How Do You Get Your Kids Excited About Sports and Other Activities?

To me ages 5 and 6 sound very young for organized sports. There are all sorts of physical activities other than organized sports. Sports are good because of the social aspect, but I don't think they're so great for health. They might even do more harm than good.

my son has a.d.h.d.he is very difficult to motivate to do any sport.i have tried and failed with several options.karate,boxing football etc,but these only last a few weeks.i have just realised that he really likes the beach ,so i am going to enrol him in the little nippers club,this is a club run by the lifesavers at the local beach and they get to do all sorts of activities and excerises with them.do you live near a beach.it has taken me a few years yo discover what my son really likes.it is a lot of trial and error finding the right sport for a child.good luck

Sure it is a good idea for kids to be active and moving around but it feels to me that maybe you are trying to get them to fulfill your expectations more than just wanting them to exercise. Sometimes just take them to the skating ring and have fun is a good exercise, a walk in the park checking all the changes from summer to winter, a funny contest of who can walk the most steps in a certain period of time - a pedometer will help on this one and the involvement of at least one more member of the family :) -, a swim day a week in the community center pool - for example - can be both fun and a healthy activity, if there's a zoo in your city, take your kids there one day. It's a nice walk and they get to see the animals in their winter coats:) , put your favorite dancing CD on and have a dance contest:) .. all those are good exercising activities that can help keeping not only your kids but the rest of the family fit as well :) Organized sports are not the only fitness activity and it's not something that always works with all kids. Plus at their ages, your kids might not stay committed to one thing only yet. They don't necessarily know what they like and will try everything but loose interest fast. Also considerate that not all kids enjoy the same things. Sure baseball and soccer are great. My kids loved soccer, but we didn't get enroll them until later. Instead we used to play family soccer games during summer. In time they started enjoying it and my daughter was in the soccer team at school until last year. My son on the other hand never really enjoyed that kind of sports that much, so I didn't push him. A few years back he asked us if he could enroll in a martial arts program. We agreed and he's been there for the last 5 years and shows much more interest than he ever did for soccer or basketball or any other sport we thought he might like. At their age, what is important is to get them moving, walk, run, etc much more than enroll them in any specific sports. They will start making their minds in a few years and then you can think more about that. This is just my opinion of course, and I know that a lot of young kids enjoy organized sports,and are enrolled since an early age, but in my experience a big number prefer to try a bit of everything instead of committing to one thing only and make a special choice later.

If they're not interested they're just not interested I wouldn't force them to do it. Maybe there are other sports they'd like more. I agree that physical activity is essential for kids, heck everyone. When I was a kid I had the best time playing kickball and tag and running around with my friends. I didn't participate in organized teams I wasn't interested in that. What about just giving them a ball and letting them get outside and just run around. Do they really need to be in organized sports especially if they aren't interested?

Well are any of their friends in the indoor sports because that might make them more excited than just for a week. I have been doing the indoor winter sports for sometime with my kids and they like it but that is becuase they know other kids in their teams. But at first it was a big disaster they had no clue what to do but they now have done it that they enjoy it. It gives them a way to run out their energy and find new friends. Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

My son's involvement in rodeo evolved from them seeing their parents involved in it. The oldest really enjoys it. He wasn't old enough to enter competitions other than sheep riding until he was 8, because of the various association rules at the time. (There have since been some new youth associations that have age groups as young as 2 where they rope a dummy, or do a variation on goat tying.) Anyway, keeping the kids interested and involved can be a difficult thing to do. My oldest loved to be able to watch his competitions so he could see where he could improve. (the perfectionist)... the younger one couldn't have cared less. Forcing a child to stay in a sport they don't enjoy only creates resentment. It is far better to let them try a sport and decide on their own if they enjoy it or not. My youngest did not enjoy the rodeos, he got into dirt bikes. The key here was to offer your support and coaching regardless of what they choose to do. By coaching, I mean, don't over criticize. Always try to find at least one good or positive thing in everything they attempt. Children sometimes get more enjoyment out of activities if they see their parents doing the same thing. Be that bowling, darts, swimming, soccer, rodeo, flag football, softball or baseball. Just don't force it. I still elieve 5 and 6 is a bit young to be expecting a child to stay focused for a team sport. I'm not saying they shouldn't be involved, but I am saying don't expect too much.

Please don't take this the wrong way but, if your kids aren't interested then don't force them. Organised sport isn't the only way for them to be physically active. Ask them what they would like to do. I always ask my 7 year old if he wants to join in when things like that come up at his school (he always says no!) and I regularly ask him if there is a hobby he would like to do. He did go ice skating but got bored! He still likes to go for walks with me, ride his bike with his dad and gets plenty of exercise ever day. Obviously, if your kids say they want to join in the winter soccer, then fine but I think you should ask them rather than expecting them. And, to be honest, if they have no co-ordination then they are probably not going to be that good at most sports! I have that problem with my 7 year old. He can't even catch a ball but he isn't interested so I'll keep trying but it's not important and he's not interested.

Maybe talk to the parents of one of your son's friends. Ask them if their son is interested in playing soccer with your son. When they are young, it's always more appealing to be involved in a sport with a friend. I agree with you about kids being involved in some type of physical activity. We have three grown daughters. Two played several sports but the oldest had no interest. She lacked the coordination to play softball. She played one year and about half killed herself trying to be the catcher on a team. We encouraged her to find another sport or activity. Next daughter had a natural talent for any sport, much like myself. Our youngest had to work so hard to play softball but eventually got there. She's the one who earned a four college scholarship to one of the local universities in our area. It was just wonderful, not to mention the financial aspect of being able to earn her degree via another source. To force our first daughter to play any sport would not have been a good idea. She didn't have the interest. Again I suggest finding another friend who would join the team(s) with your sons would be a good idea. Good luck.

Yes kids need some sort of physical activity daily BUT that doesnt mean they HAVE TO play sports and....why not ask them what they'd like to do..it could be as simple as going for family walks or bike rides or maybe a dance class or gymnastics etc..there are tons of options...My son has NO DESIRE at all to do sports, he's more of a artsy type but he loves swimming, he loves jumping on the trampoline and he loves going for bike rides with me etc..He's mentioned that he wants to take a hip hop dance class which I'll be looking in to....Give them a variety of options and go from there..

You are right. Perhaps at first you need to be excited to the sports and therefore your children will be affected by you. For example, I like watching America's Funniest Home Videos. And my 3 years old son becomes to enjoy it, too. Although usually he is not interested in watching TV. But when America's Funniest Home Videos shows, he will be so happy and laugh with me.

you have to let them find something they enjoy. with my kids its all about swimming...even if it is not a lesson every week, just the whole family going and playing around at the local pool is great exercise. Boxing is really good too as long as they aren't sparing...teaches self disipline too. there are so many activities out there...even sledding is a great activity. hope that helps