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What are the best sports for children?

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What are the best sports for children?
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Health professionals are constantly talking about the fact children spend too much time in front of screens and don’t do enough physical activity.  This can be dangerous for their health and can cause problems with their sight and concentration as well as muscular difficulties and cardiovascular problems.  let’s have a look at a eight sports that are very accessible for children! 

1) Hill-walking or tree top trails

From the age of three o four you can start to go for short walks with your child by regularly taking breaks and walking very slowly.  Later from the age of six, your child can go on longer walks that last longer than an hour.

Hill-walking is a great way to escape the crowds and discover countrysides as your child can run, walk and jump around wherever they want. What’s more wild landscapes have a calming effect on hyperactive children.  Sport when practiced regularly can benefit children’s ability at school.

There are also may tree top trails that are a specially adapted to young children from the age of 3 to 5 years old.  Of course your children needs to be well equipped with a secure harness.

2) Football

Football is one of the most successful team sports in Britain in terms of the number of children who are members of clubs.  This sport is ideal for children to develop their speed, endurance, coordination and dexterity as well as their sense of team spirit and their respect for their opponents.

Clubs generally accept children from the age of six years old.  Football is all the same a sport with some risks of injury.

3) Basketball

Just like football, basketball helps to improve endurance, dexterity, coordination as well as team spirit and competition.

4) Dance

Credits: Lightstargod – Pixabay

Although dance is a sport for both boys and girls, dancing is the preferred sport for girls.

Regularly practicing dance has undoubted positive effects for our health.  It improves:

  • our sense of balance
  • coordination
  • the toning of muscles (it is perfect for lower back pain and joint pain)
  • flexibility
  • sense of rhythm
  • general well being

Children can subscribe to classes or clubs from the age of 5 or 6 years old.

5) Fencing

Fencing encompasses three disciplines the foil, the épée, and the sabre. This sport helps to develop agility, precision and movement coordination as well as improving muscular tonality.  Children are accepted from around 7 to 8 years old.  the sport is ideal for learning to stay concentrated and  in control.

6) Gymnastic

Credits: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin -Wikimedia

Gymnastics is open to children from the age of 7 years old on average. Boys and girls use different gymnastic apparatus:

  • Girls use the floor mat, the beam, vault and uneven bars.
  • Boys use the floor mat, pommel horse, vault, fixed bars, parallel bars and rings.

However younger children don’t use the rings or bars if there or not strong enough or there is a high risk.

Gymnastics helps to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, tonality and muscular strength.

7) Judo

Judo is a martial art and combat sport which develops strength, agility, endurance and coordination.  It is accessible to children from the age of six years old and helps to channel anger or combat shyness.

8) Swimming (from the age of one)

Swimming is one of the best sports for your health as it works all the muscles of your body.  It also is great for improving endurance, breathing and agility.  Swimming can be practiced both in the indoor swimming pool but also in lakes and the sea in summer.

This is an ideal sporting activity for babies and young children who can be accepted into baby swimming classes from the age of one.  Moreover, everyone should know how to swim as well as participating in group classes before they get to school. This way your child can have good memories of their time in the swimming pool.

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