What sports would you encourage your children and other children to participate in from a young age and why?

Question

What sports would you encourage your children and other children to participate in from a young age and why?

Answer 1

Boeresport, of course. Ha, ha!

The first sport EACH and EVERY child should learn is swimming. It is very important to be able to keep oneself afloat and alive should a child fall into a pool, off a boat or whatever situation in the water.

Team sports are good to learn to work with other kids.  Even if it is the relay team!

In SA, I would think that Karate or other self-defence would come in very handy.  My daughter had a friend in primary school who had her junior black belt.  This kid had so much self confidence (not cocky), she knew (virtually) no one could do anything to her.

But, observe your child, see what interests him. It´s no good shoving him into something if he has no interest. On the other had, he should know that he has to stick with what he has chosen.

We took part in ALL school sports, athletics, swimming, tennis in summer, netball in the winter. There was no pressure on being the best, it was just fun.  And I was also privileged to go horse riding.  We sailed on weekends in summer, and went mountain climbing in winter.  In other words, we were active all the time.  We had no time for TV, simply because TV was not around then!! Ha, ha.

Answer 2

football (soccer)..greatest sport in the world..develops stamina,body coordination,agility,strength?..plus it's the most famous sport in the world..either that or track and field or volleyball because i am a varsity of both..and i know that they are both great sports and they are both fun..

Answer 3

Well you should start to let your child take swimming lessons from age 3 and a half to 4. You have to learn to swim from a very young age. And I do have proof for this one, that is what my friend told me and she was the Captain of the Springbok swimming team. In Grade one I let may daughter take everything that she could, tennis, netball, hockey, athletics, swimming, dancing. Well later she had to choose, there is just no time for everything, so now she swims, do athletics, netbal, hip hop dancing. She comes home everyday at 17 00. She would love to do more, but there is not enough time.  I think they should do at least one ball sport, especially a team sport and swimming, the latter is so good for one and now with all my friends doing Ironman and triathlons I see, that adults struggle to learn to swim properly if they did not learn it as a child, you can always start cycling and running, but not swimming. Oh and i have read that a boy must do contact and team sport, it helps them get rid of their aggression and testosterone, so rugby, kickboxing and hockey (mofstok) is apparently good.

Answer 4

Swimming. It is easy on the soft cartilage that is still forming around the bone at the joints. It builds overall muscle strenght, endurance and also coordination. Furthemore it can save their life if they end up in a watery situation and most kids think water is fun and will not need lots of motivation.

Answer 5

Any sport they would like......personally I would say football....but I intend living in the Garden Route forever....football is not big this side and wouldn't be in the near future....

Answer 6

I have taken our daughter to swimming lessons, but only so that she knows not to be scared of water (at this stage she is still young 2 years so she can't really swim) - other than that there is no particular sport. We try to encourage her to play outside as much as possible, mainly for the excercise - if she finds a sport that she likes when she is older, then I guess we will encourage her - hopefully it will be something like tennis, so if she turns pro, I can become her manager and retire...aaahhhh (dreaming)

Answer 7

Surf Lifesaving.

Fantastic all round fitness, Water awareness, Learn CPR and First Aid - They can earn money on duty (Once qualified) - which will keep them away from having to work in bars, clubs or restaraunt.

During School Holidays - they also have nipper training programs (Nipper = young lifegaurds) - which keeps them out of trouble too.

Answer 8

The first thing my children learned was to swim.I like camping and going to the sea and river. Water can be fun  yet dangerous.They can swim and than I encouraged them to find a sport that they enjoy. My son went in Aikido and hip-hop dancing.My daughter plays a bit of every sport and fishing.

Answer 9

Any sport they want to play, if any. I really have no motivation as to why, I just feel they should play for as long as they can because youth is not indefinite...and it might help keep them from trouble