in getting to and from games,'' Ms Hargreaves said.
''That's one of the reasons why they call this generation the vampire generation, because they just sit inside all day.
''It is way less expensive to sit inside and watch television for entertainment than join an organised sport.''
The chief executive of the Australian Rugby League, Geoff Carr, said the code tried to keep costs low for juniors, particularly those in socially disadvantaged areas.
''Rugby league ends up being much cheaper than a lot of other organised sports because they get so much assistance from the leagues clubs,'' he said. ''On top of that there are a lot of minor sponsors and a lot of volunteers involved, so that keeps costs down too.''
Physical activity is one of the super seven steps to weight management recommended by the Children's Hospital at Westmead, which is supporting The Sun-Herald's childhood obesity campaign, Healthy Habits.
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