Sports Tips for Children

Establishing healthy exercise habits for children is more important now than ever before. Obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents over the last 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2012, more than one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

“Any physical activity a child enjoys that is safe and developmentally appropriate will be beneficial,” says Sally S. Harris, M.D., pediatric sports medicine specialist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “For optimal health, growth and development, children need to be encouraged to participate in and enjoy physical activities.” 

Walking, hiking, cycling, dancing and swimming are ideal places to start, she says, because these sports can be sustained at any age. There are many different sports options for children of all ages. And, in general, the many health benefits of the physical activity far outweigh the risks of injury, most of which can be prevented or appropriately treated.

Competitive Sports

Most children ages 6 and younger do not have the motor skills necessary to participate in organized sports, Dr. Harris says. Playing active games such as tag and hide-and-seek are good alternatives for younger children.

For older children, “look for a community-based sports program that encourages participation for everyone and emphasizes age-appropriate skill development rather than competition and winning,” she says.

Make sure safety issues are addressed before your child participates, and that the coaching and structure are suitable for your child’s age. A great indication of a good program is one where children participating look happy and are having fun.

“Before age 10, most children do not have the cognitive ability to understand and remember complex strategies required for competition,” Dr. Harris says. “Additionally, they are not able to master the complex motor skills required for most competitive sports.” 

Skill development, fun and participation should take priority over competition throughout childhood, she says.

Also, coed sports are perfectly fine for children. “There are no significant differences between boys and girls in height, weight, strength or endurance before puberty,” Dr. Harris says. “So children can participate equitably in all sports and physical activities on a coeducational basis until then.”

Motor Skill Development

“Sometimes parents are concerned that their child runs awkwardly or more slowly than other children,” Dr. Harris says. “In most cases, the cause is simply a temporary delay in motor-skill development.”

Like other developmental milestones, the rate at which children master motor skills varies from child to child. Usually a child will catch up to peers and won’t have any long-term disadvantages.

If you notice your child is struggling to keep up, the best physical activity experience may be individual, non-competitive sports that do not require advanced motor skills, such as walking, cycling or swimming, Dr. Harris recommends.

In a small number of cases, poor motor skills may be due to an underlying physical condition or a learning disability. Talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Weight Training and Contact Sports

Weight training is no riskier for injuries than other sports activities if done with appropriate equipment and proper supervision, Dr. Harris says. Although strength gains are greater after puberty, younger children can improve their strength safely through safe weight lifting. However, they should emphasize sets of multiple repetitions with lighter weight and avoid heavy lifting. 

Supervised contact sports are also safe. “Young children have a lower risk of injury than older children in contact sports like football because they do not have the size and strength to generate forces great enough to cause serious injuries,” Dr. Harris says. “A more important concern is whether the activity and the associated competition are appropriate or necessary at this age.” 

While it’s OK for children to participate in contact sports, the emphasis should be on participation, fun and skill development, not winning.