All parents know that physical education is useful for the proper development of a child. But which sport to choose for a son or daughter, at what age is it better to start classes and how often? If you have doubts about this, the specialists of our online store will tell you what to pay attention to so that sports become a really useful and pleasant activity for your child.
A boy and a girl – what to choose
Almost every child is an inexhaustible source of energy. Boys like moving games, and if they are interested, then sports. Doctors advise not to delay a schoolboy’s introduction to sports, because the development and formation of the body, tone, and coordination depend on physical activity that corresponds to his age. Regular classes are the prevention of deformities and diseases. In addition, sports contribute to a child’s emotional and social development. It teaches how to react correctly to victories and failures, the principles of healthy cooperation and competition. However, probably none of the parents should be convinced that sports sections are useful for the child. It remains only to find out what kinds of sports there are, which of them are best for boys and girls, and at what age you can send a child to a sports school.
Team sport
A team sport teaches a child many things, including – to achieve success, a person must be able to interact with others. However, most team games require a certain level of fitness and coordination from the child. It is not recommended to choose team games as the first sport for excessively shy children. If you send a physically weak or shy kid to a section of this type, it can cause him excessive fear and reluctance to continue playing any kind of sport. Team games are more suitable for mobile, sociable children with a choleric or sanguine type of temperament.
Team sports suitable for children: football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, water polo, synchronized swimming, handball, rugby. For girls, water polo, volleyball and basketball are considered the most suitable of this group. Girls are usually enrolled in team sports at the age of 11-13, boys at 6-7.
Tall, but sedentary children may like basketball or volleyball, full – hockey or rugby, where the weight of the player is appreciated. Hardy children, ready to repeat monotonous exercises, may like swimming, water polo, handball, basketball or volleyball. If a boy or girl shows an interest in ball games from an early age, then he should also choose the appropriate section. By the way, most team games contribute to the development of locomotor, vestibular, and visual systems, improve the functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, as well as develop eye sight and coordination. But they are categorically contraindicated in the presence of asthma or serious diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Intellectual species
Intellectual sports are checkers, chess, go, shogi, renju, backgammon, backgammon, bridge, poker. The advantage of such games is that they have a good effect on the development of a child’s cognitive abilities: they improve memory, logic, and teach them to calculate their actions several steps ahead. Intellectual types are suitable for boys and girls, they teach children persistence and to build strategies correctly. You can introduce a child to checkers and chess at the age of 5, but you shouldn’t expect dizzying results from preschoolers. A child can engage in intellectual sports more actively and productively at school. As a rule, this type of section attracts children with a calm temperament who like to learn.
Martial arts
Classical martial arts are various martial arts systems, often of Eastern origin, designed to develop self-defense skills. This group includes combat sambo, taekwondo, karate, wushu, judo, aikido, as well as fencing, boxing, kickboxing, etc. Parents are often afraid to send their child to martial arts, because they consider this sport to be cruel. Meanwhile, experts assure that, for example, neither judo nor karate are designed to raise aggression in a child. On the contrary, most martial arts teach to fight and overcome negative emotions, to be restrained and focused. Some experts claim that martial arts are even more suitable for young children than team sports.
As a rule, martial arts are mainly a male sport, but if a girl has shown interest in them, it is better to give her to judo, wushu, taekwondo or capoeira. In most sections, students are accepted from the age of 7, with the exception of boxing, which is accepted only after the age of 12. The younger the child, the more important it is to choose for him an option with a minimum of shock techniques, for example, aikido. During combat training, there is a high risk of concussion, damage to facial cartilage, and eyes. Children endure injuries of this type much worse than adults. Martial arts are not suitable for children with poor eyesight, diseases of the spine or cardiovascular system.
Water sports
Water sports are a fairly large group that includes swimming, including synchronized swimming, diving, water polo, rowing, surfing, wakeboarding, water skiing, rafting, aqua aerobics, diving, etc. Of course, many of these are not suitable for children, but swimming, water polo, aqua aerobics are just that. These sports are an excellent workout for the whole body. By the way, those muscles that are not involved in everyday life work in the water. Contact with water relaxes the child, makes him calmer and more balanced. Therefore, if your preschooler is hyperactive, the pool will help to curb his restless temperament a little.
You can introduce a child to the pool for the first time at an early age, but children are usually enrolled in professional swimming lessons at the age of 5-6. And starting from about 12 years old, children can master rowing and water polo. By the way, aquatic species are ideal for children with spinal curvatures, obesity and low tone. The main thing is to choose a good coach, because unsupervised children’s games in the water can lead to undesirable consequences. Pool classes are not suitable for children allergic to chlorine, prone to otitis, eye irritation or dermatitis.
Skiing and figure skating
Girl figure skater Children can start learning winter sports at the age of 2-3. It is clear that the first acquaintance for the little ones will be limited to sledding, but already at the age of 4-5 the child can start learning to skate, and at the age of 5-6 – skiing. As for snowboarding, it is better to wait until an older age, because it is the most harmless type. If among the winter sports, skiing and snowboarding are more attractive to boys, then girls are more often interested in ice skating and figure skating. Most winter sports are good for the heart, musculoskeletal system, and immunity. But if a child takes up figure skating too early, there is a risk that he will not grow tall, because the load on the bones and spine slows down their growth. Winter sports are not suitable for asthma and other diseases of the respiratory system, myopia.
Gymnastics and sports ballroom dancing
Gymnastics can be sports, artistic, acrobatic, aesthetic, aerobic or team. The benefit of gymnastics for the child’s body is undeniable. It increases endurance and strengthens all muscle groups, as well as improves the child’s immunity. Even preschoolers can do gymnastics. It is useful for babies to start with rhythmic, then move to applied, then to artistic and acrobatic. Doing the latter is the most traumatic. Since gymnastics puts a strong load on the spine, it is not suitable for children who are behind in growth, with scoliosis, as well as with bronchial asthma, myopia or heart defects. It is recommended to start working professionally after 9 years. The applied and rhythmic variety is also suitable for 4-year-olds.
Dancing helps to develop the correct posture, develops a sense of rhythm and musicality. It is widely believed that sports ballroom dancing is more for girls. It is precisely for them that this sport is less useful than for boys. First of all, due to the peculiarities of women’s shoes for dancing, which have a bad effect on the feet, in addition, it is always a great physical load, which not every child can withstand. Therefore, if you send a 6-year-old to ballroom dancing, it is better without a sports bias. Ballroom dancing, like gymnastics, will most likely appeal to children who are artistic and flexible. Contraindications to classes in sections: scoliosis, problems with the heart or blood vessels, myopia.