Top 5 Sports For Kids

As a parent, you may have some concerns about your kids getting hurt participating in athletics. Your fears are understandable, but the benefits of playing sports may outweigh the risks. Sports help kids relieve stress and maintain mental health. They help kids avoid anti-social activities and improve school performance. As a matter of fact, athletic involvement may actually help your child get into college or sports boarding schools. Participation helps kids keep in shape, which is important when childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels.

With so many varieties of athletics available, you should be able to find an age-appropriate sport that your child enjoys and that you are comfortable to have him or her participate in. To give you some ideas, here are some of the most popular sports for kids in the United States.

1. Golf

Golf is an appropriate sport for all ages. Encouraging your child in golf now could spark a lifelong passion. If you're looking for a sport that you and your child can participate in together, golf could be a very good option. Golf is also fairly low impact, meaning less risk for injury.

2. Baseball

If your child aspires to play baseball, he or she is in good company. The Little League Baseball organization involves over three million kids, male and female, aged 5 through 18. Baseball helps to develop leadership, teamwork, and discipline while also improving balance, physical strength, and hand-eye coordination. Risk of injury is relatively low, but you will want to stay alert to any complaints of the elbow.

3. Swimming

Don't be concerned about letting your child near the water. Learning to swim actually decreases the chances of drowning. Swimming can be an excellent sport for young people to develop character and self-discipline because it is at least as much about improving one's own performance as it is about beating the other competitors.

4. Basketball

Basketball is among the safest sports and also one of the most popular. It helps to improve hand-eye coordination. For families with financial challenges, basketball may be the best option as the equipment required is minimal. All you really need is a hoop and a ball.

5. Bicycling

Bicycling is an excellent form of exercise regardless of whether it is done purely for recreation or as a form of competition. You can build the fundamentals required at an early age by letting your child ride a tricycle and then gradually increase skills. However, always be mindful of safety by making sure that your child wears a helmet and wait until at least age 9 before letting your child ride a bike with hand brakes.

Don't be afraid to think outside the box and try some more obscure sports as well. If you still have concerns about injuries, ask the coach or your child's doctor about appropriate safety measures.

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