How sport can benefit children outside the court

However, you already know all of this. Let’s see how your child can benefit from activities that are sports-related, but don’t include practice hours!

Excursion trips for socialising and support

Journey to the goal is half the fun, right? When it comes to coach trips to the next town or city, this is true without a doubt. 

Kids get to share the excitement before the big game, develop strategies together, or usually just socialise and get to know each other better. Normally, they’re supposed to jump in the parent’s car the moment the practice is over, but now they finally have some time to communicate.

Going back home after a triumph prolongs the feeling of euphoria, self-satisfaction, and lifts team spirit. On the other hand, a defeat will be much easier to endure when shared with the other members of their microcosmos, which boosts empathy.

Watching a game is family time well-spent

You’re probably using all the learning techniques you can get your hands on to keep your child interested in learning after school hours, but when their favourite team has a big game on, it’s really hard not enjoy the opportunity to watch the game and bond with your little ones. And you shouldn’t feel sorry about it one bit!

This is excellent in so many respects. You’ll be able to learn a lot about your kids by watching the live football matches together: you see how they react to the actions, they’ll be encouraged to develop game strategies and use imagination, and probably share a lot about their practices.

Some parents use this as a fun math game, for example, by asking how many points are needed. Moreover, you can teach them about the importance of team work, and working hard.

Learning acceptance and tolerance

Thanks to playing sport, your child will probably be moved out of their comfort zone in one way or the other.

For example, it just so happens that a child already knows all the members of their team from school or the neighbourhood. More often than not, they’re of a similar social status and background. 

Meeting new players isn’t just about seeing the tricks of the other team. The child will be able to encounter new behaviours, social norms, maybe even systems of value. They can meet new cultures and hear new languages. As adults, we usually need to travel to another country to get such experience. Children, though, will find the fact that someone uses a different slang or comes from a different school “exotic” and unusual enough until, eventually, they learn to accept the diversities. 

In return, they become more open-minded at a young age, which reflects positively to their adulthood too.

To sum up, there are more benefits to your child playing sports than meets the eye, as it influences their free time in positive ways.