Early in their lives, unstructured play is fun and will provide them with a good aerobic work out. When your children are ready for a sport, selecting the right one is very important. Recognize that each child has his or her own personality. Some children thrive in a more competitive environment found in traditional team sports. Other kids will do better facing personal challenges found in swimming, diving, and or some martial arts.
Some activities offer a bit of both challenges such as tennis, fencing, and wrestling.
Says Pediatric Sports Medicine expert Dr. Steven Buckley, It is a good idea to expose your kids to a number of sports. Give them the opportunity to experience a variety of activities and discover what they enjoy and can do successfully. Avoid a focus too early in their lives on just one activity. Unfortunately, with the increase in participation in youth sports has come an epidemic of sports injuries in kids. Dangerous injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments along growth plates areas that are critical for growing bones should be avoided and, when they do occur, treated by a pediatric specialist.