The Best Sports Activities for Younger Kids

Playing sports can be hugely beneficial to children. Many children are not active enough, which can lead to health problems like obesity and diabetes in later life. Engaging in sports has also been shown to help with academic performance, as well as boost social skills, and relieve stress. Sports help to give children a sense of identity and when they participate in team sports, it can encourage them to make new friends.

Encouraging your kids to get involved in sports helps them to build a foundation for later life. If they find a sport they really enjoy, they are more likely to continue with it as they reach their teenage years and beyond. They may even decide to take it to the next level and practice that sport competitively.

If you are looking for a sport your child might like to try, here are some excellent activities for younger children.

Cycling

Younger children enjoy cycling. Not only is it a lot of fun but it can also boost their fitness and coordination skills. In addition, cycling is an excellent family activity as it helps to build trust between the carer and the child. Lots of foster parents in the UK use cycling as a great family bonding activity.

If you are thinking of becoming a foster parent, or your children are growing fast and soon will outgrow their bicycles, then keep an eye out for kids’ bikes that are readily available from second-hand sites like Facebook Marketplace so you don’t need to splash out on brand-new bikes.

Football

Football is a fun sport for boys and girls. Younger children will enjoy having a kickaround in the local park, but if they decide they want to join a team, most primary schools have a football team. Joining a football team will teach your child valuable teamwork skills, and they can get to grips with a competitive sport at a relatively low level. Football is also a sport where dads can enjoy some bonding time with their kids.

If your child really loves football, check out local teams in your area. There are opportunities for younger kids to play, such as mini-soccer for U7s and U10s.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a lot of fun for younger children, as they can jump, roll, and dive around in a safe environment. The sheer physicality of gymnastics appeals to many children, but aside from being enjoyable, gymnastics also helps teach kids skills like balance, flexibility, agility, and stamina.

Kids can usually try gymnastics at school, but if they express interest in taking it further, contact British Gymnastics to find a suitable class in your local area. There are typically classes for U5s, children aged 5-12, and teens.

Martial Arts

There are many different types of martial arts for kids, but Karate, Judo, and Jiu-Jitsu are always popular options. Kids can benefit a lot from trying martial arts. Martial arts classes teach them valuable skills like respect, listening to the teacher and each other, teamwork, and self-defence. Classes encourage kids to be active in a safe physical environment.

See if there are any martial arts classes for younger children near you. Most clubs let kids come along for a taster session to see if they like it before you need to buy any kit. This could even be an activity that the whole family gets involved in, as there are usually classes for teens and adults too.

Swimming

Swimming isn’t just a great sport for fitness, it’s also a valuable life-saving skill. It is vital that children learn to swim as soon as possible, but if they enjoy being in the water, it’s a great idea to encourage them to join a local swim class for kids, where they can build greater confidence in the water.

Council-run community swimming pools usually run swimming clubs for children of all ages. If your child joins a local swimming club they can learn new swimming strokes, improve on their current ones, make new friends, and boost their fitness. There will also be opportunities to compete in competitions if they want to test their skills.

Running

Running is one of the easiest sports out there for kids. It’s free, needs no kit other than some running shoes, and can be practiced anywhere. Build up slowly if your children aren’t very fit. Encourage a sense of competition by running relay races in the local park or going to a Park Run as a family. Park Runs are held all over the UK every Saturday and are a fun starting point for kids that love to run.

Other sports younger children might enjoy trying include tennis, athletics, roller skating, and dancing.