Trying lots of different activities and sports will help your child decide what they like and are good at. Like most things, if children do well at sports or a particular activity, they are more likely to maintain an interest.
If you introduce new games, skills or activities at a slow and gentle pace, children will be more able to learn the skills, are less likely to get hurt and will become more confident about trying new activities.
Most primary school children need plenty of unstructured activity such as running and chasing and playground games, in addition to organised sports.
At around five, children are often keen to help with physically engaging household tasks such as gardening or washing the car, something most parents are keen to encourage.
Most children are ready for organised sport by eight years of age. It’s a good idea to start out with a gentler sport like tennis. This will help your child develop skills without being in danger of getting hurt or losing confidence. You can also get them interested earlier though play.
School-age kids will still need your help in order to develop physical skills and to learn how to cope with the emotions of winning and losing.
If your child becomes frustrated, it might be a good idea to suggest a change of activity so that he doesn’t lose interest in a particular sport.
Different kids excel at and enjoy different activities, so it’s good for your child to try a variety of sports, both team and individual, and to be involved in more than one sport at a time. Other kids will prefer non-sport activities and it’s important that they have hobbies that will keep them active as they get older.
Read more: School age children at play
