6 effective ways to teach your child to play sports

Tips for parents on how to get your child involved in sports and physical activity

Does your child prefer computer games to playing sports? Is he not interested in playing soccer and other sports games? Or is his or her physical shape less than ideal, which makes him or her self-conscious? Whatever the reason, if a child does not like sports, it is very difficult to motivate him.

A lecture won’t help. You may worry that if you don’t enroll your child in a sports section or don’t get him used to playing sports, then it will be too late. But the truth is, parents have more options than they think.

There are a few tricks to help your child become more physically active. This will be of great benefit even if he doesn’t dream of becoming a soccer player.

1. Remember that kids don’t need the same exercise as adults.

For you, a full workout may mean 30 minutes of running or that you burn a certain number of calories. But children behave differently. A workout for a child is a series of exercises or movements that don’t have to be repeated.

So if you want to accustom your child to exercise, become a partner in the game, not a coach. Don’t make him run with you in the morning, instead offer him to play soccer or another game on the sports field. In these games you get a triple benefit: you get your child accustomed to the sport, you are active and strengthen the emotional connection with your child.

2. Tell your child about the benefits of exercise

You don’t have to convince your child to change their hobbies or interests. Just help them understand that being physically active makes them feel better about different areas of life. For example, if your child is into math or likes to read books, tell them that physical activity develops the brain and increases concentration and attention.

3. Resort to tricks

There are many ways to get kids into physical activity without them even knowing it. For example, if you take your child to the mall, park the car farther away so that your child walks a longer distance. If he likes animals, offer to walk the neighbor’s dog. Don’t think of yourself as cheating, think you are doing all this for the child’s well-being.

4. Understand the reason why your child doesn’t like to play sports

Perhaps the child doesn’t like to stay hot after a workout. Maybe he or she is being teased by peers on the playground or gets shortness of breath quickly. If you know the real reason your child refuses to play sports, it will be easier for you to find a solution. If you can’t figure out the reason yourself, consult a child psychologist.

5. Start small

Experts say that children should exercise every day for about an hour. But that doesn’t mean they need to talk about it. If your child thinks a 30-minute workout is too much for them, they won’t exercise.

Instead, suggest that your child work out as much as he or she is comfortable with, even if it’s just 5-10 minutes. The main thing is that he or she should set a goal and achieve it. When the child is able to do at least a small amount of exercise, he will be proud that he was able to do it. This will inspire him/her for new goals and achievements.

6. Exercise as a family

Instead of watching movies on the weekends as a family or going to a pizza place, you can go for a bike ride or go to a rock climbing wall. Offer your child a choice of several activities that involve physical activity, and see which they like best. Children want to do things that interest them – and they are like adults in that.