From Little League Baseball to taekwondo, your children have a wide array of sports to choose from. While many parents sign their kids up for youth sports, far too many neglect this aspect of their childhood. Yet, youth sports can bring many benefits to our kids. Below are just some of the many reasons your kids should try their hand at a sport:
Physical benefits
Obviously, the main benefit of children participating in youth sports is that it helps their physical health. The benefits include a decreased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even some types of cancer. It is recommended that children should get at least one hour of physical activity a day, especially for the reasons listed above. They’ll have far more fun doing so if that one hour of physical activity is done doing something they love.
Mental health benefits
Another benefit is that it positively affects your kid’s mood and mental health. You might be wondering how this actually happens. Any type of physical activity triggers the release of endorphins in the brain, which are chemicals that boost mood and help prevent and relieve depression.
Furthermore, with this effect on mood and mental health, your child’s self-esteem will also be impacted. With an increase in confidence, the ceiling for further growth and skill potential in the sport grows as well. Plus, the lessons of hard work and discipline learned through sport will translate over into the classroom where kids will earn better grades.
Social skills
Finally, kids involved in youth sports will develop better social skills. Why? Because there is a great chance that your child’s teammates will also be classmates in school or friendly faces within the neighborhood that they can develop friendships with.
Here at Steadfast Academy, we believe strongly in kids participating in sports and other physical activities. To learn more about us and our mission, contact us today to schedule a tour!