<< back to PHYSICAL ACTIVITY topics

Organized sports and activities can offer a variety of positive experiences for your child.  It’s a great way for your child to learn about teamwork, dedication, and fairness while having fun and getting exercise.  It’s also a way for your child to make friends, develop skills, and become more active and healthier.  However, it’s important to find the right sport or activity for your child so that it leads to a positive experience. 

There are several questions you should ask before you enroll your child in any organized sport or activity.

Is your child interested? 
Ask your child what activity he would like to be involved in.  Is your child more interested in playing a team sport, like soccer or baseball, or would your child rather be involved in something more individual, such as martial arts, dance, or swimming?  Make sure involvement is your child’s choice, not your demand.

Is your child physically ready?
Some sports are more physically demanding than others, and some have more physical contact with other children than others.  Would the sport be too demanding for your child until he’s a little older?  Is he socially, mentally, and physically ready?

What sports will work for you?
How much will it cost to be involved in the sport?  Where is it located?  What equipment will be involved?  As the parent of a young child, you must also be committed to paying coaching fees, getting your child to practice or class, and supplying the uniform or other equipment.  Make sure your child is involved in a sport that you can also commit to supporting.

Is the sport child-oriented and fun?
Remember that the point of involving your child in an organized sport is to have fun, make friends, improve self-esteem, learn teamwork, and to learn new skills.  If the coach or instructor is too demanding or competitive, it may not be the right match for your child.  If your child is losing self-confidence rather than gaining, feeling pressured, hates going to practice, or is embarrassed, it may be doing more harm than good.  It may be that the sport, team, coach, or game is not a good match for your child.  There are plenty of other ways for your child to excel and become involved in physical activity.  Don’t let a bad experience make your child feel like a failure.

For more information on getting your child involved in organized sports, see the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research article on Youth Athletics: Finding the Right Sport.