Getting your kids to participate in sports from a young age is important for their health. But while they have so much pent up energy, the idea of a routine might scare them a little. Whilst it is important for kids to play a sport when they’re younger, it always helps if they actually like playing the sport. There’s no point in them doing something that they don’t love just to drop out a couple of months later. But, fear not, because our experts are going to go through some tips today on how you can find a sport that your child will love doing – and how to hire a Melbourne coach bus for when it’s time for their team to travel for games.
Target their interests
This is a pretty obvious point, but it does make the difference. If they’ve grown up watching a certain sport, then chances are they’ll probably want to play it. At the end of the day, children like to mimic adults and people they look up to. With that in mind, if they’ve grown up watching basketball, then present the idea of them playing basketball as a hobby.
When you pitch it to them, make it sound fun – it can’t seem like a chore to them. A good idea would be to do so whilst they’re watching a game on television. You could start by buying them a basketball and having them play for fun in the backyard or at the park before mentioning playing with others.
Playing with friends
Your child will make friends naturally if they’re put into a group of other children. But although it’s generally easy for young children to make friends, they’ll still feel more comfortable around ones they already know. So, if your child has a friend that is starting a sport – or has been playing one for a while – that may encourage your child to do the same sport on the same team.
The incentive of being able to play with your friend is a strong one and the bonds of friendship can be quite tight at such a young age. As friends, they’ll want to do what the other is doing. Alternatively, you can also convince your child to pick up a certain sport by saying that their friend will be doing it as well.
Process of elimination
Sometimes your child may not know what they like. If this is the case, then they can try a variety of different sports over a period of time and see which one they like the best. A lot of clubs will hold open days where kids and parents can come down to see what it’s all about and get a feel for it. These are great opportunities to see if your child’s interest is piqued.
There are many different sports that your child can pick up and be enthusiastic about – it’s just about picking the correct one. Attending open days is also a good way to avoid over-committing to any one sport and purchasing gear just for them to abandon it a month later.
Look out for the unconventional sports
Your child may not be suited for lots of running or it may turn out that they have no enthusiasm or interest in any of the popular sports. If this is the case, then it’s not the end – you can always look to more unconventional sports instead, such as bowling or table tennis. These are sports that still require commitment and hold a competitive edge to them, but with a little less strenuous body activity.
These can also be attractive options for your child because they are considered unconventional. That sort of feature can be exciting to them as it may make them feel like they stand out from the normal crowd and make them feel a bit more individual.
Be sure to support them
At the end of the day, you want your child to be happy. So support them with whatever decision they make and be encouraging. You can help them find their passion. If you notice a change in their personality, then you can encourage them to stick with it – or to drop it if you can see they’re not enjoying it.
Coach hire in Melbourne
If your child does end up joining a sporting team then they’ll probably need some Melbourne coach hire services to get them to and from games. That’s where Melbourne On The Move comes in. Our Melbourne coach hire services are unrivalled when it comes to quality, friendliness and professionalism.
If you would like to enquire with us about our coach hire services in Melbourne, then please give us a call on 1300 558 686 or send us a message through our website.