As a parent, you want to see your child succeed. They are meant to fail, learn from their mistakes, and grow as a person. Participating in sports from a young age can help improve personal skills that your child will use later in life.
One of the most valuable skills a child can learn from sports is resilience. Resiliency arises when children set goals for themselves, learn from their mistakes, and work to overcome obstacles. Learning important problem-solving skills from a young age is the best way to ensure these skills stick into adulthood.
Continue reading this list of four sports young children should try to build resilience.
Bicycling
Teaching your child how to ride a bicycle is a fundamental part of childhood. Bike riding is a fun outdoor activity that can become a competitive sport in the future.
With your guidance as a parent or a coach, your children can learn self-discipline and resilience when bike riding. Many outdoor factors can affect bicycling, such as wind and hills. Your child will learn how to adapt to the environment and work hard to overcome challenges.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is all about balance and flexibility. Starting gymnastics at a young age is the best way to develop a hobby for years to come. There are many benefits of gymnastics for young children, such as allowing them to work through any uneasiness that comes with trying a new skill.
Propelling your body into the air can be scary. No matter the skill your child learns, their coach will be right there beside them to help them learn and overcome their fears. Their resiliency and comfort will shine through in each gymnastics routine they perform.
Basketball
Maybe you’re looking to get your young child involved in a more team-oriented sport. Having a coach and teammates will push your child to work harder, and they’ll have a good support system on the court. As challenges arise, your child can build resilience by taking criticism from the coach and working to implement those adjustments to the game.
Swimming
Swimming is not just for summer pool parties. It’s a wonderful competitive sport that has many physical and mental benefits. While working in a team environment, it is up to your child to individually work to perfect their skills.
Young children are strong and tough. When they’re knocked down, they’ll jump right back up to try again. Children will develop valuable skills and build resilience by trying these sports.