Kids love to explore everything. They are enjoying their big world making new friends and playing around; always craving for something new and challenging things! I bet their motto is “Never stop exploring” and you can completely agree with that.

It can be very helpful for your child if you encourage him to join sports.Let him choose one that is close to his interest and might definitely be enjoyable for him once he’s in, and then, have him sign up on that. Just make sure that you are always there by his side being an all-out-supporter so that your child won’t lose his motivation. You can consider these sports suggestion for your child: tennis, table tennis, softball, baseball, basketball, badminton, soccer, gymnastics, swimming or martial arts. Your child for sure, will gain something once they are engaged in a sport. So, these are some of the things he will surely learn, treasure and enjoy:

• Being involved in sports decrease the risk of obesity. Obesity is one of the most common health problems that children face nowadays and active participation in sports is one way to prevent it.
• Joining a sport could be a source of social-support. Your child will learn how to socialize well with different kids because of the teams that he will surely become part of.
• Teamwork! “United we stand, dividedwefall” is the basic principle of sports. Your child will surely learn the importance of having a good connection with his teammates.
• A study shows that sports contribute to the development of self-esteem in kids. Just some simple sport gestures like a high-five with your teammate or a handshake with your opponent helps build the character of your child.

Losing a game is indeed saddening for kids and adults alike so it’s normal when you see your child crying after losing a “battle against his opponent”. It’s actually not something extraordinary. But that doesn’t need to stop there. We need to teach them at a very early age on how to be a good sports and on how to accept defeat. Teach them to control their reaction when losing happens. They need to be reminded that not winning is normal and there is a time to win or to lose. It is also important that you say him words that actually gives relief like “Even though you didn’t take home the top spot, you are still the winner for me no matter what!” Let him feel that at the end of the game, it’s never about winning or losing but how well he enjoyed the game.

When your child becomes involved in the world of sports, he will strive to become the best that he can be. By engaging in sports, your child will not only become stronger physically but also mentally, socially, psychologically and emotionally. At the end of the day, the best thing that he will learn is how to overcome any challenges and obstacles that will come his way because that’s how sports are played.