Top Ten Sports Activities for Kids
Every responsible parent dreams of a happy, healthy, and successful future for their child. Achieving these dreams is much harder if your child is not involved in sports, which help strengthen character, willpower, and the body. Time will tell if your child becomes a professional athlete or simply develops healthy lifestyle habits. As an adult, you help guide the direction, but it’s important to listen to your child's wishes and opinions to reasonably and gently choose a sport that brings them joy and success.When choosing a sport, the most important thing is to consider your child’s health, physique, preferences, character, temperament, and to consult with coaches. Recognize each child’s individuality when selecting a sport, accounting for their body and character’s uniqueness.
When selecting a sports section, don't underestimate the importance of your child’s temperament. While everyone has unique traits, psychologists have observed that a child's emotional type is noticeable from age 4-5, falling into four main groups: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, and melancholic. It's best to choose sports based on your child’s temperament type.
- Football, Basketball, Volleyball. If your child is a choleric (full of energy and emotion), consider team sports such as football, hockey, tennis, volleyball, basketball, or boxing. These team games can be played anywhere – in stadiums, courtyards, parks, playgrounds, beaches, or forests, on grass or pavement. Football and similar games enhance both physical shape and mood.
- Skating and Rollerblading. This sport develops focus and improves eyesight. While overcoming obstacles, athletes must control their bodies and be aware of their surroundings, as environments can change constantly. Skateboarding provides excellent cardiovascular exercise, keeping the heart and lungs active and the cardiovascular system healthy. It’s fun and trendy to know how to rollerblade or skateboard and perform tricks.
- Snowboarding, Skating, and Skiing. Active winter sports are as exciting as summer ones. They toughen the body, work nearly all muscle groups, build endurance, improve metabolism, and develop balance. Although training may be seasonal, children will look forward to winter with joy and anticipation.
- Cycling. The classic bicycle, like jeans, never goes out of style. Nowadays, it’s trendy to go mountain biking or tackle rough terrain and obstacles on a bike.
- Dancing suits children with a calm temperament. Such children are often seen as "unsporty", but melancholic children often excel at dance. Options include sport, ballroom, or folk dances. You might ask, "Is dancing a real sport?" Absolutely! Dance gives a real workout, develops flexibility and endurance, tones muscles, and encourages good posture.
- Street Workout. Training on horizontal bars is growing in popularity. Anyone with access to playground bars can participate, and it’s free. This sport thoroughly strengthens the body, and both boys and girls can enjoy it.
Advice:
Take our unique Parenting Mentor Test to find the best way to help your child become physically stronger. You'll learn about your child’s temperament, whether their lifestyle is healthy, and how sports can help. - Equestrian Sports. Horseback riding is unique. Kids not only develop physically, but also interact with horses, known for their intelligence and gentle nature. Riding also develops flexibility, improves posture, and builds confidence. Overall, equestrian sports are among the healthiest activities a child can try.
- Swimming. Swimming has wide-ranging benefits for physical, intellectual, and mental health. It engages nearly all body systems, toughens the body, prevents diseases, lowers stress, and helps manage stressful situations.
- Martial Arts. Martial arts are great for phlegmatic children, who are calm, thoughtful, moderate, and thorough. Oriental martial arts help build self-control, physical fitness, and self-defense abilities. It's ideal to start martial arts in childhood so it becomes a natural part of life. They promote not just strength and agility, but also spiritual growth, with self-discipline and control being key. For these children, sports like billiards, golf, checkers, chess, or target shooting also suit their need for calm concentration and strategic thinking over reaction speed.
- Extreme Sports. This category includes climbing, bouldering, skydiving, rope jumping, parkour, alpine skiing, karate, hang gliding, kayaking, fencing, and mountaineering—perfect for sanguine children. Extreme sports are exciting, with their risks, complex techniques, and adrenaline rushes. They can relieve stress and offer new perspectives, making them very beneficial for children’s health and development. Before choosing these, carefully weigh the pros and cons. Ultimately, sports are about strength, health, freedom, and joy, not just thrill-seeking or showing off.
There is no strict ‘psychological age’ for starting sports. Some kids begin mountain climbing or skydiving at 12 or 13, while some adults are afraid to even fly. Each situation is unique and depends on the child, parents, coach, and environment. Ask your child about their interests—horses, rollerblades, football. If a sport sparks active rejection during introduction, it’s unlikely to make them happy or successful, so consider other options. Your child’s happiness is essential—this is the key to health and joy, and ensures they won’t be discouraged by sports. Our experienced specialists can evaluate your child’s potential and advise you about health concerns that may arise.