Start sports as a Toddler!

Last Sunday, I went to a fitness club with Zoe and Noah. They had their gymnastic lesson with Necmiye and I did some cardio downstairs at the club. When I went to pick them up, they didn’t want to go back home. Noah pointed at the Pilates room next door: „Mummy, can we play there for a bit?“ We had a blast! I didn’t want to show them exercises right away because I always wonder about their own approach. Noah was fascinated by the TRX which was suspended close to the entrance. He checked its stability and figured that it was safer to go for swinging than climbing. It didn’t take long and little Tarzan was in full action!   I asked Zoe if she wanted to try to sit on the Bose. She liked the „ball which was cut in half“ and immediately found her balance. I told her that she was awesome and that her core muscles must be very strong. She got really proud and motivated.

For my kids, sports means Play-Time. They prefer to jump on the trampoline or skip the rope to watching television! The gains of active children are numerous. Research has shown that sports contribute to psychological well-being by reducing anxiety and enhancing self-esteem. Sports helps kids think critically and solve problems, build self-discipline, trust and respect for others. Children who play sports are more comfortable in taking leadership roles and they learn to set goals and achieve them. All of these attributes are important for life, for their attitude towards other people and occupational challenges.

At what age should children start with sports? I think that as soon as they are crawling, the moment has come. Motivate your toddler to go and get that car, roll a ball towards him. Make crunches with him sitting on your tummy and say Hi! each time you come up. Children younger than 5 years of age should be involved in exploration and simple motor activities. Keep them moving and having fun. For school age children, try to find out about their passions and talents. Show them lots of different activities and let them make their own choice. When children decide to participate in a sport themselves, their motivation to succeed is very high. You should also make sure that your child has a healthy relationship to competitiveness. Let me quote Zoe: “Winning is not important. Important is to have fun!”