According to Ken Haller, M.D., an assistant professor of Pediatrics at St. Louis University School of Medicine, it is perfectly normal for kids to have a lot of energy — you know, the kind that most people liken to that battery that just keeps going and going.

This is because at the age of four years, children understand what their body is capable of and they demonstrate it by being very active. The problem is, at times, because of their boundless energy, the little ones get into sticky situations and also leave their parents utterly exhausted.

If you are a parent and you want to prevent the youngsters from staying up later than usual and getting into trouble sometimes because they simply do not know what to do with their pent up energy, one of the best solutions is sports training. Sign them up for ice skating classes, cycling sessions or tennis lessons at a sports academy. Learning sports will definitely put their boundless energy to good use.

Apart from the parental benefit of wearing the children out so they can sleep earlier and more soundly, getting your kids into sports offers numerous other benefits to the young ones as well, listed below are five of them.

1. Sports set them on the path to a lifetime of good health.

Ted Garland, professor of biology at the University of California, Irvine says that children who regularly get a workout through sports or other physical training are actually more inclined to exercise as adults.

They may also likely become the type of person who openly explores nutrition, mental wellness and overall strives to lead a healthy lifestyle.

It’s not just that active children grow up strong and fit, but a higher possibility of them becoming committed to a healthy lifestyle can actually lower their risk of developing serious illnesses such as certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

2. Sports improve focus.

To succeed in sports, it is imperative to be disciplined and learn to follow instructions. These instructions teach children to concentrate on how to achieve the results that they want.

This establishes the value of paying complete attention to tasks to ensure the target outcome. When children learn this important life lesson, you can expect to see them moderate their own behavior in different situations.

3. Sports develop grit and resilience.

Most of the time, playing sports exemplifies the tough realities of life. Children can learn so much from the physical and psychological requirements of competitions. Likewise, they can develop a broader understanding of how situations lead to outcomes based on their experiences playing in the field or court.

Two of the great qualities that sports develop in children are grit and resilience. Grit is the committed effort to achieving difficult goals. Meanwhile, resilience is the ability to bounce back from defeat, which is an important characteristic developed in sports.

4. Sports develop self-confidence.

One important lesson sports teach is to believe in oneself. In every training session, there will always be encouragements to strengthen one’s belief in his abilities. Coaches tell their players, “you can do it!” and “good job!”

Additionally, the development of skills is always a boost. Children discover that if they put in the work and believe that they can succeed, they can get the results they want. They understand that there is no limit to what they can achieve and their attention will be more focused on what they can accomplish, instead of on things that they cannot.

5. Sports can improve social skills.

For children of all ages, sports provide opportunities to play with others who share similar interests. Team sports, especially, provide kids with the chance to meet and work with new people.

Any situation that pushes people to work together for a goal yields social benefits. Your children can become less shy around strangers and they can learn to be more welcoming and cooperative, as well as encouraging to others.

Get your kids into sports

Signing up your kids for sports training is an investment in different ways. It does not matter if you decided to enrol your child for the basic return “me time” by keeping the kids from bouncing off the walls of your home; ensuring they have a productive energy outlet; or getting them involved in a wholesome activity guaranteed to teach them basic life values and skills.

Whatever the motivation, in the long term, you and your children will gain so much from the experience.

AUTHOR BIO

Possessing more than two decades of experience in the leisure and hospitality industry, Tony Kouris joined Zayed Sports City as General Manager in January 2018. With extensive career experience, a value on interpersonal relationships, and strong negotiating experience, he is positioned to support Zayed Sports City’s strategic growth and continue to innovate the site as an internationally recognised sport and entertainment destination.