These days, it’s not just the kids who like to get muddy who can join in on sports, it’s everyone! Kids should be encouraged to explore in play in as many different ways as they can, and it’s not just the boys (or the tomboys) who can get involved. With sports stars increasingly taking pride of place across Canada and indeed the world, there are loads of role models out there to shine as a guiding example. So, how should you get involved?
Watch Sport Together
Probably the most obvious way to get children into sport is to make it seem as cool as it possibly can be. In the day and age of people being famous because they take great selfies or because their dad is rich, being an admired and respected sports star gives children something to aspire to which requires hard work and dedication! If they see that they can be at the top of their game (quite literally) it’ll push them to have goals and dreams. Obviously, you should talk to them about the realities of a career in sport, but it’s a great introduction to the industry as a whole and it’s sure to have an impact on their general health and wellbeing!
Get Competitive At Home
In real life, not everybody gets a prize, sure, but there are some real thrills out there as a reward just for joining in! Whether you’re running contests as to who can walk the most steps in a day or setting up assault courses in the back yard, there are loads of ways you can bring out their most competitive streak! If you need a little reminding yourself, there are plenty of ways you can reignite *your* love for sport or even a dose of healthy competition by partaking in some sports betting on the likes of Bet365! If the kids see your passion, they will follow.
Lead By Example
If you’re advocating an active lifestyle at home for health reasons, you can bet your kids will be STRAIGHT onto you if you don’t practice what you preach. Get out there and take the lead, join a gym, or better still, partake in the things your kids like and practice with them.
Offer Variety
Just be sure to be there cheering on the sidelines at their games or competitions, too.Don’t just offer football and dance. Think outside of the box and make sure your children have access to any kind of sport you can think of (and reasonably afford) no matter their gender. They may well want to try something new! There are plenty of different sports out there, and thanks to the Internet, it’s now easier than ever to find out where they take place.
Make It Simple
You don’t need grand gestures to get the kids fit. Sometimes, some simple walking from A to B can be all that’s needed. Have the kids get off a stop early or even just go for a walk in the park. It’s honestly the little things that make a big difference in getting them moving!
It’s so important to keep the whole family physically active. It’s too easy to just sit and watch tv.
So important to get them in to some sort of physical activity whether it be one they do in a team or simply cycling around the block
I take my 9yr old to the park as much as possible and limit his screen time to 1 hour, we do activities together to stay active and fit
This is all great advice, there is a lot of kids that do not sign up anymore for any of the sports teams which is sad, to many electronics nowadays
We put our boys in curling this year. It’s just an introduction but they love it and it’s not as crowded or pressure-filled like other activities such as hockey.
I think Physical activity is important. My kids stay active with activities that they enjoy and it gets them away from electronics.
great tips! it is so important to keep your kids active! we go for a family walk everyday when my husband gets home from work and during the day we are always running around in the backyard/ my daughter is only 3 so hasn’t gotten into sports quite yet
So important! I used t o have do something winter and something summer plus swimming. same for my girls/
I love that my girls are into sports. Extra curricular activities -especially sports where they get to be active and part of a team are so important!
My family has always been into playing baseball
I recommend my kids get involved in sports but i dont push it if they choose not to but we do outings and they love to go hiking
I think this is really important in this age of internet and video games. Leading by example, whether it’s taking a walk on the weekend, or playing in a league, is really vital.
I agree with getting kids into sports completely. If I didn’t force my kids off of their electronics, they’d never do it themselves! And they have such a good time once they get into it.
It’s so important that kids be active every day. Sports build confidence and a team spirit that can guide them throughout life.
An active lifestyle and encouraging our kids to have fun is always important.
My kids love soccer, they play in a team once a week.
My kids enjoy bicycle riding and swimming which they do on a regular basis. I encourage them to stay active.
I think we all need to get out and get some of physical activity. Either if its biking or for a walk
Being active is so important and sports are a great way to do that. Leading by example is a great way to get kids involved!
I never had any problems playing sport when I was a school – loved it all, I believe it should be compulsory at school
My children are active in sports and I encourage any interest they express regarding sports.
Being involved with sports is a great way for kids to stay active.
very important for kids to be active , sports are so much fun , i love to play sports with my Grandson when he’s here , !
It’s necessary for kids to keep active; sports and dance is a great way to do it. Also walking, hiking, biking, etc.
Cheers.
Its important to get everyone in the family moving (yes . . .even us parents)
We try to keep as active as possible
I’ve just heard that a lot of parents are using their RRSP’s and RESPs to keep their children involved in sports. I think that a lot of the time it’s the parent who wants their kids in sports more than the kids do.
I’m always trying to encourage my son to try an organised sport (he’s so shy!) but we love to play living room hockey and badminton and he takes swim lessons… little steps… 🙂
Great article 🙂
My kids aren’t big on team sports but they do participate in gymnastics and swimming to.stay active.
I admire family and sports as long as the sportsmanship remains as part of the game. I hate it when parents take it all too seriously.
Kids need to put down the video games and cell phones and get exercise. Sports introduces them to activity, exercise, sportsmanship and more importantly friendship. We all need this stuff to become great people!
We try to keep as active as possible and set a good example.
we all try to keep active even walking to school is good!
My daughter loved being in soccer.. I also put her into a wall climbing class and she discovered that she absolutely loved it!
I very much agree with this. It is so important to keep kids healthy and active throughout their entire life!! A good habit to start!
I just wish that more sports were more affordable. So many people can’t put their children into things because of the cost. Just imagine how many Wayne Gretzky’s would be out there if hockey were affordable to all.
My kids are always moving, I have them in as many sports as I can handle.
Oh so very important to get kids moving. sports that interest them are definitely a good bet. Trying new sorts can introduce them to a game they never knew they liked. Great post !
Great tips that more need to follow. You need to have fun first!
so important for everyone to be active!
Great article. So different from when I was a kid, we didn’t need any encouragement to run around all day long.
Its always been so important for our family to keep our kids involved in sports of some kind! Great post! Thanks
We’ve tried several sports with our kids but nothing has really ‘taken’ yet. They all love hiking to a degree but I keep trying to get them to try more things. They often seem to love something for the first bit and then decide they hate it! Our middle daughter was loving floor hockey for the first 6 weeks and she loved dance for the first 7 but then she suddenly decided she never wanted to play hockey again and that dance was better without an instructor. We often play things like basketball and soccer at home though and that seems to be mostly fun for everyone. I’m leery about signing the girls up for soccer in the spring as it may make our backyard games end (if they decide they don’t like organized soccer) but I think we may try it anyway.