Is It Really Such a Wise Idea?

Some parents hem and haw when their children start getting a little older and express an interest in sports activities, especially if those sports are impact sports of any nature. After all, even T-ball can mean some pretty mean lumps on the head and soccer some bad twisted ankles. So is it really such a wise idea for such young kids to be out there straining their bodies when they haven't even fully developed yet?

The short and long answer is yes. Exercise is a very natural and essential part of a child's growth, and the more they get when they are young (within reason) the more healthy they will be as they age. Your kids should be getting an hour of exercise every single day in order to be healthy. And not only that but setting the bar at a young age often equals a lifetime of smart living habits.
Sports is not just about just passing time. There are substantial benefits.
The fitness benefits are quite obvious. Too many American children are sitting around the house, watching movies, playing videos games, and eating junk food. Look at all the sitting that goes into the modern existence. They kids sit there on the couch all day at home. Then they sit in your car to go from place to place. And then even at school they spend the vast majority of their time in a chair.
Is it any wonder they are out of shape?
But sports gets them up and moving, and that's what they need. They strengthen their bodies, become more flexible, and work their cardiovascular system.
But the benefits owed to sports is not just physical. A lot of character development is going on as well. Kids learn to set goals and work towards their achievement. They learn to develop healthy living habits and principles, shying away from unhealthy habits their peers pick up as they mature. Work ethics, discipline, and responsibility become a norm.
They also develop more confidence in themselves, due to both the healthy release of hormones from physical health and because they are achieving small goals in their lives. Some will take on their sport as a lifelong passion. And these days, with depression and, unfortunately, suicide a growing epidemic among our young, self esteem can make all the difference in the world.
Finally, with all these great benefits of playing sports, there is a lot of social and emotional growth going on as well. Your child gets a chance to develop sound leadership skills and learns to work with others. They are surrounded by friends who have similar healthy habits, and they begin to foster relationships with healthy adults who can provide a positive role model.
The relationships they establish with these adults ease their social development on the way to adulthood and give them a common ground that minimizes the "us" vs. "them" attitude some children develop as they become teens. While our culture often accepts this attitude as normal behavior, if it goes too far it can lead down dark paths.
So, as you can see, the argument for getting your children involved in sports at a young age is extremely compelling. Are there small risks involved? Sure, there are, and I'd point out that there are even some pretty dangerous risks involved in any active situation—as insignificant as those risks might be. But that's part of living, and the life that accepts a small part of risk for a huge variety of benefits and opportunities is the life worth living.
If your child is still too young to seriously consider enrolling them in sports, it's still not too early to begin incorporating active habits into their lives and protect them from the dangers of sedentary living and child obesity. Consider rounding up some used playground equipment and set up an activity center at home