Do you have an opinion on what is the best first sport for children to try out? Here’s what the experts say.
These days it feels like there is so much pressure to get your child into the ‘right’ sports early on, but what exactly are the right sports?
Most parents will agree that the best sport for children is the one that they enjoy doing, no matter how good (or not) they are at it. But they have to start somewhere and usually parents will choose a sport for them to begin their extracurricular career.
And it can be a tricky decision, all sports are beneficial in different ways and what if our child misses out on becoming the next Messi or Serena Williams because we didn’t put them in the right sport?
RELATED: The Reason Why Dividing Children By Ability In Sports Is Actually Beneficial
Is this the best first sport for kids?
I had this dilemma myself when my child was starting school and people from all angles were telling me she should do a team sport, how good gymnastics is for them and asking if she wanted to join their child on the local GAA team.
But I knew that I didn’t want to overload my child with activities and didn’t start her in anything until she began primary school. Before that she was in creche all day and I actually wanted to see her in the evenings and at weekends.
Of course I would love my child to enjoy and excel at all sports but that’s not realistic and I knew one sport in particular that I wanted her to be competent at, swimming. We live in a seaside town and I knew that she would be spending a lot of time in the water during her childhood so her being able to swim was important to me.
So that’s what we did. She began swimming lessons in junior infants (when she was five) and didn’t start another activity for a full year. And it turns out that I was on the right track because many parents and experts alike agree that swimming is the best first sport for kids.
A scientist and dad, who posts on Instagram under the handle Homelabwellness and specialises in movement and wellness and explores ‘what helps kids thrive’ shared four reasons why he thinks swimming is the best first sport for kids.
4 reasons why swimming is the best first sport for kids
1. Water safety – at its core, swimming is a life skill before it is a sport and it ‘might be the only sport that could one day save your child’s life’.
2. It opens doors – Swimming is the base for so many activities including triathlon, snorkeling, and surfing and it opens the door to so many experiences for your child.
3. It’s a full body workout – ‘Swimming builds strength, coordination and endurance from head to toe,’ the dad explained.
4. Promotes lifelong wellbeing – Swimming is a good sport for longevity as it is easy on the joints, is relaxing and the water supports your body meaning you can enjoy it ‘for life’.
Experts and parents agree!
Many people agree that swimming is the best first sport for children including pediatric doctor Dr W. Steen James. She urged parents to enroll their children in swimming lessons before other sports as it is ‘an essential life skill that can help protect your child from drowning’.
Parents on Reddit agree too, with many echoing that the life saving aspect is of utmost importance.
‘In my opinion, some sort of swimming lessons are invaluable,’ said one person on a thread on the subject and another parent added: ‘I think this should be clear. Swimming classes aren’t just so you learn how to have fun, it’s a survival tool for the rest of your life’
It’s also one of the safest sports a child can take part in, according to RollerCoaster.ie.
