Tips for keeping kids active and interested
Print Edition
“Loving sports will teach children vital life skills — discipline, motivation, commitment, and cooperation,” says Laurie Zelinger, a clinical child psychologist in Cedarhurst, New York.
However, sometimes it can be challenging to raise the interest of students on sports or keep them motivated.
• It starts at home
You are your child’s most important role model. This includes in sport. Watch sport at home with your child, you can encourage a positive sporting attitude by cheering on your team for their efforts, even if they’re losing badly.
When your child comes home after playing sport, ask her if she enjoyed herself before asking if she won.
• Watch others
Take your child to see others play a sport and how much fun they can have. This can be a professional game or watching their peers participating.
• Read and watch
Get books and watch movies about sports with your child. Often, children are interested in what they are familiar with and as they learn more about a sport, it might pique their interest to start or continue playing.
• Take a break
Give them plenty of free time to follow their own interests outside of sports. Too much emphasis on playing sports at a young age can put children on the early path to sports burnout.
• They don’t want to play
It can help to find out why. Maybe they are not feeling as good as they want to be or not as good as others, not having enough fun or feeling bored, not liking the coach or other players. We can’t make our kids care as much as we do about any specific thing, but we can provide plenty of opportunities for them to catch the bug.
• Play with your child
Not just to teach skills but to just have fun. You don’t always have to be coaching your child on how to tackle or kick. Sometimes, it’s better to be silly.
• Mix it up
Choose a new sport and learn it together with your child.
• Familiar faces
Look for opportunities for them to play on teams with their friends.
• Take a break
Give them plenty of free time to follow their own interests outside of sports.
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