Physical activity is important for young children and helps lay the foundation for lifelong healthy Xi, but you may wonder if your child is ready to start certain types of exercise or organized exercise. Read on to find out what types of physical activity are safe for young children, what benefits daily exercise can be for your child, and what types of sports you should wait until your child is older.
Your Child’s Daily Active Play
You may have noticed that your child is on the move from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed. Whether he is walking, running, jumping, climbing, throwing a ball, dancing or pulling toys, all these activities support the healthy development of the child and are a stepping stone to organized sports later on. Toddlers have short attention spans, so you’ll see your child switch activities from one minute to the next. That’s totally fine. Encourage these types of physical activity as much as possible and limit screen time to one hour or less per day to make room for as much physical activity as possible. Play with the child on his own or supervise him with his siblings or other children of the same age. Take him to the park or playground and encourage him to get active. Of course, it would be great if fun physical activities also happened indoors. When you go out with your child in a stroller, let her out of the car every now and then and walk beside you by the hand. This gave her a taste of the joy of exercising. Subsequently, as your child’s coordination improves, she will be able to confidently go up and down stairs, run, start pedaling a tricycle or bicycle with training wheels, and more.
In conclusion, your child may have gained a lot of exercise by simply being themselves and going about their day – walking, jumping, and climbing at every opportunity. This kind of unorganized play is conducive to the child’s development at this stage. Continue to encourage these types of physical activity while limiting screen time.
Benefits of Physical Activity for Children
Regular physical activity for children and teens can have many long-term benefits, including:
- Improves cardiorespiratory fitness
- Build strong bones and muscles
- Helps with weight control
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Reduce the risk of health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and/or obesity.
Cultivating a love and enjoyment of physical activity will benefit your child greatly in the long run, helping to improve her health and helping to reduce the risk of many health problems in the future.
How Much Physical Activity Does Your Child Need?
Experts recommend that young children do the following amounts of physical activity and exercise every day:
- Structured physical activity of at least 30 minutes led by an adult. This could be playing a game, throwing a soft ball, or even acting out a storybook scene.
- Engage in at least 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity under adult supervision. This can be pretending to play, running around in the backyard, or playing with friends.
Think of these recommendations as a starting point and know that exercise and physical activity can be done in a shorter part of the day, not for a long time. Young children should not be inactive for more than an hour at a time, except during sleep.
What Physical Activities Can Young Children Do?
Many children enjoy participating in physical activities, and some children show an interest in sports from an early age. However, this does not mean that your child will become a basketball player by the age of 2. Keep in mind that depending on your child’s age, maturity, and abilities, some physical activities may be more appropriate than others. If you’re not sure what is safe or appropriate for your child, ask your child’s pediatrician for personalized advice. As a general guideline, the average 3-year-old child may be able to:
- Good for walking and running
- Jump in place
- Balance on one foot
- Catch and throw the ball
- Kick the ball forward
- Pedaling a tricycle/bike.
Why Exercise Is Not Recommended for Young Children
Kids between the ages of 2 and 5 are still learning Xi basics like throwing, catching, and turning. They don’t yet have the basic motor skills needed for organized sports. They are still working on their coordination and visual skills. In addition, competitive sports with a win-loss concept are not a good option for young children, who may not be able to realize that their self-worth is not based on winning or losing. In addition, understanding and following the rules of competitive sports is still too difficult for young children. Therefore, in early childhood, the focus should be on supervised, unstructured, active play, such as running around in the backyard or playing with other children in the local park, as well as some structured play with you, such as playing a game of fetch or dancing together, examples. This type of play means that your child can have fun while exercising and developing their skills, and time with you can also foster a parent-child bond. As your child grows and matures, she will have ample time to develop an interest in organized sports.
In conclusion, toddlers and preschoolers do not yet possess the physical and cognitive skills needed for organized team sports. At this age, it’s best to offer plenty of opportunities for unstructured play, or simple structured play, such as playing hide and seek or hide and seek with you.
Are There Any Benefits to Enrolling Your Child in Sports?
Playing sports at a very young age doesn’t necessarily give your child or preschooler a head start in terms of athletic performance in the future. On the contrary, it can actually cause your child to become depressed and hinder her from playing sports in the future. If you really want to sign your child or preschooler up for team sports, opt for the League, which can help him learn Xi basics while also focusing more on fun than competition. If your child does participate in this organized team play, make sure the playtime is short and the focus is on having fun with all the children together. Athletes should rotate frequently to ensure that each child experiences a different position in a particular sport.
Experts say there is no benefit to enrolling children in organized sports or team sports at a very young age, and starting too early will not have a positive impact on future athletic performance. In fact, experts say that if your child has had a negative experience, it can prevent your child from continuing to exercise. If you really want your child or preschooler to participate in organized sports, choose a league that focuses on its fun aspects rather than competition or the rules of the game.