Deciding on Youth Organized Sports for Your Children

With childhood obesity a front line thought in today's society more parents are finding creative ways to get their kids up and moving. There are many ways to get our children moving but there is more value than physical health in organized sporting activities- children can develop a multitude of life skills and be motivated to succeed in other areas.

At What Age Should a Child Start an Athletic Program?

When to start looking into programs for your child is a big question. Many youth football, baseball, and soccer programs have non-competitive teams starting at ages 5 and 6. Dance classes have programs for children as young as 2 and 3, it's really just a matter of parental preference. It's a great idea to start your children early, but one of the biggest concerns is the preference of the child.

At this early level, most teams and leagues focus on teaching the children the basics of the sport and on having fun. It's also often less expensive to enter a younger team, so now would be a great time to let the little ones try out a few different things and see what they like. If your child is older, don't sweat it! It is never too late to get involved and the programs are typically designed to help beginners succeed and learn at their own pace.

How Can I Find and Choose a Good Program?

Never underestimate the power of the on-line review. With the amount of social media and on-line access to businesses you can easily compile a good idea of the atmosphere, negatives, and positives of a program. This is a good tool, however don't let a few negative comments get in your way. Read several comments and ask questions of people who may have been involved with the program.

Accreditation is big. Nationally recognized programs often operate smaller, regional leagues. For instance, Pop Warner, the national football and cheer leading program has regional divisions with teams in each league. Also look into the references a program or business has to offer, and read the biographies about the owners, teachers, and coaches that are available to you. Dance studio owners are often retired dancers and tend to post their credentials on the company website or in other media.

Ask around. Chances are some of your friend with children, or children's friends, are a part of an organized sport or know someone who is. If you ask the right questions, you'll get the right answers. You'll want to know if the children in the program are having fun, if the organization is meeting safety requirements, if the children involved return the next year, and if the children involved progress. Don't worry- if someone had a negative experience, they will probably tell you all about it.

A lot of organizations including martial arts studios and dance studios offer a "try us free" promotion. You can typically try one class for free and then decide if it's for you and your children.

What are the Benefits of the Programs?

Aside from adding a physical regimen to your child's day, your child will gain communication skills and will learn respect, responsibility, follow through, citizenship, and teamwork. The children involved in sports programs have the opportunity to make new friends, build technical skills, and learn how to function as a small part of a bigger picture. Sports develop decision-making skills and children who participate in sports often do better in school.