One way to make sure your kids are in tip-top shape and promote excellent physical development is to get them involved in family sports. Building a love for sports within the family atmosphere will help make physical activity an enjoyable part of their lifestyle. Playing family sports also strengthens your bonds with each other, helping keep your family both healthy and closer together. If you’re looking for techniques on how to get your little ones on the playing field, follow these simple tips.
Get Involved with Sports Yourself
Kids, especially those at a very young age, regard their parents as role models. If you are a father who loves working on the car, your son will most likely find himself becoming interested in cars. If you are a mother who loves to cook, your daughter will likely want to help out in the kitchen. The same goes for sports–sporty parents tend to have sporty children.
If you want to make sure your kids get into sports, one of the absolute best ways to do that is to get into sports yourself, if you’re not already. Find a sport that interests you, and make sure your kids know it. The little tykes will get interested in all the commotion soon enough.
Play Friendly with Your Kids
Whether you are a causal fan of a sport or a hardcore one, make it a point to play the sport with your kids on a regular basis. When you do, make sure it is fun for them. Encourage them whenever they pull a good move or score a point. Tell them how impressed you are whenever their skills improve. Most of all, make sure they are happy when they’re playing. It does not really matter how to do it–you could even let them win every so often–just make sure that they are having a good time.
Never insult your kids if they are not playing good enough. Instead, give them a chance to improve. Insulting them is more likely to get them to hate sports. In order to get your kids involved in family sports, you’ve got to be a good sport yourself.
Offer Prizes
As kids grow, they become more and more curious as to what they are really capable of. This can make them open to a little friendly competition, or at the very least give them a reason to work for something. The next time you feel like taking them out for a treat, try making a game out of it involving family sports. If they’re into soccer, tell them that they can have the chocolate sundae they have been eyeing if they score three goals on you. If running is more their thing, challenge them to a race to the nearest pizza parlor. Older kids will have more sophisticated wants, so offer something that you know will interest them.
