The Importance Of Playing Sports With Your Child

With children full of seemingly limitless energy, engaging them in sporting activity is generally a popular suggestion. However, there is no need for you to be a mere spectator! Join in and enjoy the benefits this will bring to both you and your child.

A variety of activities

Children at an Australian International School are introduced to a wide variety of sports and may be keen to demonstrate what they have learned to you. You also have the option of trying something new together.

There are plenty of different sports available in Singapore, from team games to water sports. Older children may well enjoy the thrills of an extreme sport, and if you have the nerve to try it, then go for it! For the more cautious, there will also be plenty of gentler sports to try. With such a wide variety available, experiment and find which sport you both like the best. The answer may surprise you!

Five benefits of playing a sport with your child

1. Get healthier and stronger.
Sport is good for you, helping to maintain a healthy weight while also strengthening your cardio-vascular system. If you find it hard to exercise as you juggle work and family life, playing a sport with your child is an excellent way to fit it in. Your child too will become stronger and fitter through doing sports and being active will also help instill good sleep patterns in them. Exercise has also been shown to improve mental health, as it helps to reduce stress levels. If either you or your child is undergoing a stressful time at work or school, you will see the benefits of exercise as a way to unwind.

2. Set a good example.
As sports are so good for children, you will undoubtedly be keen to encourage your children to play a sport. While the majority of children enjoy sports, some are less active, while many find it hard to tear themselves away from their electronic gadgets. The best way to encourage your child to be more active is to participate yourself, demonstrating your own commitment to the activity.

3. Bond with your child.
Being involved in your child’s life has a range of benefits in many aspects of their development and well-being. Playing sports with your child is a good way to ensure you spend regular time with them. While young children generally enjoy this parental attention, teenagers may not be quite so appreciative! Doing sports together in an activity you both enjoy is a good way of spending time with your teenager, helping to keep a positive relationship with them. As well as being a good way to enjoy one on one time with your child, a sporting activity is also fun for the whole family, with many activities easily adaptable for different ages and abilities.

2. Experience challenges.
Both children and adults can find starting something new a daunting experience. Being a complete beginner with all the mistakes it is likely to entail is hard, but at the same time is the only way we can learn. Starting a new activity together with your child takes some of the pressure off as you can support each other and enjoy achieving something together. Gaining the confidence to try something new is a useful skill to master, potentially making both you and your child more confident and willing to experience new challenges.

4. Enjoyment.
Parenting is hard work, but that doesn’t mean everyday has to be a chore! Going out and having fun with your child is also part of parenting. Childhood should be a fun part of life and participating in an activity your child enjoys will help achieve this. It is true that life can be stressful for both parents and children. Parents might be having a tough time at work, while children may be worrying about exams. Heading out for no other reason than to have fun is a valuable antidote to this.

There’s no reason to delay in starting a sporting activity with your child! Ask them today what sports they would enjoy or search the web to discover opportunities together. At AIS, we enjoy hearing about the sports our Students play in their free time and encourage them by offering sporting opportunities in School. We are sure that among our students there could be some of the top athletes of the future.